One year in leadership at shop class-
It was almost exactly 365 days ago I took up the torch of leadership at Community Shop Class - In August 2022 I wandered in looking to trade storage and tools to make sculptures for social media and website work.
By New Years it was evident the communtiy needed to intervene, to keep the doors open, that we needed to collectively fight for this resource- I felt positioned to do something for once- so I joined forces with countless leaders, community advocates, supporters, artists, learners, teachers, and neighbors to bring you this:
A neighborhood learning center; an Oak Park oasis designed to cultivate and replenish the communtiy- with knowledge, resources, development and garner neighborly community.
We did it!! We made it through the year, designed a summer program, created new classes, paid our interns, and managed to fix a few walls and pipes along the way…I can’t tell you how unbelievable it is, and how greatful I am to have learned leadership this way. I learned with people, community, open doors-in a place where who I am is celebrated. A unique place for me and so many others- Cheers to 2024 ???