PEOPLE // Dentistry
Sight and Insight
Kev Moye - 12.01.2023
TALK WHITE
A native of Crossett, Arkansas – a town of just under 6,000 people located in the Southeast region of the state – Arnold comes from a military family. Her family moved to Crossett when Arnold was seven years old. After numerous stops across the country and interacting with people from various backgrounds, Crossett – where her parents are from – is the place where Arnold transformed from a youth into a young adult.
“I did not enjoy it,” she said of Crossett. “For my brothers and I, it was a huge culture shock. We were accustomed to being on military bases and interacting with people from all over the world. Suddenly we’re living in this small town in Southeast Arkansas – there wasn’t anything to do. It was difficult for me. I had a hard time finding my place in Crossett.”
How she carried herself led to Arnold having unnecessary problems. Arnold’s parents were big on proper conduct whether it be how the people in their household dressed, how they walked, how they behaved, even how they spoke, annunciated words. It made Arnold an easy target for ridicule. Although she knew she wasn’t the problem, she still became downtrodden due to the poor treatment at school. But never sought revenge.
“I got teased a lot because I spoke differently,” she said. “Most of the Black kids said I tried to act white. I talked white. I was also a nerd who cared a lot about learning – so that didn’t help much either. It was a struggle for quite a while. Probably all the way until junior high, I had a hard time. I had plenty of family, but being at school was rough for me.
The way I talked was different than how most of my classmates talked. I believe a lot of it comes from moving around so much as a small child. Being on military bases talking to people from all over the world, I heard so many different things. But also, my mom spoke properly. My mom would not let us talk any kind of way. Being around so many different types of people at a young age, along with my mom emphasizing the importance of talking correctly, impacted the way I talk. It’s natural but it was also often reinforced at home.
“Even as a kid I knew it wasn’t me,” Arnold answered. “I knew I wasn’t the problem. Of course, I spoke to my parents about the struggles I was having dealing with rude people and what they said about me. But I never had any desire to treat people wrong and be mean in return.”
As a preteen, she finally found a refuge that ultimately set the stage for later chapters of her life. Arnold received an opportunity to perform as part of the school choir and band.
“In junior high I found music,” she said. “I played the flute in band. I started singing in choir. I began to dance. The arts became my safe place. Also, it put me around people who were like-minded who I could be friends with. But even then, I struggled to be in a small town. It was an interesting place to grow up.”
Despite the social difficulties, Arnold would find a way to excel not only in the Arts but in the classroom as well. She graduated from Crossett High in 2006. Arnold had a long list of accolades as she ranked in the top 15 of her class.
A native of Crossett, Arkansas – a town of just under 6,000 people located in the Southeast region of the state – Arnold comes from a military family. Her family moved to Crossett when Arnold was seven years old. After numerous stops across the country and interacting with people from various backgrounds, Crossett – where her parents are from – is the place where Arnold transformed from a youth into a young adult.
“I did not enjoy it,” she said of Crossett. “For my brothers and I, it was a huge culture shock. We were accustomed to being on military bases and interacting with people from all over the world. Suddenly we’re living in this small town in Southeast Arkansas – there wasn’t anything to do. It was difficult for me. I had a hard time finding my place in Crossett.”
How she carried herself led to Arnold having unnecessary problems. Arnold’s parents were big on proper conduct whether it be how the people in their household dressed, how they walked, how they behaved, even how they spoke, annunciated words. It made Arnold an easy target for ridicule. Although she knew she wasn’t the problem, she still became downtrodden due to the poor treatment at school. But never sought revenge.
“I got teased a lot because I spoke differently,” she said. “Most of the Black kids said I tried to act white. I talked white. I was also a nerd who cared a lot about learning – so that didn’t help much either. It was a struggle for quite a while. Probably all the way until junior high, I had a hard time. I had plenty of family, but being at school was rough for me.
The way I talked was different than how most of my classmates talked. I believe a lot of it comes from moving around so much as a small child. Being on military bases talking to people from all over the world, I heard so many different things. But also, my mom spoke properly. My mom would not let us talk any kind of way. Being around so many different types of people at a young age, along with my mom emphasizing the importance of talking correctly, impacted the way I talk. It’s natural but it was also often reinforced at home.
