“We at Westside Food Bank remain deeply committed to being here for our neighbors as long as we're needed — because no one in our community should go hungry.”

Through poetry, sidewalk chalk art, music, practical safety skills, and enjoying being together, our community is choosing courage, kindness, and connection.

More than just a business, she’s carving out a place where people who have felt invisible and disempowered discover new possibilities of being and doing.

“Crochet helps people slow down. It’s a tactile experience that brings joy and gentleness into our fast-moving lives,” she says.

Events like Truth Decay “give psychology and its attendant healing powers back to the community and help translate abstract ideas into grounded conversations,” Karen says.

“It’s rare to have an entire curriculum just using cardboard,” Jim said. “But it reinforces”—ha—”the idea that the material doesn’t matter, the act of making does.”

The room instantly quieted down comfortably; I could sense the sound of pages turning.

The Rediscover Center, like Bahala, collects the isolated bits, organizes them, and reframes them into something greater.

WUUM feels less like a living ecosystem, a wall composed of biodynamic plants. It’s constantly evolving, growing new branches, and deepening its roots. Just like the women it serves.

But the sky tugged at her. Call it the reverse pull of gravity. In 2013, she could no longer ignore it.