By: Alesha Washington
“What I know for sure is that the only way to endure the quake is to adjust your stance. You can’t avoid the daily tremors. They come with being alive. But I believe these experiences are gifts that force us to step to the right or left in search of a new center of gravity.
Don’t fight them. Let them help you adjust your footing.” — Oprah Winfrey
I recently revisited a book I’ve had for a long time, What I Know for Sure by Oprah Winfrey. A collection of inspirational insights, they’re presented by theme – joy, resilience, possibility, and gratitude to name a few.
These themes hit home for me as they are some of the core values I hold in life and try my best to consistently bring to my role at Seattle Foundation.
Joy. Is our work creating a more joyful region? This is the question that grounds me in my service to Seattle Foundation. Imagine what it would feel like to live in a place where everyone had access to housing that they loved, quality education, really good healthcare, and a living wage (with a little something to spare). A place with a thriving downtown where people throughout our region could come and experience why we are called the Emerald City. A place where the laughter of children playing in neighborhood parks becomes a siren of possibility, alerting us to the joy that abounds. Some of us already experience this kind of joy in and around our homes. It will require all of us to ensure that it becomes an accessible reality for everyone.
Resilience. To do this work we must be resilient. Seattle Foundation has consistently evolved over its more than 75-year history to meet the growing needs of our community, and more change is inevitable. But like those daily tremors that Oprah mentioned, it will come with unexpected challenges, differing opinions, and hard decisions. As the world we live in becomes more polarized, we will have to remain steadfast in our commitment to center the voices of those furthest away from justice while being a space for community to come together to reimagine and resource a more joyful region.
Possibility. I’ve shared with you our vision for the future and have introduced the new senior leaders who will help it come to fruition. You’ve read about our Blueprint for Impact and what it looks like in action through the role we are playing in affordable housing, which is a tangible example of what progress looks like on this journey to a more joyful region. This month, Seattle Foundation took an important step in this direction by publicly endorsing the Seattle Housing Levy. I’m proud to lend our voice to this effort and encourage you to vote Yes this coming November.
Gratitude. I am grateful. For those who have shaped who I am, for the leaders of this organization who have come before me, for those who have shared their stories, time, and talents with Seattle Foundation. I am grateful because every person who has journeyed with us over the years has helped us honor our commitment to this region.
I’m holding these words close to my heart as we move to the latter part of 2023. This grounding and my knowing you are standing with us brings the confidence we need to not only imagine joy but assure everyone has access to it.
“When you make loving others the story of your life, there’s never a final chapter, because the legacy continues.” – Oprah Winfrey