Every 4th of July, I pause and think about that 14-year-old girl boarding a plane alone in Manila with nothing but a brown passport and a rag doll. Leaving behind her family, her language, her childhood… chasing an unknown future in the U.S., holding tight to hope.
That girl who grew up with so little, hoping for a better life for her and her family was me.
I’ve told my story before. And with so many of you who are newer to my story, I want to share it again. It’s raw and real. And it’s a big part of why I do the work I do today. You can read it here: https://lnkd.in/e9dWt5Z
Since I wrote that piece, a lot has changed. But the little girl from Manila? She still lives in my head. She’s still in awe. Still holding deep gratitude for what this country and its people made possible.
Today, I’m doing work that aligns with who I am at my core. Work that helps others rise. And I’m seeing the ripples of it. The DMs. The thank-yous. The “you’ve inspired us to think differently.” The support in rooms I’m not in. It’s humbling. And it keeps me going.
People sometimes ask me, “Aren’t you worried about sharing so much of your work for free?” I just think about how many people have given me so much for free.
I’ve learned something that my good friend Andy Crestodina says, “We’re in the business of generosity.” Generosity doesn’t devalue your work. It proves it.
Some will take what I share and run with it. Others will want my help bringing it to life. Either way, it helps someone.
Someone told me something that stuck: “If you chase butterflies, they’ll fly away. But if you build a beautiful garden, they’ll come to you.” I’m no longer chasing. I’m building. And the right people, the right opportunities, they keep showing up.
And as my long-time mentor and dear friend Christine / Chris Heckart always says: Let kindness ripple. You’d be amazed what comes back to you.
To this country that took in a kid with very little and gave her everything… Thank you. I’m eternally grateful and the best way I know to show it is to keep paying it forward. One person, one opportunity, one act of kindness at a time.