Kenashia "Shia" Douglas, the younger sister of Grammy Award-winning singer Ashanti, has courageously shared her story of surviving a violent relationship and is now dedicated to helping others on their healing journey through her holistic wellness lifestyle brand, "Wife of Creation."
A Family Affair: Ashanti's Support and Advocacy
The Douglas family has always been close-knit, with Ashanti consistently supporting and defending her sister. Ashanti, Kenashia "Shia," and their mother, Tina, discussed Shia's life-changing experience with domestic violence in an episode of Jada Pinkett Smith's "Red Table Talk." Ashanti shared that she was ready to take matters into her own hands when Shia informed her about the abuse, stating, "I went in the garage, I got the bat, I pulled up in the truck, I had Vaseline. I was ready. I was by myself and I had the adrenaline."
In October 2022, during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Ashanti relived her sister's abuse and shared photos of Kenashia's bruises on Instagram, expressing her fury and pain. Despite the difficult situation, Ashanti is proud of her sister's strength, courage, resilience, and unbreakable spirit.
The Trauma of Domestic Violence
Shia's ex-boyfriend subjected her to mental abuse, which eventually turned physical after they rekindled their romance. She shared that he would often reach out to her with gifts after physically abusing her, and the abuse continued for the last two and a half years of their 13-year relationship.
Shia revealed that her ex-boyfriend made threats before hitting her, but she never believed that the person she loved would hurt her until he did. She recalled one incident where he took pictures of her while she was sleeping at a friend's house and sent them to her phone.
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In 2020, Shia shared a video on her birthday detailing her life's journey, including the abusive relationship that led to a miscarriage. She celebrated Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October 2022 by sharing details about the abuse, stating that the last incident occurred on November 27, 2018. The abuse resulted in broken teeth and a changed perspective on life.
From Victim to Advocate: Shia's Healing Journey
Despite the trauma she experienced, Shia does not consider herself a victim or survivor. Instead, she sees it as part of her story, life, and journey. She emphasizes the importance of not allowing trauma to define oneself.
Shia's healing journey inspired her to create "Wife of Creation," a holistic wellness lifestyle brand that offers resources for people who have experienced domestic violence. The brand provides mental health support, nutritionists, martial arts therapy, and boxing.
"Wife of Creation is an extension of my healing journey," Shia told Angie Martinez. "I'm basically offering resources for people, so there is mental health, nutritionists, we have martial arts therapy, boxing."
Wife of Creation: A Holistic Approach to Healing
"Wife of Creation" is a holistic lifestyle and maintenance brand that offers an array of products and services, including skin and hair care products, home cleaning items, and sustainable clothing items. Shia is passionate and hands-on with the brand, which she sees as an extension of her healing and her purpose.
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The brand aims to provide services to help people practice self-care, prioritize their mental health, and be more conscious of what they put on and in their bodies. Professionals in different areas will offer content and individual one-on-one sessions for users, including mental therapy, nutritional guides, and detoxes. Customized experiences will also be available for those with specific health issues, such as fibroids, diabetes, or those seeking assistance with weight loss.
Shia emphasizes that "Wife of Creation" is a safe space where people can obtain the tools to be the healthiest, happiest, and most authentic versions of themselves. She believes that her experiences allow her to offer genuine support and guidance to others on their healing journeys.
Breaking the Stigma of Mental Health
Shia is committed to breaking the stigma attached to mental health in her community. She believes that sharing her life experiences and revealing some of the things she has been through can create a space for others to come for information and support.
"My priority is our mental health," she said. "I really want to break that stigma that's attached to mental health in our community. I feel that using myself as a tool and using my life experiences and revealing some of the things that I've been through has in turn been healing for me. It's also created a space for other people to come to for this information being that I am a person that's lived through experience. I'm not just selling and having a mental health therapist spew out things that I have no idea of what she's talking about. These are things I've actually lived. These are practices, these are regimens, these are prayers, these are routines, these are nutritional tips and lifestyle changes I've made within myself that I've seen have helped me."
The Terri Schiavo Case: A Different Kind of Battle
While Shia Douglas's story focuses on overcoming domestic violence, the case of Terri Schiavo highlights a different kind of battle: the right to end life-prolonging medical treatment.
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Terri Schiavo, born Theresa Marie Schindler, suffered severe brain damage due to oxygen deprivation after a cardiac arrest in 1990. She was left in a persistent vegetative state, leading to a legal battle between her husband, Michael Schiavo, and her parents, Robert and Mary Schindler, over her end-of-life care.
Michael Schiavo argued that Terri would not have wanted prolonged artificial life support without the prospect of recovery and sought to remove her feeding tube. Terri's parents disputed this, arguing in favor of continuing artificial nutrition and hydration. The case became highly publicized and involved state and federal politicians, including President George W. Bush.
After a series of court decisions and legal challenges, Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was ultimately removed in 2005, and she passed away shortly after. The Terri Schiavo case raised complex ethical and legal questions about end-of-life care, the right to privacy, and the role of government in personal medical decisions.