What do you do?

I’m a Lummi Tribal Member serving the Lummi Community as a Special Project Outreach Coordinator for the Lhaqtemish Foundation. I’m an experienced Special Projects Coordinator/Manager with a demonstrated history working in Tribal Communities/Government Relations and in the Behavioral Health Field. I’ve served the Lummi Community almost 11 years which comes with a wealth of knowledge in fundraising, strategic development, and project implementation and management for community-led special projects/initiatives.

I’m known widley for my leadership which was started and sustained with the Late Justin Finkbonner; co-creating and developing the Lummi Youth Canoe Family and traveling around the Globe empowering Native Youth on Environmental Rights and Advocacy for Indigenous Communities. In recent years, I’ve been the Paddle to Lummi 2019 Coordinator. Lummi Nation hosted the 2019 Paddle to Lummi, hosting 66 Indigenous nations, 5 different countries represented, and 15,000 people.

My role at the Lhaqtemish Foundation will promote social, cultural, and economical prosperity for the Lummi Community as we are developing and implementing the legacy of the Paddle to Lummi through the strategic framework of the Sqweshenet Tse Schelangen Initiative. An initiative that will build upon the goals/objectives that reflect the values, principles, and beliefs of the Lummi Nation through 1) Community Resiliency, 2) Whole Person Health Transformation, 3) Education, and 4) Economic Mobility.

I’m currently a student at the University of Arizona pursuing my BA in Law & Minor in Community Health.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

The best advice that I feel I can forward to the greater community is never forget who you are and where you come from. In other words, never stop believing in yourself and the gifts that the creator has given you. Each one of us has a greater purpose for service to each other.

Hello everyone!

We're hoping you're all staying well, sane, and happy! Dealing with COvid has impacted our work at Womxn Among Us and TTC, but we're determined to push through! We wanted to share with you today Betsy O'Donovan. She's a delightful Journalism Professor from WWU who's been ill while dealing with all the stress of school closures. She hasn't been able to give us her answer yet, but we hope she will soon so that we can share her story with all of you!

We're so grateful to live in such a strong, connected community. We couldn't do this without all of you. You're in our hearts and thoughts everyday. You're the reason this project exists.

Can't wait to hug you all.

Your biggest fans,

The Team from Talking To Crows

What do you do?

I co-own Kiva Café + Kitchen. My business partner, Djuna (another Womxn Among Us!) and I teach cooking classes in Bellingham! We want everyone to know how to feed themselves and the people they love with real food, and keep alive the food traditions of their ancestors, no matter where they’re from. I also work at Cafe Blue in Fairhaven and have a million hobbies like playing music, doing pottery, gardening, and baking.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

I think the wisdom that I call on the most is the idea to observe without judgment, especially yourself and your feelings. Start watching what happens and how you behave/think when you’re happy, sad, vulnerable, content, angry, threatened, etc and realize that those feelings happen to all people and aren’t “yours”. Doing this when I remember has taught me about being human, which we all are! Beautiful things happen when you realize you’re just another imperfect person feeling feelings among all the rest and you’re trying your best. You allow so much more space for other people to be flawed and start to love them for their humanness and stop being so triggered by life. It’s made me more brave because I’ve stopped being so afraid of making mistakes or not being good enough, feelings I used to try to avoid before I realized they arise for everyone and they’re no better or worse than any other feeling! A really great friend once told me that I should go out and make a fool of myself, and I loved that. Also, my mom has always said to “Be bold.” Who cares about feeling embarrassment or anything else when I’ll just notice it and it’ll pass? Of course it’s a lifelong process, but I’m getting better at it :)

What do you do?

I recently left a job with the Whatcom Council on Aging to focus on being a new mom. I am vice chair of the Ferndale Arts Commission and a board member at Allied Arts of Whatcom County. I like to encourage individual artists and build community through arts related events. I dabble in writing, painting, costume design, community organizing and anything else that strikes my fancy.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

Be compassionate with yourself and assume everyone else is trying their best.

There is this illusion that you have to be hustling all the time to be successful. But its unsustainable. You don't have to be super great at any particular thing. Love yourself anyways. We are all doing our best with what we have from day to day, and it constantly changes.

