At a talk she gave at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Robin Wall Kimmerer referenced a discussion she had with some elders who directly explained, “When your feet hit the ground in the morning, we should be thinking, “What can we give?””

What can we give? The air we breathe, the water we drink, the ground beneath our feet…we are given everything to support ourselves and our days ahead.

It’s easy to forget, get caught up, and hustle. As if busyness bestows basic needs.

The fact that opportunity and support is all around us is a fact I needed to facilitate into faith. Suppressing my self trust only sabotaged my work, livelihood, and spirit.

There’s a history, ancestry, and legacy of community-based and neighborhood writing, which this blog will explore and expand on.

If stories are how we understand ourselves and each other, why wouldn’t they also be vehicles to stand up for, sustain, and uplift our potential, power, and purpose?

How might neighborhood writing become a genre, a profession, for writers? How might society, systems, and social justice benefit?

With care, creativity, and collaboration, these questions will be answered. Come along with me. There’s plenty of space, skills, and solutions to share.

7/31/2026