If you're reading this, I'm 11 hours ahead of your time, half way across the world, and just got finished delivering a 45 minute keynote, with a 45 minute Q&A session in front of over 400 young delegates from over 45 different countries at the United Nations Center in Bangkok. Yes. The UNITED NATIONS CENTER. 🫣😮💨🥹🤯🤯🤯
And I never thought I'd be here sharing about anti-Blackness, white saviorism, the effects of white supremacy in volunteerism in front of a group like this, in a place like this. I never thought I'd be sharing about centering Black joy in service, development and nonprofit spaces with the next generation of world leaders.
And I was scared to do it.
And it was necessary.
And the voice that came out of me was from my gut.
And I didn't back down and I told the truth.
And I was me the entire time.
I never thought stepping out on faith and starting my own consultancy would land me here, but God did!!!
More words to come and more memories to share because honestly I'm still catching my breath. I just know I did the thing, the heart work, the hard work, Gods work.
Welcome to Connecting the Cause, to me, Breauna Dorelus.
Btw, I also love thrift shopping. About 80% of my closet is recycled clothing!
If you're lurking or if we've connected in my DMs, drop an emoji that describes some parts of you! 👑🤩❤️🌻💕
Seriously...😌
The best memories are made with people. In a world that increasingly focuses on the artificial, it is our belief that real human connections, interactions and conversations will stand the test of time.
The Sow & Gather Supper Club exists to bring people back to the table, and back to that reality of community, because there are some things worth doing in person, intentionally, and together. We’re creating the space and you bring your value. There’s seat is waiting for you.
🎊JOY HAPPENED HERE!🙌🏾
The Connecting the Cause Joy as Resistance holiday party was nothing short of phenomenal. I am so grateful for each and every person who showed up and contributed to the amazing time we had.
There were memories made, laughs and an all around good time! We showed up, we looked gooood and closed the end of the year with JOY and a good cause.
To that point, we'd like to send a big shout out to @blkhlth for coming and allowing us to partner in their mission, as a portion of the ticket sales will go directly to their efforts.
🌻Honestly, words can't really capture how full my heart felt and how beautiful everything was. It was community. It was care. It was a warm hug. I am forever thankful. 🌻
🎉Come enjoy this intimate night of music, nostalgic visuals, an open wine bar, and food by @zaybonezone while stepping into the new year with grace. Proceeds go to @blkhlth !
Community is always the answer so let’s come together!
You’re officially invited to,
Joy as Resistance: A Connecting the Cause Holiday Party.
This will be….
A time to come together in the face of any opposition!
✊🏾💪🏾
A time to celebrate small or large wins! 🏆
A time to dance to the songs we grew up listening to! 💃🏾🕺🏾
A time to exude joy and grace! 😇🤵🏾👗
The best part? A portion of the ticket proceeds will go towards @blkhlth and their holistic initiatives for community care and health!
Hope to see you there!
📅 Saturday, December 13
🕢 7:30 PM EST
📍 MODEx Studio
RSVP link in bio!
Come celebrate the year with Connecting the Cause as we gather in community for an evening of joy.
For us, joy has always been a tool to preserve our spirit, to keep our neighbors uplifted and is the bond that keeps us connected.
Enjoy good food, music, dancing, and a night of nostalgia where joy itself becomes an act of resistance. ✨
Join us on Saturday, December 13th at 7:30PM for connection, laughter, and celebration. A portion of all proceeds will support @blkhlth whose mission is to advance health equity in Black communities through antiracist education, advocacy, research, and programs.
At a time where healthcare is being attacked and disparities are widening, we thought it was important to reinvest in our community’s health.
Location:
MODEx Studio
3005 Peachtree Rd, Atlanta, GA 30305
Parking: Free validated parking deck
Dress up, bring your joy, and let’s end the year together in purpose and community.
Link in bio! 😎💃🏽🕺🏽🎥
Lived Experience vs Lived Expertise.
For years, I've used the term “lived experience.” I used this term to highlight and honor community voice. As I've been assessing my own work, I am realizing a shift...because I know that their value is not in what they survived, but what they know to be true. Experience isn't the only thing being brought to the table, because experience can still be undermined and put on a shelf as a "hardship" story. Something was amiss for me personally, and I couldn't put my finger on it until recently.
I am now intentionally shifting my language to “lived expertise.”
Because let’s be clear: communities are not simply experiencing challenges, but are EXPERTLY navigating them.
Because when I sit with community members, I don’t just hear stories of hardship. I see and hear strategies, systems, and solutions. I see the creativity and innovation, so so specifically crafted.
I see expertise that’s been honed through years of navigating inequities with creativity and brilliance. I see a new reimagining of what could be based off of their foresight and vision....
In the work of Co-Dreaming, this distinction matters. Co-Dreaming is not about dropping into a community to ask, “What have you been through?” It’s about standing alongside people to say, “Your knowledge, your brilliance, your expertise are the blueprint.”
When we call it expertise, we move beyond extraction and storytelling for the sake of validation. We affirm that community wisdom as instruction, one that demands not just listening but shared power, resources, and decision-making.
They are the experts of their lived experience, and maneuver the systems you are trying to dismantle with care, love, and precision.
They have lived expertise.
How does this sit with you?
There are a group of people, who are professionals in the nonprofit sector. They hold the titles of volunteer coordinator, director of social impact, community engagement , volunteer manager etc. They facilitate connecting people with service across the world.
🌻There are Black and brown folks who hold these titles in the very yt dominated space of formal volunteerism. We have a unique lived experience and it is my deep passion to cultivate spaces of connection, joy and solidarity, through my work as Founder and Cause Consultant at @connectingthecause
🌻Grateful for every person who packed out the place and shared belly laughs and hugs of solidarity. A special thanks to @chris.yves_ my hubby and founder of @sowandgather who helped plan and execute our time. Collaborating with you is *chefs kiss*. Our life is full and filled in the best ways.
Thinking we should keep this going.... Because our joy is resistance🌻💪🏾🙏🏾🫶🏾
Breauna from @connectingthecause came to us with a very specific goal for their strategic coaching contract: getting grounded in community & prepping for going full-time in her life work.
When soliciting support from a Strategic Coach, framework alignment is key. Breauna had been engaging with Jalyn, our Founder, for years as colleagues in the work. They were clear their approach & ideologies uplifted each other’s before signing the dotted line to begin a coaching relationship.
I am convinced we couldn’t have achieved these goals without that alignment ✨
Breauna, we were and always will be, happy to support your life work’s expansion. Thank you for trusting us to keep you grounded. ✊🏾
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#StrategicCoaching #BlackNonprofitConsultant #NonprofitConsultant #Volunteerism #ConnectingTheCause #Activistpreneur #Activism #BlackGirlMagic #BlackWomanOwnedBusiness
This pic was from 5 years ago. I took it right after the very first Connecting the Cause workshop I hosted. My how things have changed and stayed the same. I was sooo nervous, scared, excited, all the feels. Like what did I just do?!?! 😭😭😭
Feeling grateful for every person who represented themselves, a group of volunteers, community members, and organizations that have taken a moment to share my work, shared a post, took a workshop, or partnered in consulting. Let's keep going, shall we? 🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻
