Tag: community

creativity

Wonder: Language creates community – a lesson from Ann Richards

Christa Avampato

“Language should bind us, not divide us.” ~Ann Richards

I know Ann Richards for her ballsy and hilarious quote, “I’ve been tested by fire and the fire lost.” I want that on a t-shirt. My friend, Sara, posted something that reminded me it’s high time I read Ann’s autobiography. I loved the play based on her life, ANN, written by and starring Holland Taylor. Ann was one of those lights in history that make it possible for so many of us to carve our own paths today, traditional or otherwise.

As a writer, her quote about language is one from her autobiography that is especially powerful for me. In a world of acronyms and exclusivity, I much prefer Ann’s way of thinking. Too often language is used to divide us—by gender, by race, by religion, by education level, by industry, by socioeconomic status. In her book, Ann said that she prided herself on being a straight shooter, someone who didn’t mince words, sugarcoat, or tip toe around sensitive issues. Keep it simple. Keep it honest. Keep it authentic.

Now working in an industry that is full of acronyms and complicated language, I’m going to keep this quote about language close at hand. In my writing, I want to illuminate not complicate, to clearly communicate rather than separate. And I know from Ann Richards that this is possible.

creativity

Wonder: How can technology help those with mental illness?

Christa Avampato

This week I’m in Arizona immersed in the innovative work they do in this state to help those with mental illness and their caregivers. It’s an incredibly eye-opening experience. There are so many people out there who need community, support, and hope—people struggling with mental health issues and the people who love and care for them. Their issues are chronic and intense, and yet so many of them could be healed with proper care.

My job is to think about how technology could help them and the people who care for them—whether those caregivers are family, friends, teachers, community members, or clinicians. And then I need to go build those solutions. I look forward to digging in further and finding opportunities where technology can help all of us be better together.

creativity

Wonder: The We Love You Project

Christa Avampato

13680939_1715062572089654_4204151035333704265_nWe can all do extraordinary things, especially during times of adversity and difficulty. To put it bluntly, the black community in America is under siege, and they have been for far too long. As a white person, I cannot even begin to comprehend the challenges that the black community faces on a daily basis. What I can do is extend my hand, my help, my support, and my voice.

I learned about the We Love You Project from Vanessa Ford, who will be one of the first two guests, along with her husband JR, on the Breaking Bread Podcast. I have about a million and one questions to ask them and one of the topics I can’t wait to dive into is their activism on so many fronts including race, supporting the local communities where we work and live, LGBTQ, and the challenges and triumphs in education, health, and food equity. We may need to do a multi-part series just to hear all of the interesting conversation.

One project that they recently participated in is the We Love You Project. Started by Bryon Summers, its message is powerful and elegant:

“A simple but powerful reassurance to our black boys and men that even though it feels like they are being murdered and destroyed constantly, we’re still a part of a larger community that loves and supports them.

The images we see in main stream media depict us as less than human – thugs, suspects, and even more, dead and discarded. These are the images that brainwash us into believing there is truth behind them. We’re not worthless. We’re not trash. We’re someone’s son, brother, cousin, uncle, or father. We’re HUMAN!

Through the art of photography we can see just how human and how special we really are. Images can be powerful reinforcements. They can be examples of who we are and aspire to be. WE LOVE YOU, will share portraits of the Black boys and men in our communities showing each other as well as the world that we’re not only human and should be treated as such but we’re LOVED.”

It sent a shiver down my spine to read this mission. It is so needed, especially right now. So far, the project has taken place in New York and D.C. I hope to have Bryon on a future episode of the Breaking Bread Podcast. For now, I’m thrilled to use my blog and other social media channels to support and praise his work!

Check out the We Love You Project at http://www.theweloveyouproject.com/ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/theweloveyouproject.

creativity

Wonder: It’s just the wind and shadows

Christa Avampato

This is a story for all of you who are on the cusp of the unknown: maybe you’re starting a new job or leaving an old job, starting a relationship or leaving one, moving to a new city or home, or embarking on a new project of some kind.

My boss is reading The Winnie the Pooh collection of stories to her daughter. In one story called “Don’t Be Scared, Piglet and Roo!”, Piglet and Roo, two of the smallest characters in the cast, hear scary noises and see scary shapes at night. Her daughter has read this story many times and as soon as Piglet and Roo show signs of being scared, her daughter calls out “Don’t worry, it’s just the wind and shadows!” And it is. And eventually Piglet and Roo learn that. When boss was telling me that story, I thought about how often our minds go to that place, how often we’re afraid of things that we don’t need to be afraid of. It is the perfect metaphor for being afraid of the unknown.

Don’t be afraid. Let’s go out into the unknown together, support one another, and see what we find. The wind and shadows won’t be so scary as long as we aren’t alone in our journey.

creativity

Wonder: How to deal with someone who won’t listen

Christa Avampato

Some people just won’t hear you out, especially if your point-of-view isn’t perfectly in line with theirs. They will shut down your perspective and try to silence you with lines that seem conciliatory but are anything but. They won’t have a conversation. Maybe it’s fear, anger, or cowardice. Maybe it’s good old-fashioned jealousy.