“Even as a kid I knew it wasn’t me,” Arnold answered. “I knew I wasn’t the problem. Of course, I spoke to my parents about the struggles I was having dealing with rude people and what they said about me. But I never had any desire to treat people wrong and be mean in return.”
As a preteen, she finally found a refuge that ultimately set the stage for later chapters of her life. Arnold received an opportunity to perform as part of the school choir and band.
“In junior high I found music,” she said. “I played the flute in band. I started singing in choir. I began to dance. The arts became my safe place. Also, it put me around people who were like-minded who I could be friends with. But even then, I struggled to be in a small town. It was an interesting place to grow up.”
Despite the social difficulties, Arnold would find a way to excel not only in the Arts but in the classroom as well. She graduated from Crossett High in 2006. Arnold had a long list of accolades as she ranked in the top 15 of her class.
REFUGE AT SAU
Fittingly, due to her success in high school, Arnold wanted to attend college. After a series of conversations with her family, she eventually chose to attend SAU. The school – located in Magnolia – is just over 80 miles west of Crossett. Arnold, due to her academic excellence, received several scholarships from SAU. Additionally, it was not too far from home – much to the delight of her parents.
“If I had my choice, I wouldn’t have went to SAU,” she admitted. “But in hindsight, I’m glad I did. I truly feel that’s where I was supposed to go. At SAU I learned how to think. I learned to think critically about everything, and that’s because of my education and the teachers I had at SAU. Going to college and learning how to think, assess, and figure things out was important for me.”
Having access to academic and extracurricular activities also helped Arnold develop. While at SAU, she was on the school dance team, was part of two school choirs, was a contestant in the Miss Arkansas pageant three times, and became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Ultimately, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Biology. Currently, Arnold is a member of the SAU Alumni Association Board of Directors. Still being closely involved with the school is her way of giving back to a university, a town, and a culture that made such a big impact in her life.
“I always received a lot of encouragement from different people at that university,” she said. “I still receive support to this day. I appreciate how so many people helped me. I grew a lot at SAU. My favorite thing about being on the school’s alumni board is fostering better connections within our alumni network and encouraging my fellow alums to also connect back to the school. SAU gave a lot to me, and it still does. Therefore, it’s important that I continue to support it.”
After graduating from SAU, Arnold worked at Texarkana Eye Associates before eventually moving to St. Louis, Missouri where she’d attend the University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry. When Arnold completed the school’s doctoral program, she returned to Arkansas where she worked in different eye clinics before establishing River Mountain Eye Care. When asked what made her want to be an eye doctor. Arnold referenced her childhood and the different experiences she had with her eye doctor.
“As a kid, I realized because of the bad vision that I had, the way I was seeing was not how the world really looked,” Arnold said. “From then on I knew I wanted to do some kind of health profession. I want to help people see the world how it’s supposed to be seen,” she stated. “Your eyes are important. You can’t get new eyes. I wanted to help people take care of their eyes and protect them. I made the right career choice going into optometry.”
With her practice, Arnold emphasizes being a friend to and listening to her patients. She aims to treat them how she wants to be treated by her doctor. Arnold makes it a point not to follow the trend of medical professionals rushing through an appointment just to get to their next patient.
“I always schedule my appointments an hour apart,” she said. “I give people the time they need to get their questions answered, get their problems solved, and to have a true understanding of what’s going on. When a doctor genuinely cares about the patient, it makes a difference. I can’t ignore the things that matter for the sake of making money. I fully understand that the bills don’t stop coming. However, the way I get to impact the lives of others feels good. I know I’m doing what I’m supposed to do because there’s this special, satisfying feeling I receive when I work with my patients.”
Arnold, always willing to push the envelope, dream big, and shoot for the stars – has a vision to expand her company. The vision includes having a thriving clinic and additional locations while intentionally uplifting other minority optometrists.
“I have a passion for helping people,” she said. “If I can’t pass my clinic down to my son, hopefully, I can pass it to a young Black doctor who wants to serve patients, and not just make money. I want to set my practice up where it attracts like-minded professionals who care about people.”
