After working in the nonprofit sector for over 20 years, I’ve come to realize that the part I enjoy the least is donor stewardship and cultivation. It’s not because I don’t value generosity—of course I do. But I’ve never enjoyed being in the spotlight, and I’m naturally wary of people who seem to crave recognition. In my experience, donors generally fall into three categories: The Tax Reductionists The True Givers The Spotlight Seekers 1. The Tax Reductionists This group is t

It’s been four months since my last blog post—not because I haven’t had anything to say, but because the past several months have been incredibly difficult. The Trump Administration has taken direct aim at the work I do in the nonprofit sector. Our budget was slashed by 50%, forcing me to lay off seven members of my team. And with the anticipated elimination of the HOPWA program by the end of 2026, three more layoffs are expected next year—along with the devastating reality t

On Tuesday, March 18th, FAHASS will proudly host our 2nd Annual Community Connections Expo at the Fredericksburg Convention Center. This event, co-hosted with the Fredericksburg Regional Continuum of Care (CoC), is dedicated to connecting our unhoused neighbors and ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families with vital resources, including healthcare, employment support, food assistance, and more. However, recent misinformation has threatened to undermine the

Project 2030: A Progressive Roadmap for America's Future Introduction Project 2030 is a comprehensive vision for the future, designed to create a more just, equitable, and sustainable America. This initiative will serve as a blueprint for the next Democratic administration to enact transformative policies that expand economic opportunity, safeguard democracy, combat climate change, and protect the rights of all people. The Trump Administration’s “Project 2025” will undoubtedl

On December 4, 2024, 50-year-old CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, was shot and killed shortly before 7 a.m. in New York City. Since then, a 26-year-old man, Luigi Mangione, has been arrested and charged with this murder. Public conversation surrounding this event has been nothing short of interesting to observe because there has been a very obvious socioeconomic divide as opposed to the normal political divide we normally would expect. Luigi Mangione (arrested, age 26

A few days ago, I celebrated my birthday, but it was tough. I often experience seasonal depression that sets in shortly before my birthday, and this year, two additional factors weighed heavily on me: coming to terms with being middle-aged and the re-election of Trump as President. When I looked up the definition of "middle-aged," I found the age range to be quite broad—45 to 65. While I wouldn't necessarily consider 65 old, to me, it's definitely retirement age and not middl

I was recently interviewed for a local podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ZbroM1TDIQ1hOUIXB4Axz?si=Od-xtI5zT1Cbb_vZHO1YUQ&nd=1&dlsi=d74b0321898242d6

In a 1966 essay titled “A Report from Occupied Territory,” the renowned literary and historical figure James Baldwin wrote, “I can’t believe what you say because I see what you do.” This quote has stuck with me for years because its truth resonates with many experiences I've had throughout my life. People often say one thing but do another. A similar truth is captured by Maya Angelou in her quote: “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” I am the ty

Why does it seem like everyone’s birthday is in August? I’m seriously considering dipping into my retirement funds just to cover all these gifts. Okay, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but all these birthday celebrations have certainly made me think a lot about aging. Reflecting on my life, I can break it down like this: Childhood: Great. Wonderful memories. A few traumas sprinkled in, but I can chalk that up to the human experience. Teenage years: Pure hell. I wouldn’

Our local newspaper wrote an article about my advocacy for an LGBTQ Liaison Officer Program with the city police. https://www.fredericksburgfreepress.com/2024/06/28/fredericksburg-police-department-deploys-new-lgbtq-liaison-team-as-a-force-against-bigotry/

(Blog post written for the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce on 6/13/24) In today's evolving social landscape, the importance of being an ally to the LGBTQ community has never been clearer. For local businesses, embracing LGBTQ allyship is not only the right thing to do—it’s also good for business. This blog post will explore what it means to be a true ally, draw a distinction between genuine allyship and performative allyship, and illustrate how supporting the LGBTQ communi

One of the benefits of my job is seeing the positive impacts on the community. Moving to Fredericksburg, Virginia, has been one of the best decisions I've ever made. It feels like home in a way that few places ever have. However, it has not been without concerns or challenges. On October 10, 2018, I read an article from the September 28th issue of the Washington Blade titled "2 gay men attacked near D.C. police station." It was quite concerning. If two gay men could be atta

This isn't going to be a long post. Too many professionals have already written about it and will write more in days to come. That being said... Kansas City Chiefs Player Harrison Butker, recently spoke at the Benedictine College graduation ceremony and made several "controversial" remarks about the LGBTQ+ community, working women, abortion rights. He's rich, white, straight, male AND a football player. I don't really expect him to be enlightened on any social issue. When ric