One Year Reflection
Last week marked one year since I was fired from my previous job, and I can honestly say that it is one of the best things to ever happen to me.
At the time, I was devastated that I would no longer be able to serve the community that I loved. Making York a better place for all people was a goal that I devoted so much time and energy to, and the community definitely shaped me in many ways. Shortly after my departure, however, I quickly realized that it wasn’t necessarily that specific community that I loved so much. I’m just passionate about the idea of community, in general! I absolutely love making places better–places where people have a high quality of life, places where people want to raise their children, places that people are proud to call home, places where the common response to problems isn’t “It sucks here,” but rather “What can I do to make things better here?”
Since building my own business as a Marketing, Placemaking, and Walkability Consultant, I’ve had the privilege of working with not just one community, but 22 communities, representing 11 different states across the country. A few highlights? Working on a feasibility study for a community makerspace, writing a marketing plan for a Black cultural center, providing technical assistance for community walk audits, assessing the implementation of a nationwide grant program supporting active transportation in rural and indigenous communities, designing social media content for a world class bike trail, presenting at the national Main Street conference, promoting a nonprofit serving single mothers and another promoting economic and social mobility of Black and Brown individuals, and helping a nationally-celebrated Main Street program assess potential revenue streams.
I have been very busy this year and more importantly, I have been able to help create and support quality places; places that are livable, walkable, desirable, and equitable. And not only that but my work has allowed my family to move to a community that better aligns with our values and supports our growth.
It wasn’t an easy year, but I certainly learned a lot. Here’s a quick summary:
Therapy helps.
I don’t deserve to work for toxic people in toxic places.
Quality of place matters.
Don’t underestimate how healthy, fulfilling, and freaking awesome it is to live in a walkable community.
So, yeah. Getting fired from that job wasn’t that bad after all…
