BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) \u2014 In a room filled with laughter, the gentle hum of hair dryers, and the scent of hairspray and fresh makeup, something special was happening at Tabula Rasa Studio in Bakersfield.<\/p>\n
Makeup palettes were laid out across tables, hair products lined the walls, and beauty students buzzed about with brushes and curling irons in hand. But this wasn’t just another day at the wellness studio. <\/p>\n
It was a day of healing, transformation, and celebration\u2014for survivors of domestic violence and those battling breast cancer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re honoring them with a gourmet meal, beverages, and the full glam experience\u2014hair, makeup, everything,\u201d said studio owner Malaina Parra, her voice full of pride and purpose.<\/p>\n
The event, held in recognition of both Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, transformed the wellness space into a sanctuary. <\/p>\n
Survivors were invited to relax, reflect, and be reminded of their strength\u2014and their beauty.<\/p>\n
For Parra, the event was more than just a good deed\u2014it was personal. A survivor of domestic violence herself, she has turned her pain into a platform for empowerment.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople say I beat the odds,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m a single mom, I\u2019m a Hispanic woman\u2014but I educated myself, I gave back, and I found strength in others. That\u2019s how I renewed my soul. There is hope.\u201d<\/p>\n
Among those honored was Shelly Castaneda, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 at the age of 45.<\/p>\n
\u201cCancer runs in my family, so I was very proactive with early detection,\u201d Castaneda shared. \u201cI had my yearly mammogram and ultrasounds\u2014that\u2019s how they found it. I didn\u2019t have any symptoms.\u201d<\/p>\n
The diagnosis, she said, changed how she saw herself.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou think the things that make you a woman\u2014your hair, your health, your body\u2014are taken from you,\u201d she said. \u201cBut it humbles you. That\u2019s the hidden blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Castaneda experienced a relapse in 2015, but instead of giving in to despair, she chose to share her story\u2014using it to uplift others.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs women, especially going through cancer, we\u2019re used to being the caretakers,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I learned it\u2019s okay to let others care for you. To rest. To receive.\u201d<\/p>\n
For both survivors and supporters alike, the event served as a reminder: healing isn\u2019t just physical\u2014it\u2019s emotional, spiritual, and often begins with community.<\/p>\n
Tabula Rasa Studio is now expanding its mission, continuing to offer a space for renewal, resilience, and rediscovery for those who\u2019ve overcome some of life\u2019s hardest battles.<\/p>\n
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) \u2014 In a room filled with laughter, the gentle hum of hair dryers, and the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":13461,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[151,155,153,152,162],"class_list":["post-13460","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bakersfield","tag-bakersfield","tag-bakersfield-downtown","tag-bakersfield-headlines","tag-bakersfield-news","tag-kern-county-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13460","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13460"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13460\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13461"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13460"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13460"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13460"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}