Secret Summers

LOS ANGELES—Freedom and opportunity led my parents to America. Once they arrived, they built an American Dream upon a foundation of their native cultural beliefs and ideals, loads of love, and a sense of liberal freedom. My mother valued the freedom she never experienced in Lebanon. And yet, she remained tied to her cultural secrets. She firmly believed the...

BEVERLY HILLS—When you’re deaf people seem to push anything “deaf” on you. For years I have been nagged to watch "Switched at Birth," mostly by my friends who were either on the show or supporting it. I thought more than twice about approaching this topic since I didn’t want to be a naysayer to a breakthrough show on the telly...

LAUREL CANYON—Tara was my best friend. People always said our age difference didn't matter because I was wise beyond my years and she was chronologically beyond hers. We made a perfect pair! We were twins. We thrived doing girly things. We loved hiking, dieting, and fawning over adorable animals. We both had curly, waist-long hair that we sometimes put in 100...

LAUREL CANYON—My mum used to say, "If your friends jumped off a bridge, would you?" Of course, she was being facetious. Her intention was to get me to think for myself and not follow my friends’ poor choices, or more specifically, the modern American culture. People thought I copied everything Tara did. She had a tattoo on her wrist. My mum...

UNITED STATES—The CDC has reported that last year's flu season was the deadliest in 40 years. I am sure you already heard this on just about every media station who blindly reports it every few hours ending the segment with, "Go get your flu shot, today." So the average person gets nervous, runs to their nearest doctor or give aways...

BEVERLY HILLS—Secrets were a way of life, a way of survival. I don't think this was my parents' intention, but this was my interpretation of their parenting. My dad always implored, "You only need to share the bare minimum, the pertinent information." This was contrary to my innate character. It was natural for me to be a free spirit, to...

BEVERLY HILLS—I am one of the many millennials that refer to organic, holistic and more natural approaches to health care. However, there are times when you need real old fashioned medical help. Receiving health care isn't a problem for most because we have laws in place to protect patients from discrimination and being denied health care regardless of your...

Editor's Note: This is Part Two of a four-part series chronicling the medical history of Hazel's father and the complications of his prescribed choleserol treatment. To properly orient yourself within the story you may read Part One Here. MALIBU—My beloved, once-healthy father was withering away. It broke my heart. I channeled my despair into determination. Fueled by a desire to...

BEVERLY HILLS—What do you tell your plump-lipped, chubby-cheeked daughter with curls down to her bum? Her peers are stick-thin and tight-lipped, boasting perfectly straight shoulder-length hair. They are the standard of beauty, she's not. You do the only thing you can for your distraught princess. You appease her, finding the best hair product to relax her nagging curls. You buy...

BEVERLY HILLS—My mother once said, "When you keep your heart and thoughts pure, God will protect you from temptation." She was right. Some might criticize her parenting as harsh, strict, or even inhumane, but this was part of my cultural conditioning. Without these lessons, experiences, and boundaries, I wouldn't be as secure as I am with my sexuality. It started...