Fittingly, due to her success in high school, Arnold wanted to attend college. After a series of conversations with her family, she eventually chose to attend SAU. The school – located in Magnolia – is just over 80 miles west of Crossett. Arnold, due to her academic excellence, received several scholarships from SAU. Additionally, it was not too far from home – much to the delight of her parents.
“If I had my choice, I wouldn’t have went to SAU,” she admitted. “But in hindsight, I’m glad I did. I truly feel that’s where I was supposed to go. At SAU I learned how to think. I learned to think critically about everything, and that’s because of my education and the teachers I had at SAU. Going to college and learning how to think, assess, and figure things out was important for me.”
Having access to academic and extracurricular activities also helped Arnold develop. While at SAU, she was on the school dance team, was part of two school choirs, was a contestant in the Miss Arkansas pageant three times, and became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Ultimately, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Biology. Currently, Arnold is a member of the SAU Alumni Association Board of Directors. Still being closely involved with the school is her way of giving back to a university, a town, and a culture that made such a big impact in her life.
“I always received a lot of encouragement from different people at that university,” she said. “I still receive support to this day. I appreciate how so many people helped me. I grew a lot at SAU. My favorite thing about being on the school’s alumni board is fostering better connections within our alumni network and encouraging my fellow alums to also connect back to the school. SAU gave a lot to me, and it still does. Therefore, it’s important that I continue to support it.”
After graduating from SAU, Arnold worked at Texarkana Eye Associates before eventually moving to St. Louis, Missouri where she’d attend the University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry. When Arnold completed the school’s doctoral program, she returned to Arkansas where she worked in different eye clinics before establishing River Mountain Eye Care. When asked what made her want to be an eye doctor. Arnold referenced her childhood and the different experiences she had with her eye doctor.
“As a kid, I realized because of the bad vision that I had, the way I was seeing was not how the world really looked,” Arnold said. “From then on I knew I wanted to do some kind of health profession. I want to help people see the world how it’s supposed to be seen,” she stated. “Your eyes are important. You can’t get new eyes. I wanted to help people take care of their eyes and protect them. I made the right career choice going into optometry.”
With her practice, Arnold emphasizes being a friend to and listening to her patients. She aims to treat them how she wants to be treated by her doctor. Arnold makes it a point not to follow the trend of medical professionals rushing through an appointment just to get to their next patient.
“I always schedule my appointments an hour apart,” she said. “I give people the time they need to get their questions answered, get their problems solved, and to have a true understanding of what’s going on. When a doctor genuinely cares about the patient, it makes a difference. I can’t ignore the things that matter for the sake of making money. I fully understand that the bills don’t stop coming. However, the way I get to impact the lives of others feels good. I know I’m doing what I’m supposed to do because there’s this special, satisfying feeling I receive when I work with my patients.”
Arnold, always willing to push the envelope, dream big, and shoot for the stars – has a vision to expand her company. The vision includes having a thriving clinic and additional locations while intentionally uplifting other minority optometrists.
“I have a passion for helping people,” she said. “If I can’t pass my clinic down to my son, hopefully, I can pass it to a young Black doctor who wants to serve patients, and not just make money. I want to set my practice up where it attracts like-minded professionals who care about people.”
SINGLE MOTHER
Aside from wanting to help people enjoy quality vision, another driving influence in Arnold’s life is her son. He was born on the first day of class during her third year of optometry school. When she gave birth to her son, Arnold acknowledged that his well-being took precedence in her life.
“There was a moment when I considered leaving school because I questioned if I could be a quality mom and optometrist, too,” she said. “School was hard, but I knew being in the practice, doing the job would be even tougher. I wanted to excel at both. Of course, I want to be an amazing mom. However, I wanted to be a quality doctor as well. But I always remember that he comes first because he did not ask to be here. I owe it to him to give him the best life possible.”
Arnold recognizes that being a single Black mom and successful defies longstanding negative stereotypes. Yet, she acknowledges that her son’s father – whom she was formerly married to – and her mom provide support for the adolescent as well. It doesn’t hurt that Arnold has her own facility which gives her the option of bringing him to work if she needs to.