What do you do?

Lots of different things. But the theme that ties those things together is my belief in the power and neccesity of community. I think at my core I am a connector - .who shows up as a mother, a teacher, a summer camp director, a community activist, a musician, an actor, a church member, a board member, and a transportation professional. For my day job I work at the WTA assisting passengers with disabilities to find needed transportation resources. I spend a lot of the rest of my time working to create opportunities for people to experience connection with one another through the arts as the president of the board at the Sylvia Center for the Arts and by singing with a two small a cappella groups (Vox Antiqua and One Accord). I hope I have created space for others to feel at home and themselves and love the time I get to spend celebrating with friends the every day bits of life that are silly and sacred at the same time.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

Know that each person has talent and gifts to share. It is easy to recognize and celebrate those gifts in others - failing to celebrate your own gifts and talents doesn't help anyone. We need each other. Make art. Experience the depths of your empathy for yourself as well as for others. Hope always.

What do you do?

I own a shop called pretty penny. I opened my first shop in California in 2006. I specialize in curated vintage and modern clothing, shoes and accessories. The shop includes apothecary by women owned and operated brands. I search for the best products at affordable prices. Accessibility is very important to me. I also want to provide excellent comfortable service where everyone feels welcome. We offer tailoring services to ensure longevity in your garments. I have had many stores with many employees, but now it’s just me working in my shop in Bellingham and managing the online business, which includes many of my old customers. I am exactly where I want to be, quality of life and more time with my family. Bigger isn’t always better.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

Believe in yourself and work hard. Lean into your friends and community who support and love what you do. And show them gratitude for their support.

What do you do?

I co-own and manage two businesses; I’m a mother of three; I’m a wife of 20 years; I’m an amateur bikini body builder; I’m (literally) running in circles all day long!

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

Something that’s always been a personal drive for me is embracing a willingness to change. People are quick to say that “we never change,” but in every part of my life I’ve experienced the opposite. It’s the key to my personal growth, to being a good mom, to reaching my fitness goals: it’s truly the key to happily ever after. Being open to change has truly transformed my life.

What do you do?

Mother-daughter team: Creative directors, designers, editors, essayists and publishers of an independent wedding, fashion, history & ideas magazine.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

Breathe; find your passion; work hard & master your craft; view obstacles as opportunities, take a different approach and do your own thing; persevere and push against the proverbial ‘ceiling’; claim space—unapologetically; reach for positive change; and enjoy the journey & each moment along the way . . .

What do you do?

Mother-daughter team: Creative directors, designers, editors, essayists and publishers of an independent wedding, fashion, history & ideas magazine.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

Breathe; find your passion; work hard & master your craft; view obstacles as opportunities, take a different approach and do your own thing; persevere and push against the proverbial ‘ceiling’; claim space—unapologetically; reach for positive change; and enjoy the journey & each moment along the way . . .

What do you do?

40+ hours a week I am managing the Community Food Coop’s Bakery café.

What I “do” though is create hand painted custom birth charts for people, as a visual representation of the planets the moment you were born. I study astrology, tarot, I Ching and human design in my free time.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

Truly lean into your intuition and trust your own compass to show you the way to your own happiness.

What do you do?

I compete in enduro races, but also have a passion for pushing my riding in other aspects like freeriding big lines and hitting jumps. I work and ride for Transition Bikes here in Bellingham, WA.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

I try to do things for the right reasons and also not take the things I do too seriously. As a mountain bike athlete there is often a pressure to perform in various settings, but I have found the most success in my career by doing things because I think they are fun, trying to avoid unnecessary stress to perform, and remembering the reasons I grew to love the sport in the first place.

What do you do?

I am an illustrator, trying to represent POC and empower women through my art. I create pieces that I can use to turn into different products, so that my art is accessible to many types of people. I feel like my purpose is to cultivate a place of happiness, and I try and do that with my art.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

I would like to tell people that when you face an obstacle in your life, whether it be your train of thought, your inability to comprehend, your financial burden, your mental state, your body image....whatever it may be, find the blessing in it, because when you get through these tough times, you come out stronger and more resilient.