This happened to me recently when someone I know literally screamed in my face and twisted my words, in front of others in public, to suit her own rage after asking me a question. I answered it, not to her liking, and she flew off the handle. It was a weird and unwarranted display. And it was upsetting, but not surprising. I tried for a while to make myself clear and the person just shut down. I was glad when it was all over.

All you can do with people like this is turn away from them. Maybe they come around. Maybe they don’t. But don’t for a second take on their issues or problems. Those aren’t yours to carry. That is the hard work they have to do, or not do, as the case may be. They are not worth your time.

There’s a lot of lack of listening in the world now. The best we can do is continue to lift our voices to those who will listen. Spend your time on the people who will engage with you and talk openly and honestly about difficult subjects. The only way we can find common ground is to seek it out together.

creativity

Wonder: Heaven help us all

Christa Avampato

As this week kicks off, in light of the violent weeks and months that have preceded it, I find myself turning to music to quiet my mind and lighten my heart. Music is a great unifier, a powerful form of expression, and a vehicle to help us figure out how we feel, what we know, and what we hope to build. This weekend as I read about the shooting in Baton Rouge, the protests sprawling across the country, and that gathering in Cleveland, I thought about Stevie Wonder and his song “Heaven Help Us All”. I revisited its lyrics and meditated on the creation of a better world in which none of them applied.

Heaven help the child who never had a home
Heaven help the girl who walks the street alone
Heaven help the roses if the bombs begin to fall
Heaven help us all

Heaven help the black man if he struggles one more day
Heaven help the white man if he turns his back away
Heaven help the man who kicks the man who has to crawl
Heaven help us all

Heaven help us all, Heaven help us all, help us all
Heaven help us, Lord, hear our call when we fall
Oh, yeah

Heaven help the boy who won’t reach twenty-one
Heaven help the man who gave that boy a gun
Heaven help the people with their backs against the wall
Lord, Heaven help us all, Heaven help us all

Heaven help us all, help us all
Heaven help us, Lord, here we call, help us all

Now I lay me down before I go to sleep
In a troubled world, I pray the Lord to keep
Keep hatred from the mighty and the mighty from the small
Heaven help us all oh yeah

Heaven help us all
Heaven help us all
Heaven help us all

creativity

Wonder: Could an agrihood be developed in D.C.?

Christa Avampato

I watched a segment on CBS Sunday morning about agrihoods, housing developments that have a farm as their anchor. This isn’t community gardening; this is a true working farm, run by professional farmers who make their livelihood from the sale of its fruits and vegetables that are purchased by people who live within a few miles of the farm. We spend all this time and money building developments that have pools, retail space, and other glitzy amenities. Why not have healthy, local food and job creation be an amenity? Couldn’t D.C. do that?

creativity

Wonder: Be patient with yourself

Christa Avampato

“Nothing in nature blooms all year. Be patient with yourself.” ~Unknown

You won’t be at the top of your game every hour of every day for your entire life. It’s a balance. Sometimes you’re flying high and sometimes you’re hiding under the bed. Life is a wild ride, not a steady path. I spend a lot of time being very tough on myself. I know a lot of you do, too.

So as a reminder to us all, let’s remember there’s an ebb and flow to our days. Enjoy the highs and learn from the lows. Understand that it’s all a cycle, and eventually all we really need to do is take care of ourselves, take care of others, and do as much good as we can wherever we are with whatever we have.

creativity

Wonder: Join Creatives Connect to meet other D.C. creatives

Christa Avampato

CS-creativityMy friend, Corrine, organizes a Facebook group that promotes monthly events and meetups for creative people in D.C. Whether you have a creative career or just enjoy going to cultural events of any kind – art in any medium, writing, music, food, etc. – this is a wonderful group to join. I’ve been going to these events since September, when Corrine started organizing it. It’s been a source of inspiration and community for me, and I’ve loved meeting people through it (including Corrine!) Join the Facebook group at this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1005333856154073/. I hope to see you at the next event!

creativity

Wonder: See what you can see and do what you can do

Christa Avampato

2-24HonorLight“Open your eyes and see what you can with them before they close forever.” ~ Anthony Doerr, All the Light We Cannot See

Last night I saw my friend, Tunde, a person who shares my passion to do something good with her time and many talents. Our conversation last night reminded me from this quote of the novel All the Light We Cannot See. There is a light within all of us that spurs us to make the world around us a better place. And there are so many avenues to let that goodness shine, so many places and people that need the gifts and talents we have to offer.

Our only job is to find the path that is meant for us, the avenue on which we can be of greatest use to as many people as possible. There’s no one answer. There are many. Every morning, I wake up and say the following to myself: “thank you, and universe, please help me figure out how to help as many as I can, as much as I can, with this day.” And that’s what I intend to do. Ready? Let’s do this.