By Raina
I was walking to my car through the school parking lot when I heard my name being called. Ken had his arms loaded down with art supplies and student projects. He asked, “Do you know what NFTs are?” Over an hour later, with the sun much lower in the sky and family calling me home, it was hard to tear away from a conversation that had restoked long burning embers into something I could not yet describe at the time. Little did I know, a small connection I had sought out in my own way, would bloom into a new community of people I didn’t know existed. My curiosity was piqued, as it always is with Ken. Our conversations have been brief at school, but varied and full of shared excitement at the possibility of connection and community building over the years of working in the same building. He oozes with the kind of energy and big scope thinking that's hard to miss. I naturally gravitate toward this type of energy in my life and cultivate as much collaboration and support of projects as possible. It excites me that the possibilities and ideas of collaboration could birth something big and impactful on the community, be it my students, school, or the greater area where I live. The web of possibilities are endless. I know this feeling. I know this experience. I’ve lived it and cultivated it many times over in my life, and it was time for it to happen anew. Electric. I am feeling hopeful for the unknown in my future for the first time in a VERY long time. Who knew supervising students in the hallway a few years ago outside the art room would be a catalyst. Ken’s classroom felt like stepping back in time to the art building at Michigan State University. I found myself half joking one day, but quite serious too, saying “If you ever found a way to pay me, I would quit teaching and be an assistant in your classroom.” What I was really saying was, “I believe in your big picture and I am both qualified and inexperienced to help you make that happen. I thrive on learning new things and applying what I know to make that shift happen. If something brings butterflies to my stomach, even in a fearfully exciting way, because I don’t know all there is to know surrounding said thing, that has always been a tell tale sign for me to go in that direction. For a long time, I didn’t exist without the arts playing some role in my life, be it playing a background actor or dancer, creating art of varied mediums, or designing advertising campaigns with a team for my university courses. But life takes turns and opportunities arise that change the shape of who we are. Growth and learning take place, and more opportunities bloom. During college, I sought out a summer job at YMCA Camp Copneconic in Fenton, Michigan, not too far from where I grew up. I had spent countless hours babysitting to save money for trips out of Timbers Girl Scout Camp in Traverse City, MI, and gained lifelong practical and community building skills that have never failed me in life. These experiences landed me a job that would change the course of my life for the next 20 years. I parlayed my art into entertaining kids, my team building and wilderness skills into leadership positions of varied degrees, and community building skills into some of the best friendships that would not only take me around the world, but bring me joy in marriage and motherhood. Meeting Stephen at camp was the best thing that ever happened in my life. I found a partner to travel with, move across the country with, and build a life with. He became my community that bloomed from shared experiences at camp. When we moved on a whim after a visit to Greenville, SC, I found a new and exciting community to shape and learn in; being an English teacher. I’ve loved this community, one high school, one middle school. Now, here I am, 16 years later, ready for a change. “Raina, do you know what NFTs are?” I had never heard of such a thing, but Ken had! He’d been creating them. And he needed a team to bring his vision to life. So here I am, three months later, immersed on the weekends with a brilliant programmer and artist himself, Phoenix, and a visionary creator who thinks far beyond creating art. My new community. Friends. Business partners. Artists. Community builders. Learners. There is so much to learn! I LOVE IT! I love the feeling of being linked to other people in a profoundly connected way. For me, the essence of community lies deeply within my makeup as a human. It is as varied as my interests and as laser focused as my goals. I’ve found it ironic lately that the ebb and flow of the communities that make up my life have become ever more important as I journey through a big change. I have always been a goal setter, one who sees the big picture, and breaks down the parts to make a plan of action. There is security in this for me. Yet on the flip side, I thrive in learning new things, especially those things that I may not be so good at, yet, and perhaps scare me a bit. Those are the things I will become a master of. To community building and growth. Cheers.
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AuthorThe Diner Studio are Metaverse builders with a focus on utilizing Metaverse technology to help creatives around the world thrive. Archives
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