I used to be very angry, very poor, depressed, and I hated my body and who I was in the world. I thought that the things that made me, ME were somehow a mistake. I wanted to be anyone in the world, but who I was. I went on a journey to love myself, and it started with accepting all those things. I started to accept my psoriasis, and started incorporating it into my art (circles on the cheeks) and now, it's a way people recognize my work.

I used to hate struggling to pay rent, but if I didn't have those experiences of what it meant to work hard, and to do whatever it took to make my dreams a reality, I wouldn't have the mental fortitude I have now to take on my own business as a completely self taught artist. I used to be very angry and think that the world isn't fair...but that is the reality of existing. Nothing is fair, and my circumstances were the way they were, but they taught me to rise above, and have compassion for those who have less. I would not be the person I am today if I never had the experiences I had, if I continued to loath the cards I was dealt. Once I started to accept and to love these things that seemed like burdens, my outlook on life changed. My goals changed. The beliefs around them started to change. I saw my dreams as things that were attainable, but I had to take it one day at a time and NEVER GIVE UP.

I wouldn't allow myself to be stuck on "failure" but rather learn and grow and pivot, always. I find my trials as blessings. I would not change a thing about where I was in my life, and oftentimes I look back at it with great gratitude for where I am right now and all I've achieved. It makes me feel empowered to help others and to cheer them on, because sometimes when you can't be your own cheerleader, it helps to know that someone who has experienced similar things can understand what you're going through, and that it will get better if you push through the hard stuff. Don't give into the lies you tell about yourself, and don't give up.

What do you do?

I do a lot of different things: I’m an individual, a mom, a wife, a volunteer, and a community member. I love to explore the mountains and the islands, and to go on adventures near and far. I love to support our kid as he learns and grows. I enjoy gardening and raising animals on our hobby farm. Professionally, I have the joy and privilege of serving our community as the Executive Director of the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, or NSEA. NSEA educates, inspires, and engages the community to take action to keep wild salmon here for future generations. NSEA restores salmon habitat, educate community members about salmon & stewardship, and most importantly gives community members meaningful ways to be involved to help recover sustainable wild salmon. Today I am just as passionate about NSEA’s mission and the importance of our work as I was when I first learned about the NSEA in 1996.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

So many things: Share your vision. Have a plan but be flexible. Surround yourself with people smarter than you are and empower them. Be grateful. For everything. Especially the challenges. Give credit where credit is due: Take personal responsibility when things go wrong. Give others credit when things go right. Consistently seek new learning. From articles, books, website, blogs, podcasts, news and especially people. Approach every opportunity & encounter with curiosity….believe that we all have something to learn from everyone we encounter. Treat others how you want to be treated. Still, understand that you can’t make everyone happy, so learn to ‘thicken your skin’. Earn trust. Be accountable, show up. Follow through. We all have something in common, and when we focus on finding that common ground, we develop mutual respect. When we respect each other, we can work in a collaborative way. None of this can happen without trust.

What do you do?

I am the Executive Director of Whatcom County's Support Officer Community Care. Support Officer Community Care is a non-profit organization founded in Whatcom County in 1982. A Support Officer is a volunteer specially trained in crisis intervention and grief response. Support Officers respond with law enforcement, fire and EMS, 24 hours a day, ensuring families are not left to deal with tragedy alone. Their role involves responding to a sudden, unexpected death such as a suicide, homicide, traffic fatality, a death of a child, or notifying family a loved one has died. In addition to providing on scene support, they offer resource materials, connect survivors to community resources, provide meals, send cards, and offer follow up, for weeks, months, or years after a death. Support Officers also assist and support our first responders. We provide ongoing training and have established a website as a resource to provide informational support and referral for emotional trauma and grief issues. I love my work. It's a privilege to walk alongside families at their most difficult time. It's heavy work but I cannot think of anything I would rather do. It's incredibly rewarding and I am so grateful for the relationships I have built over the last 15 years. Through my work I have made many forever friends, that began as a stranger on their doorstep.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

I believe showing genuine care and compassion to another human being will benefit you both. Share your gifts!

