Feature Friday: Carla Hannibal

Carla Hannibal has been in the health care industry for 27 years. She started young as a candy striper went on to work as a phlebotomist, claims processing, nursing and then administrative work and never lost her love for helping people. "A couple of years ago I resigned my job as an administrator and decided to work for myself. I started consultant work and contributing and writing for health care magazines. I was also diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and it helped to be able to continue to work from home," Carla said.

Three years ago, Carla's son was murdered. He was 16 years old. "The grief process was not something I ever thought I would go through," Carla said. "Without the help of other women like me I would not have made it. I have done a lot of volunteer work in my life. It all came back to me I had to give back in spite of the pain I was feeling and still continue to feel."

Carla used to go to the women’s prison as part of a ministry. She also did nursing home and street missions. With her way of dealing with her grief, Carla created a website called http://womenlikeus.wetpaint.com.


Faten: What is the purpose of Women Like Us?

Carla: Remembering how healing it was to have women hear me in my grief and understand and be able to relate was awesome. I wanted to give back but not just for grieving women but for women in general. Women have all kinds of issues to deal with every single day, and we are strong. We carry those issues, but we don’t often have places to vent.

Faten: Why should women join your site?

Carla: Women should join my site because it is a work in progress and that is what women do. We conceive, we incubate , we give birth, and then we nurture life. This site is about life and how we as women handle it. It’s about sharing and helping each other to hold on. It’s about giving all you got to your fellow sister and then receiving some.

Faten: What are some long term goals for your site?

Carla: I would eventually like to see this site as a place where women come to chat, read, do research and find comfort,a place of resources for all that has to do with women. I’ll call it my learning, healing, loving and sharing place.

Faten: Define woman.

Carla: A woman is the part of God that heals nourishes and smiles.

Faten: What can women learn from the world?

Carla: I think a better question is, “What can the world learn from women?" I say that because men rule the world.

Faten: How about from other women?

Carla: We learn from other women what to do and what not to do. We follow our mothers and grandmothers, our aunts and sisters, and our girlfriends and cousins. We are almost tribal in nature. We are the essence of everything that is.

Faten: Any words of wisdom or thoughts before we wrap up the interview?

Carla: I would like to say thank you to all the women who made me what I am today, and all the women who will make me what I will become tomorrow.

Be sure to visit: http://womenlikeus.wetpaint.com/.