You will notice the subtitle to this website is “KOI I AM.” This relates to the Community tab of the work I enjoy doing. After serving for a year and a half in the GA legislature I realized that there was still work for me to do and still people I need to serve. Without an elected position, how would I do so? So I wrote out what I wanted to do – advocate for and on behalf of the community, provide resources where I could or connect people with resources I learned about, and solve problems with solutions that are simple, affordable, effective, and sustaining. That came out to being a Community Advocate, Resource, and Problem Solver. In short CARPS. Didn’t sound too pleasing so I looked at some translations – in Japanese it is “KOI.” KOI are those beautiful multi-colored fish (usually orange and white) in garden ponds. I liked that – so “KOI I AM.”
Some examples of how I serve the community:
- Working and volunteering with community organizations including: FEAST (Food Bank distribution) and The Jeannette Rankin Foundation (Time to Talk dialogue facilitation).
- Respond to community needs – organized and help setup Athens Legal Solidarity – a grassroots-based Legal Observer program – in response to the recent series of protests regarding police violence.
- Participate on Community Committees: ENVISION Athens SAFETY subgroup.
- Providing support and sponsorship to community organizations including: Family Connections, Books for Keeps, CASA, DIA, AIRC, Athens Alliance Coalition, etc.
- Participate/Speak on panels and in summits and conferences speaking on topics of interest and/or moderating/facilitating sessions and workgroups. For example: Athens Climate Summit, Creating Safe and Welcoming Schools of Immigrant Families, UGA Girls and Women’s Summit.
- Volunteer at different sites with different non-profits.