jpandazumba

[jpandazumba]

[jpandazumba]

Wow this amazing! I almost cried!

“In 1984, when Ruth Coker Burks was 25 and a young mother living in Arkansas, she would often visit a hospital to care for a friend with cancer. During one visit, Ruth noticed the nurses would draw straws, afraid to go into one room, its door sealed by a big red bag. She asked why and the nurses told her the patient had AIDS. On a repeat visit, and seeing the big red bag on the door, Ruth decided to disregard the warnings and sneaked into the room.

In the bed was a skeletal young man, who told Ruth he wanted to see his mother before he died. She left the room and told the nurses, who said, “Honey, his mother’s not coming. He’s been here six weeks. Nobody’s coming!” Ruth called his mother anyway, who refused to come visit her son, who she described as a “sinner” and already dead to her, and that she wouldn’t even claim his body when he died.

“I went back in his room and when I walked in, he said, “Oh, momma. I knew you’d come”, and then he lifted his hand. And what was I going to do? So I took his hand. I said, “I’m here, honey. I’m here”, Ruth later recounted. Ruth pulled a chair to his bedside, talked to him and held his hand until he died 13 hours later.

After finally finding a funeral home that would his body, and paying for the cremation out of her own savings, Ruth buried his ashes on her family’s large plot. After this first encounter, Ruth cared for other patients. She would take them to appointments, obtain medications, apply for assistance, and even kept supplies of AIDS medications on hand, as some pharmacies would not carry them. Ruth’s work soon became well known in the city and she received financial assistance from gay bars, "They would twirl up a drag show on Saturday night and here’d come the money. That’s how we’d buy medicine, that’s how we’d pay rent. If it hadn’t been for the drag queens, I don’t know what we would have done”, Ruth said.

Over the next 30 years, Ruth cared for over 1,000 people and buried more than 40 on her family’s plot most of whom were gay men whose families would not claim their ashes. For this, Ruth has been nicknamed the ‘Cemetery Angel’.” — by Ra-Ey Saley She’s 60 now, she’s still doing activist and advocacy work, and working on a memoir.

[jpandazumba]

Practicing new choreography for my #zumba class.

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More than a pretty face 👨🏾 and #bootyshaking 🍑, I like to lift heavy things 🏋🏾 😜😜😜 #bodypump100 #fitnessconnectionuniversity

[jpandazumba]

Massive #armsday #armsworkout more #weights and transformations with #gymlife #2017. Now these old bones are in the sauna :-). #bodypump100 #fitnessconnectionuniversity

[jpandazumba]

@aninjahh and @sugashakedown_ had us working hard lastnight on our fitness :-). Loved it!!!!! #blessings. #fitnessconnectionuniversity #bodypump100 #dance #zumbalife #zumba #gym # (at Fitness Connection)

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@aninjahh did an amazing edit on this video. We super #avatars on the dance floor.#blessings. #fitnessconnectionuniversity #bodypump100 #dance #gym #zumba #zumbalife (at Fitness Connection)

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Preparing for greatness with the amazing and talented @aninjahh #blessings. #fitnessconnectionuniversity #bodypump100 #zumba #zumbalife #dance

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This is my happy place amongst so many talented and motivating people. When I I am tired and just want to go home after work, I get that extra boost of energy and come and rock it out. But, after class, is a great time to dance a little sample of awesomeness. Thank you all so very much Anika Oko. #blessings. #fitnessconnectionuniversity #bodypump100 #zumba #zumbalife #gym #dance @aninjahh (at Fitness Connection)

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Monday was a great #backday and #chestday at #fitnessconnectionuniversity #bodypump100 here is some more footage, it was a great day! #noegolifting #gym #gymlife #imovie #alive #2017 #2017goals (at Fitness Connection)

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I had to get in one final workout routine before #blizzard2017 hit town and before my #restday and tonight was #shoulders and #squats and this was a stellar routine with #supersets and learning new #exercises. The video was #cablelateralraises. Also completed: #seateddumbbellshoulderpress #standingbarbellpress #lateralraises #frontalraises #shoulderpress (at Planet Fitness)

[jpandazumba]

You never know who will come to #zumba, everyone is invited :-). #gymtime #friends #dance @mrsjackson1968 (at Fitness Connection)

[jpandazumba]

A great #zumba class with @aninjahh pure 🔥 and taking photos with @mrsjackson1968 . #dance #fitness #gym #brazil #mexico #life (at Fitness Connection)

[jpandazumba]

Having a little fun in the gym with @kevinangel5868 and #celiacruz, because life is a carnival 🎡#lavidaesuncarnaval #youcandoit #salsa #ritmo #dance #move #rhythm #music

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This was an amazing after class with Anika, Kevin, and Dianne. These are special moments that end the day perfectly. #family #friends #gymtime #dance #zumba SONG IS MUTED, sorry 😐 can't use it.