MANIFESTWORKS

About halfway through our 10-year-celebration party on Sunday, one of our alumni being recognized by ManifestWorks peers stumbled in her comments of gratitude. “There are no words,” she said, and as I think back on the experience, I struggle to capture what we all saw. There were lots of pauses, misty eyes and some tears. From the speakers and from the audience there to witness and reflect. It was an incredibly simple event: about 140 alumni, staff and organizational champions—from board members to consistent volunteers and industry pros who hire our alumni—gathered on a very, very hot Sunday (my phone clocked 109°) afternoon. We had some pizza, some ice cream and we shared some memories. About resilience. About incredible, life-changing success. And about loss, remembering some of our brightest lights who are no longer with us. Everything was centered around our alumni and their stories, and their desire to raise up their peers and their experience being a part of this community. We sat in the excruciating heat—baking—with no desire to be anywhere else. I’d like to say the day was about gratitude, for the opportunity, for the commitment and for the community. And it was beautiful to see how ManifestWorks has become something bigger, a genuine movement that grows with each year and each new graduate. And while gratitude was resplendent, my biggest takeaway was the abundant love, even between strangers. I don’t think I have ever been more moved. It is, to my mind, an extraordinary act of bravery to show love and gratitude with the kind of vulnerability I saw in spades on Sunday night. Person after person stepped forward to share their heart with everyone there. It is an exemplary way to show up in the world, and I am forever changed by what we have created together. As MANIFESTWORKS heads into our second decade—and we imagine new ways to change lives, the foundation of big, big hearts and courageous champions will inspire an extraordinary future. I am moved by everyone who spoke. I am so happy by the fellowship that is ManifestWorks. And I am so grateful for everyone who is a part of our mission.

Special thanks to MANIFESTWORKS and Walmart Creative Studio for allowing me to do what I do ?????? #ProductionAssistant #PANation #ThePAofLA

I had so much fun doing this podcast about mission and culture at ManifestWorks, the organization I co-founded and lead. The sound is briefly muffled, but the conversation remains pretty lively. Thanks to my dear Christie Mann, MA, CPCC, PCC for welcoming me and to @uplevelproductionscompany for the work they do in this space. ?https://bit.ly/DanSeaver