Barbara Hillegass Heard

Profile Updated: February 27, 2010
Barbara Hillegass
Residing In: Seattle, WA USA
Homepage: http://www.lomilomi-massage.org
Occupation: massage therapist and teacher of continuing ed
Children: YiAn born 1983; Rose born 1985
Yes! Attending Reunion
Comments:

Aloha,

I came to WA state in 1974 to attend the Evergreen State College, and have been here ever since.

My life is very multicultural. My first husband and the father of my children is Chinese from Viet Nam. We were together for 15 years and I still am very welcomed by his family. Gary, my partner for the past 15 years, is African American from Baltimore inner city in Maryland. And.... the work I do is Hawaiian massage. So I live a wonderful life very influenced by these special cultures.

I love both my work and my family!!! I have my own massage practice and I teach massage continuing ed classes. In addition to teaching in WA state, I also teach classes in New England, and enjoy coming back to the are of my upbringing and the land of my ancestors.

Please check out my website: www.lomilomi-massage.com

School Story:

Growing up in very predominently white and affluent Needham, MA, my family was very active in the program that bussed African Americans kids from Boston to our schools. My family hosted several young ladies both when I was in elementary school (summer school) and when I was at Needham High. - (Hello Arizona!)

What I remember as being very strange was that although my "metro sisters" and I were warm and friendly when at my house, in school we had very little contact. We never ate lunch together. as i remember it, our in school relationship was restricted to saying hello when we passed in the hallway. I have felt embarrassed remembering this. I wish we'd been more friendly in school. I'm also grateful for the opening in my life that the Metro program provided.

In any case, I thank my mother and father for seeking out oportunities for exchange students to stay at our home.