What do you do?

I own and run Leaf & Ladle & L&L Libations with my business partner.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

There's a few pieces of wisdom, or mantras (?) for lack of a better term that I really attribute to being where I am, and who I am. One of them came from my mom, growing up, “in a world of big deals, is this really one of them?” For a [not so slightly] obsessive, perfectionist like myself, it’s good to be pulled down to earth every now and then. Comparing whatever issue is on my plate to the rest of the...world (yikes!) is pretty grounding. As far as my personal advice or words of wisdom, so much of it has to do with combating or rewiring habits and narratives that I think it’s so easy for people, but especially women, to acquire in our lives. I made it a personal goal a few years back to only compete with myself, and I mean RELENTLESSLY stick to it, and it has been the single greatest thing I could’ve done for myself. It’s so easy these days with social media, and media, and society in general to fall into a place of feeling “less than,” or “not enough,” which in turn, makes it so hard to support and be excited for the people around you when they’re doing something awesome. The reality is, we all have our own strengths and skills and if you spend your whole time comparing yourself to someone else, you rob yourself of the time to even figure out what yours are, let alone perfect them. And as women especially, it’s so important that we use our energy to celebrate and empower each other! We are absolute badasses and when we stop thinking we have to shove each other down to get ahead, we get to instead build each other up! Plus, It’s been way harder to compete with myself than with others! Which leads me into my second best piece of advice, “just because you haven’t, doesn’t mean you can’t!” This has been my constant mantra these last couple of years and it has pushed me to do ALL kinds of new things. When we decided to open L&L Libations, we were working with a pretty limited budget & a pretty blank slate, but I made the choice to tackle each piece of it, head on and as a learning opportunity, or at least a “fake it till ya make it” opportunity. I ended up teaching myself how to do everything from drawing up building plans and city regulations, to building walls, building a bar from the ground up, pouring concrete & epoxy, running lighting, painting “wallpaper,” upholstering furniture, tiling, designing menus and signs, and every other piece in between! With each new thing that came up, I thought to myself, “well, just because you haven’t, doesn’t mean you can’t!” And eventually it was all done! It would have been so easy to just think “I can’t do that because I don’t know how,” but instead, it ended up being one of the most personally rewarding things I’ve ever done. So I guess my advice is this: remember to look at the grand scheme of things, focus on being the best version of yourself, [sincerely] congratulate those around you, always challenge yourself to do new things, and if you can, find yourself a partner who tells you that you’re a boss ass bitch anytime you might even remotely start to question it.

What do you do?

I suppose you could say I’m a collaborator! I’ve had the opportunity to work a lot with other local artists and vendors to help make ideas come to life. Sometimes that’s personal projects close to someone’s heart, other times it’s for promotional material or social media. I’ve gotten a lot of the opportunities and networking connections I have from working with the local make-up school Vivaluxx, and this community in general has been amazing in exploring an artistic side of me I don’t think I would have otherwise had the opportunity to experience. It’s a beautiful feeling to make ideas come to fruition with nothing but you and a few other people's help, creating a new reality or a different iteration of it.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

One of the biggest pieces of advice I could share is to stop being scared of following something that you feel passionate about and to not be scared of failing because it’s a natural part of becoming great. I personally have been holding myself back in my life, and I want myself and everyone else to realize that it doesn’t help anyone to hold back your fire. That failing means you have challenged yourself and garnered a new learning experience. We can change so many more things than we think we can when we start opening ourselves up to do things that fill us with passion and not being scared to try and potential (probably!) mess up in the process.

What do you do?

I am an Associate Professor at Western Washington University, teaching in the Department of Design with a focus on ux, web, interaction design, and professional practices. As a designer I work in identity and product design for startups and play around with illustration on the side. Currently I’m working on a book @adventuresincoworking that explores coworking culture around the world through stories, interviews, and illustrations. I’m really excited about the project, it combines a lot of my interests and feels very true the kind of work I’ve been wanting to dive into.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

A couple of years ago I brought in Saki Mafundikwa—designer, author, and founder of the first design school in Zimbabwe—to give feedback to my students who were working on designing typefaces. They were feeling pretty stuck and overly focused on making everything look perfect rather than experimenting with new ideas. Saki sat down with one of the students and told them that they needed to loosen up and “make the good mistakes.” Those words really resonated with the class and from that moment almost all the students’ work really evolved. Now when I’m at a crossroad deciding whether to take the path of least resistance or the path unknown, I find myself going back to that advice. It applies to all areas of life, good mistakes are the ones that show you to where you’re supposed to be.

