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Mila Clarke: Welcome back to your diabestie. I’m your host Mila Clarke. I live with Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults and today’s podcast. I am just So thrilled so excited to have one of the most inspiring people that I know on the podcast today. Her name is Kylene Redmond, and you might know her as black diabetic girl and she’s not just living with diabetes, but she thrives with it and she accepts The Challenge and she is also just a shining example of resilience and a great encourager and accountability Partners. I am just so happy to have her here. I know that you guys are gonna enjoy this conversation so much so welcome Kylene.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: thank you I am excited to be here.
Mila Clarke: Me too. I’m so excited to have you I think this is gonna be such a fun conversation for us just as friends knowing each other, but Public sharing our personalities with the audit and…
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Yeah.
Mila Clarke: just talking about why diabetes is important to us. So I want to kick off by you talking about your experience with diabetes and your story.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Don’t okay. those are all I have heard the story already. I apologize, but there are plenty of people that haven’t heard it. So we’re gonna run it down. So Of course. I actually said of course because I feel like it’s everybody’s story now, but unfortunately I was diagnosed this type 2 after let’s see of hospital stays. come to find out I’m actually type one life absolutely did a shift because I was diagnosed in adulthood and 29. I’m living it up, right, so everything that a 29 year old was doing it was me and to then have to reprogram life.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: And a manner of paying attention to everything that you have to do to take care of yourself. it definitely didn’t come easy. Of course, you’re learning new things, So definitely didn’t come easy, but it is absolutely Easier now thankful for technology. First of all thankful for the correct diagnosis, for technology thankful for access to everything. I need to manage this disease and then quadruple thankful for The community and…
Mila Clarke: Yeah.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: my circle of my diabetes and those women in that space that make living with this disease.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: A lot easier. Sometimes you feel like you don’t even have it when you have the right people in that space that make it all better.
Mila Clarke: For I can’t stress enough how important it is to just find a support community of friends because you’re part of my friends with diabetes support community and…
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: right
Mila Clarke: beyond our lives with diabetes we talk about everything which I think so funny and…
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Yeah.
Mila Clarke: we actually all met four of us met last year for the first time despite knowing each other for is online and it was literally like we had never not known each other it was wildest thing and
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: What? It was a reunion. It was like we haven’t seen each other in a while. And finally we’re all in the same space it was literally just like a girlfriend’s trip…
Mila Clarke: Yeah.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: where it was like, okay everybody we have finally found time on the calendar get together and…
Mila Clarke: Yeah.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: it wasn’t awkward. we had a time like we always
Mila Clarke: And I think it was like we went all out to dinner together and we had realized my God, this is actually the first time we’re all in this room together. That’s really weird because it doesn’t feel like that.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: that It doesn’t so for those of you who do not, have that support group. don’t be afraid to start those conversations or whatever social platform whatever event. You are, another one of my besties I met her at an actual JDRF conference. I was there with another girlfriend and she just walked up to us. I know you cannot sit with you guys and we have been the best of friends literally sense and it’s been
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Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Years since then my other bestie that everyone also knows Tiara and I have talked online again for years with me and me and Sierra met in the middle of covid in Miami. We both flew to my Miami and we were like, hey girl. Hey, what’s up? And if you follow us you see how often me and see us together. So it’s just like what I love about it is it’s not just diabetes. Right like you mentioned, we talk about everything like literally everything and nothing all at the same time. It can literally just be a picture a screenshot but then also that friendship so we’re blessed I will say, we’re definitely blessed.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Diabetes brought us together, but the Friendship is what keeps us all locked in.
Mila Clarke: Yeah, yeah that makes my heart. So happy it’s so cool. Because I think in my life, I’ve never really had good girlfriends. I have my one best friend that I’ve known since we were 10 years old and that friendship and that bond is so special but then as an adult it’s just so hard to make friends. So right being able to find a good circle of people that literally I had not heard your voices.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl:
Mila Clarke: I only seen pictures of you or talked with you on Instagram and then to actually be able to come together in person and it be just like the best time is something that’s just so special and that I wish for everyone with diabetes that they find that Circle or that community that really uplifts them like that and it’s like you’re far away you’re in different time zones, but you never miss a Beat.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: That is so true. Y’all can’t have my besties out. I’m keeping that we locked in with you right now in there. But I literally second everything in Mila said Final find them. It doesn’t matter where they live. They do not have to be in these same state, you guys can plan to meet up somewhere. We met out of the country, right? we didn’t even meet in the United States.
