food & fitness

breaking ice

youth from tohono o'dham, nyc & iowa kickin it

farm to table, led by lennie

boston represent

built environment work

according to my grandma, i'm 'saving the world.' this is how she explained my work to the dining room tonight at her retirement community on via sonrisa in boca raton, FLA. conversation exploded around 'how cities were in our day' and the importance of humanitarianism. some felt depressed at 'how we are leaving this world for our grandchildren.' others were more optimistic...

in the midst of the economic downturn, the wk kellogg foundation has been supporting 9 communities across the country to create healthier cities, thru:

• increased neighborhood access to local food
  
• safe & inviting places to play and be active
• local economic development

i serve this ten-year initiative as youth engagement TAP (tech assistance provider) to the communities & foundation. this week, 20 people from each site met in san antonio, TX. agency people, community folks, youth, the elderly, foundation heads...the list continues. four days of hard ass work. frustrations felt, smiles cracked, hugs abound. people were talking non-stop about the social experiment that kellogg is supporting, and how to do it all better...together.

i awoke daily at 6 am to lead jogging on the riverwalk (sucker). then, it was 7 am breakfast and home-team facilitation with the blueberry group. 3 sessions later...i'm beat, down with a cold, still facilitating. conversing at dinner, at the pub next door to the hotel. back in bed for 6 am jogging day 2 (sucker!). more facilitation, bike trip, TAP meeting, sing around the piano, dance with the kids, etc etc etc.

so it goes for four days. the learning, dealing head-on with issues, and working thru them was inspiring. i'm so fortunate to be involved in a project that taps my skills completely and is teaching me so much. like an octopus, with arms reaching in all directions...not quite ready to swim in the sea but plunging.

today, i was swimming in the pool at my auntie's complex. laps and laps, trying to leave behind that beat feeling in my body. a voice came into my head of papa mac, who taught me to swim. he said 'do you remember when i taught you to swim? i told you to give up all your fear of the water, and dive right in. give up your fears, and dive in.'

i heard this voice at his funeral as well. papa taught me more than how to move in water and hold my breath for as long as possible. he was saying that the only way we can live and move and breathe all at once is to release our fears, and live in bravery of the unknown.

as i was leaving via sonrisa, gammi's boyfriend charles told me 'everything you do is good.' he hadn't said one word the whole night ;), but he gave me a big smacker on the cheek and sent me on my way. there's nothing like visiting your grandma in florida to cheer you up and bring you back to your roots after a tough week. see below for proof.

xoxo
alis