Hello,

In 2005, I fell in love with my high school sweetheart. On my 20th birthday, I found myself three weeks away from my wedding day and two months into my first pregnancy. With no interval for personal development or education beyond high school, I transitioned swiftly from my father's care to marital life, simultaneously assuming the roles of wife and mother, and still feeling like a child.
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For years, I played it safe, cocooned within the love of my family, unsure of my identity beyond the confines of our tight-knit unit. However, a pivotal season arrived when I hit a milestone in my healing journey. In 2017 I experienced a critical moment in my marriage that ricocheted me back to what I knew, grasping for something bigger than me, something that could save me, I went back to church. This time I wasn't interested in hand-me-down faith, I was determined to "taste and see" for myself. Mindful and responsive to intentional and simple acts of obedience, I started finding myself. The transformation began to set in when I felt prompted to make myself available, to get my eyes off myself, and to find ways to be helpful.  I embraced volunteering, an invitation I would normally reject. Dubbed a "professional volunteer" by my husband, I found myself stepping beyond my self-imposed boundaries, engaging with my local church and my children's school. This act of vulnerability opened the door to a job position as a coordinator for a local school and family engagement initiative.
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In this new role my innate approach was simple: communicate a welcoming environment akin to that of my own home, where families could feel heard, valued, and understood. Initially met with skepticism, due to my lack of credentials or experience, I organized an information night and subsequent training sessions, meticulously crafted to foster community engagement. The turnout exceeded expectations and revealed a latent hunger for connection and engagement. 
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Inspired by my experience, I endeavored to bridge the gap in clarity and communication between school and family partnerships, leveraging a seemingly simple skill set to listen deeply and articulate the collective sentiments of collaborative efforts. Over time, I wielded influence and power, albeit often unaware of its extent or how best to employ it.  Despite my efforts, the system remained unyielding and resistant to change. By 2022, I was experiencing deep exhaustion and decreased motivation in part due to the strain of unrecognized contributions and unmet expectations that reached a tipping point.

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In my directorship of family and community engagement for a local non-profit, I found myself grappling with feelings of inadequacy and frustration. While attending a professional development event in New Mexico, I worked tirelessly on a funding proposal, seeking to bolster our organization's resources and direction. Yet, when my efforts were met with indifference from the leadership, I confronted a whirlwind of emotions—anger, sadness, and a profound sense of isolation. I was angry because I wanted credit, and sad because I wanted control. The reality was I had neither. In this moment of reckoning, and subsequent events that followed I realized that my role was not that of a fixer but rather a facilitator, a nurturer of growth, beauty, and understanding. All the fulfilling moments of success I'd experienced over the last 10 years were anchored in the igniting of another's power or revelation, it was in the collective synergy and collaborative movements. The system didn't have to change, it was the individual transformation that mattered to me.
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I embraced my identity as one who discerns the perceptions and paradigms revealed when people express themselves, along with the responsibility inherent in such clarity. Crafting experiences focused on reflection, assessment, and transformative action have evolved into my artistic expression. Through my journey, I've learned that control is an illusion and accolades are fleeting distractions. True freedom emerged when I embraced my role as an agent of change rather than a controller of outcomes. As a Facilitator, I extend the invitation and guide those who are willing, both individuals and collective entities, on their paths toward liberation or reform. I firmly believe that each person's upliftment contributes to the collective elevation of us all.
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Are you one of the willing?