July 2023

Accepting help is its own kind of strength.

-Kiera Cass

“I wish I can quit everything and go to an isolated island,” is a thought I have once in a while at certain moments, certain months, and sometimes certain years. After canceling our adult program and postponing our youth program, I have been thinking about the ‘why’ of it all. I know why I personally could not put extra effort to make it work - between work with a team of 1 when it should be a team of 4, caring for a mom with dementia and trying to move and put her house for sale, and just surviving with my sanity. But why didn’t the program just happen - what were the missing pieces?

The adult program was too long and well, post-pandemic, no one wants to sit in front of a computer for 8 weeks straight. Commitment is hard but to a program via zoom, that is harder to sell, especially when it costs a few hundred dollars. So I will have to go back to the drawing board to see what we can do differently to make it more accessible and palatable for people. And more importantly, how to improve our outreach which is always a challenge.

As for the youth program, my health got the best of me. The stress of everything impacted my nerves, my neck nerves.  The tension in my shoulders and neck triggered debilitating pain.  To be sure I did not have a serious problem, I ran blood test and x-rays, and consequently, I’ve realized my health was greatly impacted, much more than I thought. Let’s just say that I am still not well even after 2 months of therapy and special diet.  I have not been kind to my body.

After consulting with my board, they recommended significant changes to the team.  I will be stepping back over the summer and Maria Ignacia Miranda Santis, a board member who temporarily stepped down to oversee the project, will be supervising the youth program. She will be our program manager and outreach organizer. She will work with Dafne who will oversee the facilitation of program - design of activities and oversight of facilitators - and Ximena who will be our primary media content manager.  This is a fantastic team, full of gifts.

I would be excited but I am too tired … actually exhausted. I will be more motivated in August. Until then, may you all have a great summer.

Sam Joo

June 30, 2023