Near the corner of 21st and North Market Street squats an empty theater. Faded and neglected but not quite defeated, the NoMar Theater, along with the neighborhood surrounding her, has sat in wait – sometimes patiently, sometimes not. The NoMar is the centerpiece of Wichita’s North End, the historically Hispanic neighborhood, and depending on who … Continue reading The NoMar Theater: the ghosts of our past, the hopes of our future
My Community
Privilege, Racial Equity & Family
It’s been a long time since I’ve posted. My original plan was to share my story of life during those early days of the pandemic, but I quickly realized my privilege and once I did, my story was no longer important. I work for a foundation that invests money and resources into organizations and coalitions … Continue reading Privilege, Racial Equity & Family
In Celebration: a tribute
I’m often asked why I got into fundraising. I’ve heard it all, from “I couldn’t ask people for money” to “fundraisers are just glorified car salesman.” What people don’t understand is that there is so much more involved. We make connections, share stories, get to know one another and if the affinity for our mission … Continue reading In Celebration: a tribute
Born to Lead – One Community at a Time
I spent Friday, September 14 at a conference, but this was not just any conference. It was missing the usual suspects: overly gregarious men in suits talking loudly into microphones; PowerPoints filled with statistics and twenty-year-old best practices; obligatory deli sandwiches or plated chicken; and the constant checking of time because surely, it’s almost over … Continue reading Born to Lead – One Community at a Time
Lesson Planning Became a Lesson Planned for Me
We live and we continue to learn moment by moment, day by day, and choice by choice. These lessons we learn are not lost, not futile, if we truly learn from them by gaining experience, recognizing who we are, who we are not, and who we can be and grow. At the end of the … Continue reading Lesson Planning Became a Lesson Planned for Me
The Course of a Life
Each morning, as I sit for the light to change at 21st and Oliver, I cannot help but stare at what was once Braeburn Golf Course. Once a significant aspect of the campus of Wichita State University, orange construction cones now contain the high mounds and deep hollows of dirt, sparse trees, and the steel skeletons of what … Continue reading The Course of a Life
Behind the Light
This past July, I wrote a piece about women being light bearers, the brandishers of flames whom we follow and emulate. But lately I’ve been given pause to think and try to understand what might be hiding behind a few of these beautiful torches. Late September, we lost another incredible woman within our circle of friends … Continue reading Behind the Light
No Place Like Local
I was a little ambitious when I thought I would post on a semi-daily basis regarding all Wichita has to offer when it comes to local businesses. My excuse is that I was so busy experiencing this abundance of goodness, I didn’t have time to write! But, since I’ve promised many family, friends, and even … Continue reading No Place Like Local
#ShineICT: My Final Post as Blogger of the Month for KSWB
I’ve enjoyed the opportunity as Blogger of the Month for Kansas Women Bloggers. I close the month of July with my final post about my hometown, Wichita. As is stated in my bio, I’m an advocate for this growing city and its people. The ICT (as it is affectionately known thanks to the International Air … Continue reading #ShineICT: My Final Post as Blogger of the Month for KSWB
Kansas Shine – at Kansas Women Bloggers
My third post at Kansas Women Bloggers focuses on our sometimes learned love of this state we call home, Kansas. There is something about Kansas and Kansans. Kansas skies can be endless blues of possibility, lowered grays of frost-tipped resilience, or furrowed blacks of trepidation. And at night, well, there is no description worthy of a Kansas sky filled with … Continue reading Kansas Shine – at Kansas Women Bloggers
Mermaid of the Plains 