Mila Clarke: Yeah.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: We met in another country so it can definitely be done and I wish you guys and I hope that you can find that supports system that friendship that bond that or The Brotherhood whatever that looks like for you. I wish it for you.
Mila Clarke: Yeah, that’s so beautiful. I love that and then shifting focus a little bit. So I consider you the queen of accountability. I will wake up from my nice little sleep and I will have a message from Kylene at five in the morning. That’s like hey, you should take this Peloton ride, and I love it because I’m like, I don’t want it disappoint her. So I have to make some time today I think it’s so wonderful how you use accountability as a source of diabetes management and kind of using that Circle and community that you have to both encourage others, but also encourage yourself and so I’d be curious to know how do you find your accountability partners? And how do you up with them?
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl:
Mila Clarke: How do you ask someone to be your accountability buddy? And then actually make it a habit.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: so it’s really funny. So my very first accountability like workout Partners were two of my good girlfriends. we lived in the same place and we just always went to the gym together. So it clicked for us, right? We all move the same way. we talk trash in the same manner, so It just worked for us through the pandemic and everything, but their life happened. I moved in Tulsa one everybody relocated and then everybody kind of found.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: What worked for them with working out? So one of my good girlfriends while we are still the best of friends and we’re really good girlfriend still and we still hold each other accountable midnight that working out together was no longer. So, it was hard for me because I was very much a in-person gym worker out. I was not about virtual working out. My homegirl. Robin is a virtual and it’s killing it and I just had to dig into me and I’ve done everything, I have good friends and a trainer so I will work out with them love them and they are amazing trainers, but I feel like you have to find that real fit for you.
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Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: and I believe that I found that home now one of my girlfriends used to tell me about this program each one and I joined it, but I have Did it? my first eight weeks and this second go round one. I started to pay attention more and one of the big things they stress is finding and accountability Partners everybody that me knows that I am why I am sweet and soft I am very much.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: That friend, I’ve never turn up friend. I’m that person like a sailor friend. I’m also that friend so finding people putting myself out there to meet new people wasn’t it? that’s not my thing, but I had a conversation with my very first accountability partners because we’re in a social club together and she was like, you just got to do it make the post find your track. Keep it moving. Those who are pellets on Riders know that there are some amazing Palatine groups.
Mila Clarke: then
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: So I was actually in bgm and a woman put a post up about e2m and accountability partners and I was like, we already have because we already in the same space. Let’s do it. I still didn’t jump on it in that someone else mentioned that there was actually a bgm ish.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: E2m group and so I went and that group and those people out it was almost like us right like I found my tried because they cherish all of the telephone workouts,…
Mila Clarke: yeah.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: but they also followed the structure of each swim. And so one of the ladies was just like listen, I really need to take this serious. I’m looking for a couple accountability partners and in my mind, I was like, it’s gonna be fluff, everybody go strong first couple days. no and maybe five or six of us responded and then she said I’m closing off the comments. I don’t want this to be big none of it and we all click it’s funny because three of us live in the DMV the other two or three live Philly and other places, but we literally
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: stand down and for one another and I never met these women right and literally yesterday. I was like, we run in the morning or I could sleep at and one girl was like now we sleeping in and the other lady pulled up and was like, no we not I don’t even know why y’all playing like we’re writing at 6:30 in the morning find a ride and we’re doing it and just those check is Constantly, help and so I believe of course, I do it with my friends you’all know? I’m quick to pop on my Apple watch and it’ll say somebody didn’t work out. I’m way to go or saying, it comes back to me we suggest rides and now Treads and whatever else right there is but I think for me what was really key was finding minded people across the board and
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: The goals that I’m trying to achieve and they’re showing me like that. It’s okay to work on from home if that’s what you really want to do. But hey, if you want to go to the gym girl goes to the gym. And hope is work.
Mila Clarke: Yeah.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: And we’ve been holding this I call this my unofficial first round of each one because I’m really going in and…
Mila Clarke: Yeah.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: I have those people that are like, Why you’re on still looking like that? Why you staring that close?