“I made the decision to be a mom, so I need to dedicate myself to that,” she said. “I always plan things for us to do together. I take him to museums, to shows, to the park, we go hiking – he expects for me to have a fun, family-oriented activity planned for us. Taking care of him is, for me, a way to honor God for blessing me with him.”
Arnold adores her son and she doesn’t take for granted the support system he has available to him – even though it isn’t how she initially envisioned it being. Arnold was with her ex-husband for several years before their divorce in 2020. There was a lot that she learned during that tumultuous period, most notably how life has a way of forcing you to seek assistance.
Aside from wanting to help people enjoy quality vision, another driving influence in Arnold’s life is her son. He was born on the first day of class during her third year of optometry school. When she gave birth to her son, Arnold acknowledged that his well-being took precedence in her life.
“There was a moment when I considered leaving school because I questioned if I could be a quality mom and optometrist, too,” she said. “School was hard, but I knew being in the practice, doing the job would be even tougher. I wanted to excel at both. Of course, I want to be an amazing mom. However, I wanted to be a quality doctor as well. But I always remember that he comes first because he did not ask to be here. I owe it to him to give him the best life possible.”
Arnold recognizes that being a single Black mom and successful defies longstanding negative stereotypes. Yet, she acknowledges that her son’s father – whom she was formerly married to – and her mom provide support for the adolescent as well. It doesn’t hurt that Arnold has her own facility which gives her the option of bringing him to work if she needs to.
“I made the decision to be a mom, so I need to dedicate myself to that,” she said. “I always plan things for us to do together. I take him to museums, to shows, to the park, we go hiking – he expects for me to have a fun, family-oriented activity planned for us. Taking care of him is, for me, a way to honor God for blessing me with him.”
Arnold adores her son and she doesn’t take for granted the support system he has available to him – even though it isn’t how she initially envisioned it being. Arnold was with her ex-husband for several years before their divorce in 2020. There was a lot that she learned during that tumultuous period, most notably how life has a way of forcing you to seek assistance.
THERAPY
Dealing with a divorce, during a global pandemic, put Arnold in a state of depression. A physician prescribed her an anti-depressant medication and encouraged her to make an appointment with a mental health therapist. She would eventually follow the doctor’s recommendation to get help from a licensed mental health professional and she says the sessions were life-altering. When asked what made the sessions so impactful, Arnold referenced the value placed on being reminded of who she is and how important she is to society.
“Therapy saved my life,” she said. “It got to a point in which I stopped eating. It wasn’t intentional. … I just wasn’t hungry. I lost my appetite. My mom was around during the situation, and she was the one who suggested that I go see my doctor.
Therapy was not scary, or just someone trying to judge you or make you feel bad. The therapist is just trying to help,” she said. “A lot of people, especially people in the religious community, have an outlook of just praying about it. It’s fine to pray – but pray and see a therapist, too. My therapist and I prayed together. I believe God has put people in the world to do mental health work.
Being in a depression, you can’t get over it by yourself,” Arnold said. “You can’t pull yourself out of a depression. Therapy helped me to think about who I am and what I wanted to accomplish in life,” she said. “What I initially thought I’d have, the world I thought I’d live in, was not going to be. At that time, I decided to focus on what I wanted my life to look like. Once I figured that out, it was a game changer.
My advice for anybody going through a mental health issue is – get help. Don’t be embarrassed. They offer ways to do it online. Most of my therapy sessions were virtual because my divorce happened in 2020, during the pandemic when everything was shut down.”
Through that ordeal, one thing Arnold realized was that she needed to establish a better village for herself and her son. Having her mom was nice and convenient, but having a group of confidants that she could talk to, cry with, laugh with, and pray with was needed as well.
“My mom is one of the strongest people I know,” Arnold said. “If it were just my son and I during that situation, no telling how things would’ve ended. Going through that I learned the value of having genuine, close relationships, and friendships with people outside of my family. Since then, I’ve placed an emphasis on building relationships with genuinely good people, and my life has infinitely improved.”
Once she returned to full health Arnold began to get out more and build relationships. An unexpected entry to acting has helped her with the cause. In the spring of 2021 – once theaters opened back up – she went to a play to watch a friend perform. While observing the event, she thought to herself that she’d like to enter the world of acting. Her interest, combined with lots of encouragement from her friend, prompted her to give acting a try. Once she landed her first role in a play, she was hooked. Since then, she’s had roles in numerous stage plays.
