35 for 35: A Birthday Rooted in Healing

Hey there, I'm Deme, founder and executive director of The Lotus Club, and I'll be turning 35 on Aug. 29. To be honest, this birthday hits a bit different for me because I'm celebrating another solar return with a clarity of purpose I didn't have before.  The kind of clarity that only comes after you've been through something real.

This past chapter taught me some of the most valuable lessons of my life. I had to heal from work trauma. I had to rebuild after a layoff knocked the wind out of me. And in the middle of putting myself back together, I found my way back to the garden, pouring into other soil sistas the same way I was learning to pour into myself.

Here's what a lot of people don't talk about: healing costs money. In North Texas, a single therapy session averages around $150. When you've just lost your income, that number isn't just high; it's life-shattering. No one should have to choose between paying a bill and booking the session that helps them survive the season.

That's part of why The Lotus Club exists. We're building a space where Black women can access healing, leadership and community without cost standing between them and their wellness. Bloom Back, our flagship program, walks eight women through six months of intentional growth, closing with a celebration we call A Night in the Noire Garden.

For my birthday this year, I'm asking 35 people to give $35—one dollar for every year I've bloomed and every lesson I've learned. It's not just about the total. It's about 35 people who believe enough in this work, and in me, to say yes.

$35 for 35 years. Let's grow something together.