Mila Clarke:
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Why it is not close why that everything I do it.’all is what they do to me.
Mila Clarke: I absolutely love that and what I love about it is it comes from a loving place. it’s not a matter of trying to make you feel guilty or trying to make you feel like you didn’t do enough. It’s a matter of holding you to the commitments that you said you would make and being a loving friend and being like hey, I know you said that this is what you wanted to achieve. So let’s get it like What are you doing right now?
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: no.
Mila Clarke: Why are you texting me?
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: And what I love about it is none of them are diabetic, right and I always worry about working out or just being in that space with people who don’t typically understand what it is dealing with working out and…
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Mila Clarke: Yeah.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: this morning. I’m enjoying Alex’s ride.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Enjoying it and of course my blusher starter job. It’s like 82 and I’m really? It’s five minutes left in a ride. what are we doing? And it just kept dropping. So, of course, I hop off and do what I need to do and so is what we always check in after the ride. I’m like, yeah. So this is what happened. it was it what no, you’re making excuses or whatever like everyone was like I’m so proud of you for getting off of doing what you need to do. is there anything that you need? what do we need to do? What can we remind you to do? just that and it’s one thing when it comes from the people that live with it. They already get it or you’re Family, but when you get it from people who you’re just connecting with and they don’t.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Live with it or there is not in their day-to-day. It’s something different and I was just like and they were like, I’m gonna do it again it like let me know we’ll do it again with you, we’ll pull up with you’ll do it again. guys Joshua. I want to do that because if you ever wrote, Ronald Alex It’s not for the funny and…
Mila Clarke: It is.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: I don’t do that again and they were in we locked in we’re in this and I was like, thanks guys. Probably next week, but still, thanks. So yeah, you gotta find. What works for you and it just helps me? Yeah, those people that what you doing. You’re gonna do it.
Mila Clarke: Yeah.
Mila Clarke: Encouraging by sharing this and so how do you get I would say the courage and the openness and the vulnerability to share your workout Journey with how negative people can be kind of in the online space.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: thankfully. I don’t deal with it like some of my friends do I don’t know I like to say that I’ve set the presidents and they know not to come over here in my space with that. but I will say this. For every troll or every negative comment. There are 10 positives and that’s who I do it for right we’re good. That’s so do I do it for myself? Yes, but those people are who I do it for so even when I’m second guessing myself, or I put something up and I’m like, maybe I want to delete that because I just don’t want to hear or how would it comes back to but then when I see that, my God, thank you so much for
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Sharing the highs and the lows of working out. That’s who I do it for. The trolls I really believe I swear I think that maybe they see me when they come for my friends and I’m like Hey, cuz they don’t really come for me in that space. Thank God knock on all of the wood. But I also know that the same way that I go home for my friends. I know that I have some friends tucked away. That will be like, I’m sorry. What’s your problem? But that’s their insecurities.
Mila Clarke: he
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: That’s what they’re life is built behind they’re miserable and we’re not miserable. So we don’t entertain their company, but it’s I mean to be honest I do it. Because it’s someone else who was like me that needed to see.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: What to do that it is, okay more importantly that you can do it and then you can do it in this body size.
Mila Clarke: Yeah, I think that representation is incredibly important…
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: So that’s yes.
Mila Clarke: because if you look on hashtag Fitness or hashtag Wellness, you don’t see us like we worked now and…
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Why?
Mila Clarke: we take care of our bodies, but we are not the poster women for or even I think about hashtags like T1. D looks like me and I went look at it yesterday for
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Mila Clarke: Diabetes day and I really just had to close my phone because I was like, there’s not a single person on the explore page that looks like me or that is, dealing with diabetes in a similar capacity to me and it was just really interesting to me how those things show up and so why that representation is so important and…
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Yeah.
Mila Clarke: I know that and I’m gonna bring up a little sore spot. So, I’m sorry,…
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Okay.
