One year in!

One Year in Nonprofit Leadership:

This week marks one year since I stepped into the role of Executive Director of the Freedman Arts District—a grassroots nonprofit working at the intersection of art, history, and community development in Beaufort, SC.

Leading a young organization with deep cultural roots and big ambitions has been one of the most challenging and rewarding chapters of my professional life.

In just 12 months, we've:

🌟Produced a citywide arts festival that drew thousands

🌟Partnered with the South Carolina Ballet Company to bring "Off the Wall onto the Stage: Dancing the Art of Jonathan Green" to a sold out audience at USCB.

🌟Opened a community headquarters in a historic neighborhood

🌟Begun preserving and elevating the stories of our Freedman cottages

🌟Built new funding partnerships and strategic collaborations with other organizations, universities, and local government

🌟Assisted homeowners in renovating dilapidated homes into income producing assets

🌟 Aquired a 12k sqft building for our future Arts, Crafts and Cultural School

🌟 Nurtured community relationships, building trust and confidence

As a solo staff member, I’ve worn every hat: fundraiser, curator, grant writer, facilities manager, community advocate. The pace is relentless but so is the purpose.

To my fellow nonprofit and social impact leaders: I see you. The work is demanding, the margins are narrow, but the mission matters. I’m grateful for the lessons in resilience, clarity, and creative problem-solving and I’m always open to sharing ideas, resources, or just a real conversation about what it takes to keep showing up.

Here’s to the next chapter. Let’s keep building.