Love Made Visible: Four Years After Johnathan, a New Path to Serve

Kathryn "Kat" Martin

---

Four years ago, I lost my son, Johnathan. There are days when I still reach for a world that no longer exists, a voice, a laugh, a plan (college) we didn’t get to finish. Grief cracked everything open, my faith, my routines, my family, even my marriage (it showed me how fragile my husband and I were). We stumbled. We learned. We kept choosing to show up for the people we love, including ourselves.

In the rawness of that wilderness season, I built Melanated Melon, a place to turn pain into purpose for families impacted by childhood cancer. (Look at me trying to help people when my life is in shambles). Our community reminded me that love is a verb. My husband, Michael, volunteers, nurses, teachers, small business owners, and neighbors showed up with time, talent, and treasure. Together we honored children, supported parents, and made space for compassion.

Along the way, beekeeping found me. The hive taught me about roles, rhythm, and resilience, how each small act strengthens the whole. Machine sewing taught me patience and repair, how broken things can be stitched into something sturdy and beautiful. These aren’t just hobbies; they’re metaphors for how I move through the world now: tender, intentional, and determined.

I also grew my locs, and every phase, starter, budding, maturing, asked for patience I forgot I had. In a season when I often felt unseen and unloveable by my immediate family, even my spouse, caring for my hair became an act of self-preservation. My healthy boundaries taught me to slow down, to honor growth I couldn’t rush, and to love myself without asking for permission.

Today I’m stepping into a new era, real estate. It may seem like a huge pivot, but to me it’s another way to build community and connection. Homes should be where healing lives. Neighborhoods are where resources either flow, or don’t. Through my work in real estate, I want to help families plant roots, help seniors downsize with dignity, and help first-time buyers in our community feel seen, prepared, and protected.

Here’s what I hope to achieve, and how I plan to do it in Charlotte, Fort Mill, Rock Hill, and the surrounding areas:

• champion local families: host practical homebuyer workshops and connect people to lenders who value education, not pressure;

• mobilize my network: invite nonprofits, schools, health partners, and faith leaders to collaborate on resource fairs and neighborhood events;

• uplift small businesses: spotlight Black-owned and community-minded businesses at open houses and events, and direct more local dollars to local owners;

• build with care: advocate for development that preserves dignity, thoughtful growth, safer streets, and access to parks, groceries, and healthcare in underserved communities;

• give back with every deal: dedicate a portion of my commissions and in-kind support to families impacted by childhood cancer and to programs that strengthen belonging.

Listen, I don’t have it all figured out. Behind this smile is a broken woman, but I do have a clear why: Johnathan’s life changed mine. If I can help another family breathe easier, find a safe home, access care, feel held by community, then his light keeps traveling.

If you’re a small business owner, educator, healthcare professional, city leader, or neighbor who shares this vision, let’s connect. I’m ready to listen, partner, and do the work that turns good intentions into visible change. Here’s to a new chapter, rooted in remembrance, stitched with hope, crowned with patience, and built for community.

Cheers,

Kathryn B. Martin, MBA

Real Estate Broker - North Carolina & South Carolina

Founder & Chief Executive Officer | Melanated Melon Corporation

Class of 2025 | NPM Leadership Course

Retired Army Veteran