I grew up passionate about two things - learning and creativity.  I found God at an early age and it became the foundation of my life. The journey has never been easy, but it has always been full of purpose and opportunities.  As an adult I became a parent, a teacher and a writer. I’ve loved creating curriculum to invite others into learning and seeing the world in new ways. When I became a single parent, the demands of life shifted my career out of the classroom as I followed the path that financial demands necessitated.  I began to work in what I like to call “corporate philanthropy.” I wanted to build “giving relationships” to connect worthy causes with those passionate about supporting them - to be a catalyst of change through those connections. I soon discovered that wasn’t really how things worked in philanthropy.  I turned to research and grant writing for those reasons, and I often still found myself swimming against the current.  I wanted to create “with” others, not for them.  I wanted to build bridges of understanding and construct the tables where everyone sat together to see and learn from one another.  

 

As I started my mid-life journey, I felt a pull to summon my own courage to dive into the deep end and chase my dreams about collaborating with others and creating meaningful solutions to the myriad of challenges we face together.  I have found purpose in many different things over the years, but the call to be courageous enough to own my story and allow it to light the way to my future, has been the most challenging.  It’s a swim against the current to show up authentically and build relationships intentionally enough to truly understand the needs of those around us.  However, I believe it’s the only way to find lasting solutions. I have discovered there is no us verses them in this world. There is only “us” - we are all in this together - sink or swim.  It’s up to us to create a world that sees and values all of us. In philanthropy, those with the microphone often try to change the world with “one to many” messaging that inspires and galvanizes movements. That messaging can be beautiful and even genuinely heartfelt, but that isn’t how real change happens.  Lives are changed in “one to one” relationships that are deliberate and meaningful.  

 

I am still an avid learner and creator, but now I love to do it in the context of community building.  I know what a privilege it is to have others share their stories with me - to gain wisdom and understanding by seeing the world through the perspectives others choose to share with me.  It takes courage to embrace vulnerability and have those conversations. It takes the kind of courage that doesn’t give up or back down until everyone is seated at the table being seen, heard, valued and understood. Courageous conversations have the capacity to produce transformational solutions for our most challenging issues. Having the courage to look around our communities and collaborate to create meaningful solutions at ground level is how we change the trajectory of families, communities and systems.  

 

The Courage Collaborative is the latest iteration of work I have loved to do for over 20 years. My work has evolved and changed as I have grown and learned to see more clearly. I will continue to seek out more ways to grow and learn with the help of those around me.  Let’s start a conversation about what’s on your heart and see where it leads us.  I’m ready to build a longer table!

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