To my new Book Harvest Family,
It is my honor to jump aboard the Book Harvest ship and sail off into the endless sea that is–literacy.
I was introduced to Book Harvest as a volunteer when I signed up to help facilitate the Books on Break program. I assumed the program would be structured much like the book fairs I went to when I was a child, and so, I didn’t see a need to read much more into what the event would entail.
Boy was I wrong!
To my complete surprise, I’d signed up to be something like a designated “gifter”, a guide, helping children to find books that are a reflection of themselves, of their imaginations, and of the world. And soon after the first group of children left their school library with backpacks stuffed with books, I discovered that was not helping to host a book fair, but I was actually aiding the movement of an organization whose sole mission it is to see all children and their families succeed.
I was instantly hooked on this mission, and I find new reasons to stay hooked every day.
Me… I am a mom, a poet, a human rights activist, and now proud self-proclaimed-champion-of-all-things-Book-Harvest!
My journey as an advocate is what I’m most excited to share with my new team, and with all of you. From advocating for the meaningful inclusion of children with disabilities, to the expansion of affordable housing–and from the improvement of race relations, and beyond–my life’s purpose is directly connected to and fueled by, my own experiences with inequity and my desire to make things better.
In between the gaps of my advocacy, I have worked as an HR Assistant at Durham Technical Community College, an Expressive Poetry Instructor for Durham Public Schools, and in my more recent months I spent my time technical writing with a small yet fearless team of dreamers at The Change Creation Inc.
I am excited to merge my love of community with my administrative background in order to serve each and every one of you to the best of my ability.
My position as the new Community Partnerships and Operations Manager has already blessed my life ten-fold. And I am here, if for no other reason, to pay it forward!
If you have an existing partnership, I thank you.
If you just began your journey with us, I welcome you.
And if you are thinking about helping to harvest books (in any capacity), I invite you to start this new journey with me, so we can learn all about and help to grow Book Harvest–together.
Bon voyage!