“Acting has been a lifesaver for me,” Arnold said. “Doing theater has been so fulfilling. The feeling I get when I perform – it makes my life feel more complete. It brings me so much joy. It gives me something to look forward to. I love supporting theater. I love going to the shows. But being in them and being behind the scenes, learning songs, and choreography it feels good. I quickly got bit by the acting bug, and I try to do it as much as I can.”
The love for acting is emblematic of Arnold’s willingness to learn, try new things, and maximize her potential. Those intangibles have been vital to her success in every stage of her life.
“If you have even the smallest inkling that you want to try something new … just do it,” she said. “The worst thing that can happen is you don’t like it, or you don’t do well at it. So what. Just do it. Life will continue. Life is much better when you’re doing things you want to do. When you’re putting yourself out there.”
Dealing with a divorce, during a global pandemic, put Arnold in a state of depression. A physician prescribed her an anti-depressant medication and encouraged her to make an appointment with a mental health therapist. She would eventually follow the doctor’s recommendation to get help from a licensed mental health professional and she says the sessions were life-altering. When asked what made the sessions so impactful, Arnold referenced the value placed on being reminded of who she is and how important she is to society.
“Therapy saved my life,” she said. “It got to a point in which I stopped eating. It wasn’t intentional. … I just wasn’t hungry. I lost my appetite. My mom was around during the situation, and she was the one who suggested that I go see my doctor.
Therapy was not scary, or just someone trying to judge you or make you feel bad. The therapist is just trying to help,” she said. “A lot of people, especially people in the religious community, have an outlook of just praying about it. It’s fine to pray – but pray and see a therapist, too. My therapist and I prayed together. I believe God has put people in the world to do mental health work.
Being in a depression, you can’t get over it by yourself,” Arnold said. “You can’t pull yourself out of a depression. Therapy helped me to think about who I am and what I wanted to accomplish in life,” she said. “What I initially thought I’d have, the world I thought I’d live in, was not going to be. At that time, I decided to focus on what I wanted my life to look like. Once I figured that out, it was a game changer.
My advice for anybody going through a mental health issue is – get help. Don’t be embarrassed. They offer ways to do it online. Most of my therapy sessions were virtual because my divorce happened in 2020, during the pandemic when everything was shut down.”
Through that ordeal, one thing Arnold realized was that she needed to establish a better village for herself and her son. Having her mom was nice and convenient, but having a group of confidants that she could talk to, cry with, laugh with, and pray with was needed as well.
“My mom is one of the strongest people I know,” Arnold said. “If it were just my son and I during that situation, no telling how things would’ve ended. Going through that I learned the value of having genuine, close relationships, and friendships with people outside of my family. Since then, I’ve placed an emphasis on building relationships with genuinely good people, and my life has infinitely improved.”
Once she returned to full health Arnold began to get out more and build relationships. An unexpected entry to acting has helped her with the cause. In the spring of 2021 – once theaters opened back up – she went to a play to watch a friend perform. While observing the event, she thought to herself that she’d like to enter the world of acting. Her interest, combined with lots of encouragement from her friend, prompted her to give acting a try. Once she landed her first role in a play, she was hooked. Since then, she’s had roles in numerous stage plays.
“Acting has been a lifesaver for me,” Arnold said. “Doing theater has been so fulfilling. The feeling I get when I perform – it makes my life feel more complete. It brings me so much joy. It gives me something to look forward to. I love supporting theater. I love going to the shows. But being in them and being behind the scenes, learning songs, and choreography it feels good. I quickly got bit by the acting bug, and I try to do it as much as I can.”
The love for acting is emblematic of Arnold’s willingness to learn, try new things, and maximize her potential. Those intangibles have been vital to her success in every stage of her life.
“If you have even the smallest inkling that you want to try something new … just do it,” she said. “The worst thing that can happen is you don’t like it, or you don’t do well at it. So what. Just do it. Life will continue. Life is much better when you’re doing things you want to do. When you’re putting yourself out there.”