Her mother, Soudabeh Baharloo, was a world-renowned fine artist who passed away when she was only 42 years young. She was not only stunning on the outside but also an amazing lady on the inside. She was a talented, smart, strong lady, and always ahead of her time. It was not long after she passed away that Arma stepped into a parenting role that she was not ready for. She had an amazing father as well as three brothers on her side through happy and hard days. Arma states that, “perhaps this is why I believe it is never too late to have a child!” She continues, “ask me in next 15 years, I may change my mind!” After her mother died she learned that nobody lives forever and that she needs to rely on herself more. She decided to make her mother proud each time she had to overcome life’s challenges. That was the promise that Arma made to herself. She says, “I am blessed to have had my mom and to have my wonderful dad. In every obstacle, I remember my Dad and how he managed work and raising four children without the love of his life beside him. His courage makes me stronger. If he can do it at his age I should be able to do it even better.” Ten years ago, Arma took a leap of faith and moved to this beautiful country. She was a naïve and cautious young woman who left her loving family to begin an adventure and a new life. Growing up in Iran, Arma and her friends saw many American movies, which helped her understand the new culture she was about to enter. Movies of course are not always like reality. Fortunately the American culture was much better than what the movies portray. Arma’s move to the United States was not only a cultural change but also a trial. Looking back she says, “I would not be willing to change these experiences even if I were able to do it over again”. These trials made her the woman that she is today and made her realize what freedom represents. They helped her not only become stronger but also to realize that life is only as beautiful as you want it to be. These trials made her believe even more in God and trust in his will fully. She says, “I experienced the truth behind Karma, your worthiness is measured by who you help not what you have, and the more you give the more it comes back to you. I realized how true it was when my parents said, “the most fruitful tree is the most humble one.” Arma’s move to America was a very hard transition in the beginning. She was an accomplished fine artist in Iran. She states that, “One day I was considered a well-known active artist with having over twenty five international exhibitions and awards to my credit, and in a matter of a 23 hour flight I was a nobody in a new country where I didn’t even speak the language well.” Not knowing English fluently was only a small part of it. She remembers the first week she arrived and finding a job at an art gallery. She had to memorize each sentence the clients would tell her, and then run to the back of the store and repeat the sentence the best she could remember to her colleagues. Then, she would memorize an answer to tell the clients. Somehow she still managed to sell paintings! She would walk 45 minutes to work in the Dallas heat in her high heels! Running into unfriendly people was another aspect of her trials. She says, “I was so blessed that for every one bad seed, God put three angles in my path to help me get my bearings. These trials and tribulations made me a stronger woman. I cannot tell you how blessed I feel to have gone through that time in my life. Now that I can look back, I praise the lord for giving me this second chance.” Despite all the hardships, she decided to make the most of every opportunity that came along. She decided that she wanted to be the voice for every woman whose voice has been silenced, and to absorb every opportunity in behalf of the ones whose chances have been taken away from them. One of the decisions that she made was as a result of her dad’s restless efforts to have her continue her education. She feels that, “My education helped me gain part of the self-confidence that I left behind when I moved to this beautiful country, and now I know I will never leave it behind again. My education made me realize my strengths and forget my weaknesses. It was a hard road, being bullied by other classmates and not understanding my professors at the beginning. Despite all of this, I managed to graduate Magna Cum Laude and achieved The Most Outstanding Design Student at The University of North Texas. Who would have thought this would happen to me ten years ago?” Soon after graduating from school Arma started her Graphic design and advertising studio, Armaiti Design Studio. She is also an associate professor at Collin County Community College District. She says, “I strongly encourage my students to always dream high and reach higher. It still bothers me to see talented kids who drop their course for no reason or seeing a smart kid dropping out of school. I learned that education could not only take you places it also helps you develop into a better, stronger person.” Arma remembers, “Sometime down the road after days of crying and praying for God to send me my soul mate, he granted my wishes and introduced me to my loving husband Lee. Meeting my wonderful husband has opened up beautiful gates in my life. Now I know what it means when my dad used to say, “Only the sky is the limit.”I know how important choosing a spouse is. I experienced that a bad spouse can ruin your life no matter how successful you are, and a good spouse can lift you up to reach the skies even if you don’t feel you have wings to fly.” Arma’s mother would tell her children that they are all here for a calling. She used to ask her mother what her calling was, and she would simply reply with her twinkling eyes as she brushed her fingers through her daughter’s hair, “You will know when you grow up.” Arma always thought that she would start a charity or a non-profit in her lifetime but she had no idea this dream would come true in her thirties. She decided to start her Fight Oral Cancer Foundation after loosing a very dear friend to oral cancer. Arma started researching the causes of oral cancer, and before she knew it she was spending endless hours to learn more. She then started an educational website and was granted 501-C3 status which recognized her foundation as a national charitable non-profit foundation. Arma says, “Knowing that one person dies from oral cancer every hour of every day in the U.S. was too serious to ignore. With my design and advertising background and a supportive husband who happened to be a dentist I knew that I had all the tools and support to make a difference. My dream of starting a non-profit became a reality; however, instead of being in my 50’s my dream came true in my 30’s.” Arma has had her share of fame ever since she was sixteen years old. However, there is nothing in this world that gives her more satisfaction than a thank you letter from a mother with three children whose oral cancer was detected early enough to be treated, as a result of joining her Fight Oral Cancer organization. She will now get to see her children grow and make memories with them. Arma states, “There is no other reward greater than making a difference in other’s lives. After all that is why we are here in this world! As Saadi, an infamous Persian poet says, “Human beings are members of a whole, in creation of one essence and soul. If one member is afflicted with pain, other members uneasy will remain. If you have no sympathy for human pain, the name of human you cannot retain.” This poem graces the entrance to the Hall of Nations of the UN building in New York. As a result of Arma’s determination and dedication, the Fight Oral Cancer foundation has over 1000 member internationally. For more information or to show your support please visit her at www.FightOralCancer.org. In order to raise awareness for oral cancer Arma became involved with the International pageant system and on July 18th she was crowned as Mrs. International 2009. She will travel nationally and internationally to promote her cause and raise awareness about oral cancer through out her reign. For the list of upcoming speaking arrangements, free oral cancer screenings, volunteer opportunities and foundation events you can visit Fight Oral Cancer website. Courtesy: Armaiti Shahidi Fitzgerald |
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