Mila Clarke: but I think in 2020. There was a situation where a diabetes org and we can name them because everybody knows what happened but Jake RF posted, kind of a black lives matter sort of representation of black people with diabetes. They asked you all to be a part of it they wanted to use that likeness and wanted to share your stories but it came to actually defending you and putting their foot down and stop saying these really racist things commenters about people with diabetes who are black and dispelling the misbeliefs and misconceptions about diabetes. It was kind of like
Mila Clarke: Who do they really represent and…
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Yep.
Mila Clarke: who they want to represent? Because if you can’t defend us all and you can’t put your foot down about all of it, then you aren’t representative of us and our dollars matter just as much as anybody else is and so for you can you talk about ways that representation has positively shown up and things that you’ve been a part of that really just highlight that diverse stories and different stories are so important.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: So yes, everyone knows what happened with them. I will say this. my local chapter showed up while JDRF in a hole left us out there and did not protect us my local chapter what they reached out immediately and that’s DC and Baltimore and I’m not a part of Baltimore anything but they collectively reached out and we’re like, this is not okay. We are so sorry. This happened to you. No.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Answer this day. They even make sure even when they invite me to things or they asked me to be a part of anything the first thing that they always say is if you’re not comfortable because of what happened. We understand for me. I appreciate that and I will always roll with the jet BC. Chapter and I always make that very clear that DC. I forgot what they call them now because PG County, but that my local chapter. I hang with them self because they always have made that they checked on me day one and everyone knows. What happened and who did and who didn’t they did? So there that is if you ever see me do anything with them. It’s because of those people there.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: and I think they get that we need as far as representation who else shares a story that I’ve personally worked with everyone already knows who I’m gonna say diversity and diabetes. Yeah. I know I get down with them. I do anything. Yeah.
Mila Clarke: Shout out to acquisha amazing organization if you don’t know about diversity.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Balls, and if you do not please look them up. They are amazing. Just getting to know them and what they stood for made me want to work with them just and if you ever had a conversation with Casey and quisha together or separate they are Amazing and I just appreciate what they do and I really appreciate it when they reached out and they were like, hey we want to do this call for people for diabetics, but we don’t want to make it a specific type. We want it to be called insulin dependent folks. So anybody with insulin, please come and for me if you know me, that. I’m really big on.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Advocacy for all not just a type. And so for me it was like I’m so like, of course, I’ll do this. And yes, let’s do it. And I like that, I appreciate that with them. I like that about them. I love that. They believe in Sharing diverse stories, no one looks the same because that is not one size fits on so I like that I roll with them for that. Then there’s some other folks, tandem does a good job with me and then of course, The people that put my face on a TV, I’ll always and forever love them for putting this. Young black girl on the TV screen and people’s doctors offices, right?
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Mila Clarke: and my doctor’s office the nurse clothes the door and…
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: May
Mila Clarke: I said I know her I was screaming I was like, my God, it’s guy just one of the most exciting things ever to see your friends represented there and just I can’t tell you, probably how many nurses have closed the door and you’ve been on the back of it
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: What it is so crazy. I want everybody’s doctor’s door, but my own nor did my end don’t care like we were talking and I was like and guess what so I’m probably in your next comments and whatever he was like, that’s great. So let’s talk about your time and range nobody wait. Let me read hold on sir. I was like no you understand this is big. He’s like that is amazing. I’m proud of you timing range. Let’s talk about and I was like all right, then everybody else cares, but for that, I feel like no no, let me start over. For me with that. was
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Everything during the time of recording it and everything. I don’t think I realized how big of a deal it was going to be for others or for myself. it was an amazing time. I met new friends and saw people that looked like me and not just in shade but in size and everything, but once it hit the air the amount of messages from moms Who have young girls? I was in tears because it was just one of those. Finally they are excited to see someone that looks like them like Just a black girl but a dark skin black girl and just the amount of women that were like sis.
