05/15/2026
At the beginning of this year, I had no idea where God was taking me. I just knew that wherever we were going, we were getting there fast.
I was introduced to the NC CEAL and the Research Leadership Academy (RLA) through my lovely church buddy, Demetria. We entered together wondering how this experience would impact our organization and our lives, not fully knowing what God was going to do in this space.
Since that time, I’ve been completely transformed. I’ve begun looking deeper into our community impact, my personal goals, and how I can use my spiritual gifts to enact meaningful change. I’ve sat in rooms with researchers learning about the science behind community engagement. I’ve been in spaces with large nonprofit organizations receiving significant funding through grant work. And every time that little inner critic tried to convince me I didn’t belong, I stayed anyway. I listened, learned, and absorbed all that I could from the people around me.
Today, we completed the program with an in-person workshop where we shared ideas across sectors and “graduated.” I’m leaving this experience encouraged to continue this work, build sustainable impact, and keep growing in the spaces God continues to place me in.
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