A Story Untold: Finding the Strength to Share

A Letter to the World:  To One and All,

It is highly purposeful to do things that are meaningful to my heart. Bringing alignment of my story, combined with a concoction of self-love, new-found confidence, and style, it would be a privilege to share my learning and give back to my community.

As you may or may not know, I launched my business with Shop Chelou in early 2014 as a mobile fashion pop-up shop boutique, then later turned brick and mortar storefront in Lakewood, CA, by the end of 2015.

As I relaunch my brand this time around, I want to do it with a sense of purpose and a better head..from a place of peace, despite the turbulence of what I went through. My personal yet private life at home took the worst unimaginable turn, resulting in my business's dissolution. Let's face it, the chaos of living with addiction and mental illness in my household robbed me and our families of joy as a whole.

November 2020 marked the end of my husband's life on earth, but it was the start of a new journey. After 2 ½ years of reflection, understanding, and reinventing myself, I found the strength to share my story because I'm only now greater in my healing.

I developed the bravery to share my journey related to the healing process, gaining the footing to be a part of society again while returning to the world I had grown to hate. It is my hope to be a voice for the voiceless. I want to share with you my story of how I've lived and had to deal with the tragedy of addiction and mental illness in my household while raising a family. I can now openly share the life that I had shut out from my friends and family that brought me through pain, shame, and suffering in silence.

I am connecting where I am in the process and sharing my journey to bridge the communication gap. As I reveal my story, I aim to reach a community that can relate to this fight and will enjoy my love, light, strength, persona, and style. While doing so, I look to be inspired by others and gain the extra power people say they receive from me. Coping through life while living in extreme vulnerability takes a particular skill. 

These are skills I acquired to make things seem a sure way to avoid exposing the things that were happening. My deepest desire is to help those learn and navigate daily life with friends, family, or loved ones battling substance abuse and mental illness. While I divulge my deepest, darkest secrets, please remember that I am honoring the fight. I am celebrating the battle with the right to heal, evolve and love myself more and more each God-given day. My fashion and lifestyle choices result from gaining acceptance and truth in my reality. I am reinforcing my boundaries and finding the courage to pay them forward while using my vulnerability to encourage others.

This will be a space for communication, teaching, and enlightenment, not by being overly woke but by mirroring all my trueness of self with you. I intend to provide a qualitative effect to teach uniqueness while being comfortable in our skin.

As my story unfolds organically, I thank you from the bottom of my heart in advance for your continued support, patience, and understanding. Digging this deep will be a challenge, and I am grateful for the opportunity to gain your heart and interest in all that I have to share.

Love, 

Chelou