Mila Clarke: the
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Thank you
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Yes, thank you. And that was everything for me that it was one of those. All right, when my work is done not really done but my work is done here because we see each other now we got that representation and that part for me was everything and then just getting a messages and that people sending screenshots of the poses. And I didn’t even know that the posters were they send us stuff saying yeah, this is what you’re in or whatever and I didn’t get any of that. I got the commercial pieces, but I did not know about the pamphlets and the posters and so y’all started sending them to me and I was like no, I need one. I need one. I need one, but for me, I feel like for
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: us brown girls It was everything and…
Mila Clarke: Yeah.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: think my screaming moment was when one of my homegirls send me a picture. Of me blown up I want to say it was a physician’s Conference of some sort and her fiance sent her the picture and she said, she was with him. I don’t remember but she sent this to me and she was like Look familiar, and I was done that was it for me. I was like They’re the Water Works and I know me I’m not a crier and I was like Yep. we’ve made it and for anyone that does not think that they are not We are represented like that was everything.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: But some places is their work still be done. Absolutely, but I believe that Some of these organizations have heard us. why you talking about me? I see you all posters, and it’s the various companies so regardless of where you want to Go to receive care and use this technology you’re seeing. other black and brown men and especially women shout out to my brothers, but especially women because We’re always left out. And so,…
00:30:00
Mila Clarke: Yeah.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: is how I felt about seeing I’m like, yes, look at my friend, so weird we may wait.
Mila Clarke: yeah, and I think that’s so important because it means that these products and these companies Also Serve us and…
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Yep.
Mila Clarke: we are a part of their customer base and we are just as deserving of those tools then People that are already highly represented. And so I think that’s the kicker. It’s like when we see ourselves in ads or on a billboard or on a giant poster. It’s not narcissism. It’s not like, my God, look at my beautiful face. It’s now people will know that these products are also for me and…
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Yep.
Mila Clarke: I won’t walk into a doctor’s office or sit at a nurse’s station. and have a conversation where it’s assumed that I can’t afford it or that I don’t need it or that I don’t want it or that it’s too overwhelming for me and like that. I think that’s the beauty of representation when you can see yourself.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: that’s
Mila Clarke: Know that for you. It’s not a special Club. It you’re not allowed to have you are a part of it, too.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: What?
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Yes, That’s it. you see you and your Hope was lost. You see you in if you haven’t found all of you found a glimpse of it because you see you and that. Flickers the light if not likes it, right. So
Mila Clarke: Kylene Kai my diversity. This has been the best conversation. We always have really good conversations, but I loved this one in particular, but I would love for you to tell people where you would like to be found and where they can catch up with you and if they’re lucky also get an accountability buddy, you said this is closed and you have enough new friends, but working. Where do you want to be found?
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: so you can I’m old school. So I still roll tough tight with Instagram and it’s blackdiabetic.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: You can definitely find me on Instagram. Speak before you jump into my DMs though. That is a Peeve of guys just say, hey girl or Hi and then we can chatter up. I believe that everyone should have an accountability partners.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: And we can do something but I’m on Instagram. that’s my place to play.
Mila Clarke: Amazing and if you guys want to transcript and the video podcast of today’s episode you can go to diabesti pod.com. I’m pretty sure that’s the domain I bought I think whatever it’ll be posted in the show notes.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: if you want more to go listen and…
Mila Clarke: but
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: follow and send it to your friends and come back for her next episode of whatever other amazing person she has Of course.
Mila Clarke: thank you so much. I appreciate you being here today.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Thank you for having me and follow her app. Y’all go get on it because we do some accountability over there as well. So don’t get it.
Mila Clarke: we do everything. I thank you for plugging me.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: All Wait. No, we definitely do some accountability over there. Y’all out get it. It is friend. I know you want to give me my flowers and we are closing, but I have to give you yours because I don’t do anything by the butt. Madam you are a me zing and I truly truly. Love you from the bottom of my heart and I love everything that you are currently doing. And the things planned that you have to do in this diabetes space it is needed. We want and need it. And we are all proud of you. So y’all better download My Friends app y’all better download her podcast and y’all better listen to them. The app is free. don’t get on over there any free online?
00:35:00
Mila Clarke: It is great. No, it’s free anything what you can structure so you can decide…
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Look at that.
Mila Clarke: how to support however you’d like with whatever amount that you would like to give to help keep the app running and you get lots of cool perks for that. So
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: Look at that, so y’all with that. All right.
Mila Clarke: All This is my podcast. Why’d you hijack it? All right. thank you.
Kylene Dyana blackdiabeticgirl: It was thank you for having me.
Mila Clarke: And thank you guys for listening. We’ll talk to you in the next one. Take care of yourselves. Bye.
Meeting ended