Guest Nakiah Cherry Chinchilla shared part one of her Roads Taken story, in which she talked about her early career in fashion and television and how she was always listening to her heart and feeling as though she were called to do more. At the same time, her home life became very confusing when her husband began exhibiting odd behaviors. That chapter ended as her husband Mike—who had been hospitalized numerous times for mental illness—came home and things between them seemed to repair themselves. Eventually, a psychiatric admission to the emergency room helped Nakiah recognize the symptoms of Huntington’s Disease in Mike.

With the terminal diagnosis came clarity of treatments and a new set of resources she could rely on. As it is an inherited condition, however, she knew that their son Auggie might also have an uncertain future. His juvenile Huntington’s Disease and Nakiah was committed to making the most of the time he had. They turned it into an adventure, checking items off of Auggie’s “baby bucket list.” Along the way, Nakiah has returned to school for coding, data science, and engineering to understand both Auggie’s condition and the innovations that are possible in therapeutics for people with disabilities. In diving into those new technological fields, she ended up finding an answer to the call to do more to help people.

In this episode, find out from Nakiah how listening to the call of the heart can help you help others…on today’s Roads Taken with Leslie Jennings Rowley.

About This Episode's Guest

Nakiah Cherry Chinchilla, is a data scientist and engineer focused on the use of data and technology in making significant changes in the lives of people everyday. Her interest center on the creation and development of technology, apps, games and advanced bionics for special needs children, disabled citizens, and underserved communities. Though she has extensive work experience in public relations for fashion and media companies, she has developed hard-won expertise in neurodegenerative diseases, data analytics, assistive technology, digital media, and special education advocacy.

Part One of this Roads Taken story was posted on April 4, 2022.

Mentioned in This Episode

A study discussed in a previous Roads Taken episode with Elizabeth Manheim included the mini-documentary “Auggie’s Story,” produced in association with Nakiah Cherry Chinchilla and intended for use with the case study “Auggie’s Story: A Child with Huntington Disease” by Laura Y. Lorentzen, Kristie Reilly, Connor Baucom, and Elizabeth A. Manheim.

Executive Producer/Host: Leslie Jennings Rowley

Music: Brian Burrows

Find more episodes at https://roadstakenshow.com

Email the show at RoadsTakenShow@gmail.com

Find more episodes at https://roadstakenshow.com

Executive Producer/Host: Leslie Jennings Rowley

Music: Brian Burrows

Email the show at RoadsTakenShow@gmail.com

Embracing Life, Pt 2: Nakiah Cherry Chinchilla

Roads Taken