What do you do?

I write, record, and produce albums and perform all over the place. I also teach music and songwriting.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

My advice is to be honest. Put yourself into whatever you make or do. “People can smell a lie like a fart in a car.” New York taught me that. Also, “Make ‘em laugh”-Singing in the Rain taught me that.

What do you do?

Everything... As much as humanly possible to fit into a schedule. I have a human services degree that I obtained in 2012 from Western Washington University, but instead, I kept running my own business. Animal House Pet Grooming, which I started 24 years ago now. Humans are ok, but dogs are so much nicer.

I do however volunteer with humans. And I have been for decades. Starting with volunteering for campaigns. Knocking on those doors, making those phone calls and of course voting. I was a Hillary Clinton delegate and a floor whip for her at the 2016 Convention. It was a painful election, beginning to end. Also, I am a foster parent and have been doing this for 10 years. As a board-member, I have a different perspective because of my experience as a foster mom. I've been a board member for about 5 years. I have (and do) served on many boards serving the poor, women and children.

I use my BA in Human Service and minor in Psychology for community service. Not as a way to make a living. As we know with program cuts, unless we are married to a doctor, these days, it is hard to make a living when you truly serve others. I am serving as a city council-woman in my second term and elected as the first person of color EVER in Sedro-Woolley's history. I also serve on Sedro-Woolley's Museum board where I currently am working on racial awareness and sensitivity and multiple other volunteer activities and events. Last year, I joined Washington State Democrats' Executive Board as a Congressional District (2) representative and have been a state committee-member for about a year now. In 2012, I received the CEED Award for my resolution making 3rd degree marital rape a felony. It was signed into law in 2014 by Governor Inslee. I was 2017 SWAN Woman of the Year for community service and featured in Bellingham Alive as Wonder Woman.

Challenging and rewarding as well, I rescue and advocate for large "dangerous" dogs. My favorites to rescue are Pit-bulls and Rottweilers because overall, I advocate and serve those who are considered the underdogs in our society, so it just fits.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

There are many "words" that might make a difference, but the foundation should always be within your confident self. Know that you "got this". It's more than OK to speak up for yourself (even if that means saying "No"), take credit for YOUR ideas, wake up everyday feeling empowered BECAUSE you are a woman. Be a feminist. Feminism is advocating for equal rights between the sexes. NOT objectifying yourself as a woman. Use your mind, confidence, relational skills instead of the obvious. These things will carry you because they are self sustaining. :-)

What do you do?

I work for a local solar installation company called Western Solar. My title is Project Coordinator but my work encompasses a variety of different areas within the company. Some of my days are spent in the office at my desk working on project management and scheduling. Other days are spent out in the field setting up monitoring systems for new customers or using the forklift around the warehouse.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

To not be afraid of change and to be okay with things ending. Investing energy into things builds connections and attachments. After awhile, those bonds may start to inhibit growth or pull us in the wrong direction. Rather than thinking our original decision was a mistake or that we have failed we should just remember that not everything is meant to last forever. We should continuously evaluate how a position or connection is impacting the growth of not just us, but all parties involved. This is especially hard to follow when it comes to things like moving to a new city, changing hobbies, or changing the dynamic of a personal relationship.

What do you do?

