MOXXIE: So, how long did it take you to
get to that mentality?
JULIA: Like 20 years. I wanted to save
every child that came through our shelter
program and get them out of the situation.
And it took years. It takes a long time to do
that. And I still want to save the kids, but I
don't go home and worry about it. I’ve
learned that their crises can't be my crisis.
And so, through time, and therapy, and some
other things, you learn to separate it.
JULIA: Yeah, I'm a big social person. I
love to socialize and hang out by the
pool in the summer months. I like to
goof around a little with golf. But
above everything, travel is my thing. I
love traveling. I love experiencing new
places, people, cultures things like that.
That's what really turns me on. When
somebody says, ‘hey, let’s go to
Miami,’ I'm always in. Going on a
cruise, I'm in. Going to Europe, I'm in.
MOXXIE: So, what is THE destination?
What’s your bucket list destination
to see?
JULIA: Italy is number one, because
I'm a foodie, and a wine drinker. I love
it.
MOXXIE: Nice. So can you tell me
about what is next for you? You‘ve
been the director of Reach for 23 years
now and an Alderman of Haywood
County for two terms now. Will you be
running for a third term?
JULIA: Yes, I am running for another
term. But a dream of mine would be to
become the first female mayor of the
Town of Waynesville.
MOXXIE: Hell yeah woman! That
would be incredible!
JULIA: Well, I'm not going to be
running this time. But, four years from
now, who knows? So, that's definitely
an aspiration of mine.
MOXXIE: So, we can safely report that
you are staying in the line of politics.
JULIA: Yeah. That's another hook, just
like working with domestic violence
victims and sexual assault victims. It’s
a passion of mine, along with working
with and serving the community. It's
not an easy job. I don't know which one
is more difficult.
MOXXIE: How do you handle not
being able to show your emotions in
either one of your positions? You must
be a master of internalizing?
JULIA: I definitely had to learn how to
internalize. I work with a lot of social
workers that come to work for me, and
it takes awhile for them to not internalize,
because we see some pretty horrific
things on a daily basis. At the end of the
day, you can't take it home with you,
and that's hard to separate.
MOXXIE: So, because you have to be
this internalized and unemotional
person at work, do you feel that you can
be detached in your personal life too?
JULIA: Well, you know, that's an
excellent question. What I see in
myself is that I don't let very many
people in.
MOXXIE: Yes! That's what I was looking
for. But are you aware of that? Are
you aware that your professional life
and the person you have to be everyday
kind of bleeds into who you are in your
personal life as well?
JULIA: I have a tight inner circle and I
keep it tight. And those are my support
people, the people I rely on every single
day. And, when it hits the fan, that's
who I call. But then, yeah. There's a
wall up at all times.
MOXXIE: I see it. (Laughing)
JULIA: (Laughing) Yeah. I figured you
had probably picked up on that.
MOXXIE: I sure did babe. But honestly,
I didn’t know if you were aware of it
or not. There's a boundary, there's
definitely a wall there. And hey, I don't
blame you, woman. I'm with you the
whole way.
JULIA: But when you break through
that, I'm the greatest, funniest person
ever.
MOXXIE: I think you're the greatest,
funniest person and I'm outside the
wall. So, it's all good. Yeah. It's all
good, babe.
So, let’s wrap up with your life motto.
What’s your lyric? In what words do
you find your deepest strength?
JULIA: Treat people like you want to
be treated. Tim McGraw's got a song,
Live Like You Were Dying. I love that
song because it's the truth. Go fishing,
go skydiving. Go ride a bull. Whatever,
just live each day like it's your last day,
and if you treat people with respect,
they're going to treat you with respect.
MOXXIE: Thank you so much for
sharing a part of your story and to allow
a small window to open to who you are
in your fears and moments of feeling
upside down. We appreciate and love
you!
Interviewed by: Nikki White
Photographed by: Nikki White
Hair & Make-up by:
Leah Milan Makeup