I aim to make plants and the medicine they offer more accessible to the humans around me while being a wide eyed steward of this land that Lummi, Nooksack and Coast + Puget Sound Salish people have been in relationship with for so long. My current expressions of this are Goldstatus Botanicals and a collaborative project, Herbal Abundance CSA. I also am a private caterer, bartender and event organizer with a goal of clear communication, community building, and delicious food and beverage. I am a founding member of the Bellingham Handmade Collective, and I work with the board of the Shuksan Conservancy Project.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

I've recently been hit hard by the knowledge that growth in any way takes time. What I want will not happen tomorrow unless I ruin myself to make it happen. So, I ask people I admire to tell me their timelines, and I realize that my neighbor's beautiful garden took 22 years to get to where it is, and it's much different than she first imagined. I see that people go through phases and seasons, and I work to hold this knowledge close to my heart because I am not living to reinvent the wheel- I'm living to continue to create in and behold these wonderful communities and glorious spaces in the time I have. Simultaneously, I value the advice to give all your versions of yourself grace. My young self is still within my older self, and all these selves will be in my dying self, and I want to die at peace with myself and my actions- so I'm working on daily kindness, and quietude, and dreaming big and being glad when good things happen.

What do you do?

I own and operate a little cafe with my husband. I wake up nice and early, make coffee and joke around with customers all day, then clean and bake all night, then sleep a few hours, then do it all over again. It's a pretty good time full of laughs with people I love.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

You do you. I do me. Xoxo

What do you do?

I am the co-owner of Brazen Shop + Studio in downtown Bellingham. I am also a jewelry maker, focusing on brass, stone and enamel pieces. I started selling my jewelry in 2011 as Bird in Hand Design. I’ve also worked in the printing industry running digital presses for 18 years.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

I’ve always been slow to change, I like routine and to prepare myself for all possible scenarios (which is impossible). While it’s good to have a plan, if you spend too much time overthinking a situation a great opportunity will most likely pass you by. Sometimes you just have to jump in. It might not go smoothly at first, things may not work out the exact way you envisioned them. Be creative, adapt and make the best with what you have, you’ll get there.

What do you do?

I am the co-owner of Brazen Shop + Studio as well as a visual artist. I love to explore different ways to be creative and love to learn old techniques and give them my own modern interpretation.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

Always keep learning and don’t assume you know the best way to do anything. Pushing yourself to learn a skill or habit, even if the things seem insignificant, helps you understand weaknesses and strengths that you may carry into other areas of your life. To me, if you are learning, you are growing. Also, lean on those you can trust to give you the real talk when you need it and encourage you when you can’t muster it for yourself.

What do you do?

I am an abstract artist. I paint large pieces that are inspired by a connection and love of nature, and how our relationships with the earth change us and our lives.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

I have a simple mantra that I try to live by as best I can:

Life on Earth is a gift; reciprocity and kindness are the best forms of gratitude that we can offer to each other and our planet.

What do you do?

It is my hope that each day I have a better understanding of what it means to be paternally Aleut, and maternally Dutch, Irish, English, and French in this space. I am no longer looking for someone that has the answers of who I am as an indigenous woman who was raised outside her community. I now embrace that responsibility as my own, and that has brought me a sense of calm… and empowerment. I work with our tribes most valuable resource, its people. I am the Native Environmental Science program advisor. I am an alumni of the program and try to offer the students the type of assistance that I wanted when I was a student at Northwest Indian College. It can be trying at times, at tribal colleges and universities we often wear many hats, but when they start referring to you as their auntie, it is an honor to be recognized as such.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

You are your ancestor’s wildest dream.

This is a very spiritual motivator to me. I have so many opportunities and options available to me that my ancestors did not, I have responsibility to honor the sacrifices that they made so I can be where I am today. I hope I make them proud.

Failure is not an option.

This has helped me overcome more than a few obstacles, whether they were real or perceived. It doesn’t mean I don’t make mistakes or experience setbacks. To me it means that I remain perseverant and tenacious until the path that is meant to be mine reveals itself.

Don’t take yourself too seriously.

Especially in times of adversity. Finding humor doesn’t have to make light of a situation. Allow it to buoy your spirit and raise you up to the challenge.

What do you do?

During the growing season I am a full time farmer at City Sprouts Farm. My farm partner and I started City Sprouts two years ago as an experiment to try to manifest our farming dreams, and it totally took off! We have been working to rehabilitate a formally abandoned field of himalayan blackberries into a vibrant urban farm in the Birchwood neighborhood. We currently grow a 1/2 acre of vegetables using organic, intensive growing practices (planting crops with a higher yield per square foot to make use of limited space, while also maintaining soil health.)

The Birchwood neighborhood has been experiencing significant food access issues in recent years which spurred us to simultaneously start the Birchwood Farmer’s Market alongside City Sprouts Farm. The Birchwood Farmer’s Market is a single-stand cooperative market featuring products from 5 to 10 local farmers and producers we collaborate with. We run the booth every Sunday during the growing season and do our best to make our produce accessible by offering a slightly reduced price on our products as well as accepting EBT, Freshbucks, and WIC.

I feel so grateful to be farming in this neighborhood and working alongside some truly incredible community members who dedicate so much of their time to increasing food access. As for the winter season, I am a jewelry maker. I have been making jewelry for over ten years-- transforming somewhat unconventional or unexpected materials into wearable jewelry has always been at the core of my work. I've used a lot of repurposed copper; scraps from print-making plates, and pennies or copper carpenter’s staples I left to be flattened by trains on the railroad, feathers from birds that friends hunted or road-kill I found. I’ve worked with drift wood, porcelain, lace doilies, porcupine quills, and bullet shells. These days I’m focusing on leather; I make earrings from deer and elk hide, leather from cowboy boots, suede jackets or other garments, upholstery and scraps from cobblers. I sell my work at a couple shops and I also subject myself to the grueling marathon that is holiday craft-fair season.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

The first thing that comes to mind is a (somewhat coarse) expression my friends and I used to always remind each other which is to OWN YOUR SHIT! This means embracing your flaws, your mistakes, your weird sense of humor, your neurosis, your insecurities, as well as recognizing your courage, your generosity, your creativity, your patience, and so on. Don’t hide from yourself! Own it!

What do you do?

I make mixed-media fiber art, teach, travel and hang out with my husband and two cats.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

I just saw Gloria Steinem speak recently - her wisdom has had a profound affect on me throughout my adult life. I love this quote from her: "The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn, but to unlearn." The idea that what we should question what we've been taught about the world - especially regarding gender roles - has been very liberating and empowering.

What do you do?

I retired and moved to Bellingham in 2016 with my husband of 35 years. I am a volunteer Mediator for the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center, a member of the WDRC’s Board of Directors, a volunteer at the Bellingham Foodbank, and I’m on a patient advisory panel at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA). I am also the mother of two awesome young adults. These activities are all enriching in their own ways. Through the WDRC, I can use my professional skills while making a positive impact on the lives of the individuals we serve. Working at the Foodbank helps me engage directly with my community. My work with SCCA provides an opportunity to stay intimately connected and give back to a place that is a critical part of my life. I am also very involved in local politics because I know local governance can have a significant impact on our lives. I am invested in learning as much as I can about our city and county governments: this election cycle I met and visited with all the candidates and intend to stay in contact with our elected officials as they serve in office. I believe strongly in the benefits of healthy relationships and as a result, I love connecting the people I know to one another both personally and professionally. It makes our lives richer!

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

If you want the world to look and be a certain way, you must step up and work to create it. This is particularly important for women, because we are often discouraged from shaping politics and public life. Women often report not feeling ‘ready.’ Believe that you have all that you need to go after what you want and if you hit a hurdle, find a way over it or around it. It may not always be pretty, but you will get there.

What do you do?

I’m a creative soul with a passion for a wide variety of art forms. From studying dance at WWU to working as a graphic designer and media manager at local breweries, I’m constantly searching for new ways to combine these passions as a career. Over the past couple of years I’ve been working on the side as a concert photographer which has led me to be involved with two incredible local festivals that take place at the Lookout Arts Quarry, Bellingham Arts and Music Festival and Sh’Bang. Through these groups of people I’ve learned so much and have been able to fuse my love for both visual and performing arts leading me on one hell of a journey that I could not be more excited to be on.

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

One of the best pieces of advice I have gotten was given to me last summer by my grandpa. He told me to find my passion and put everything I have into it. And, in a way, that’s what I’m working on doing as I find ways to pool my passions together and give them my all.