Sorry 4 The Wait
Shout out to Lil Wayne for the title. For some of you, this is a reintroduction. For others, this is the first time you're meeting me. Either way, welcome. We're glad you're here.
This is Everyday Educators. We're a consulting firm that designs programs for nonprofits. The fastest way to say it: we build experiences with culture to educate.
Where we started
For those who don't know, this started as a podcast with one of my best friends. Shout out to you, Naomi. That podcast quickly led to meeting so many people in our community doing dope things and wanting a greater impact on their communities. That's where I saw I could be of the most service. Across all my roles and all my education, the throughline has been building programs that educate, inform, and inspire our kids and our community at large. So that's what we set out to do.
What we built
Our first client was Loné Williams and Love & Protect Wisdom. Together we built programs for young people, survivors, and families affected by domestic violence. It was eye-opening work, affirming work, and necessary work. And that organization hasn't even begun to scratch the surface of the impact it will have.
We also worked with Mike Pope and the Forte Community Music Project, who bring music to our communities through voice lessons. We partnered with them on a college readiness curriculum for students who want to study voice after high school. I have some background in the college prep world, and together we built a three-year curriculum that prepares students for college and supports them through their first year. It opened up a whole world of music education I didn't know existed past drumline.
We've worked with other organizations across Chicago on different programs and experiences, but those two are the deepest relationships we've built so far.
What we learned
First, this work is necessary. There are so many ideas, and the need is vast. But there's a gap between the intention and the impact that comes after the work. That gap is where we're best positioned to help.
Second, relationships are everything. Mentors. Cohort members who became family. Colleagues who started their own projects and trusted us to be part of the journey. Some of these people I've known for years, but the work helped us learn each other in new ways. I'm grateful to every one of you who took a chance on us. Thank you.
Where we stumbled
There were bumps in the road too. If you've been bold enough to step out and do your own thing, you know it's tough, and you don't know what you don't know.
I made mistakes. Our systems weren't where they needed to be, and we missed opportunities because the back end wasn't all together. I was less organized than I'd like to admit. The biggest lesson was that I was offering some things people didn't actually need. At the same time, people kept coming to me for things squarely in my wheelhouse. I helped every time, but those weren't at the center of what we offered.
Where we're going
All of that brings us to today. At the end of August, we held our first anniversary Impact Dinner. Thank you to everyone who came, everyone who helped, and everyone who was there in spirit. Special shout out to Rodney, our first Lineage Award recipient, and Loné, our first Cornerstone Award recipient. It was a beautiful night, and we were excited to share with them what I'm about to share with you.
We've retooled and repositioned our services around what our partners actually need:
Program Design: building programs with the people they serve, from the first idea to a clear structure.
Facilitation & Program Support: training your staff and supporting the people who carry the program day to day.
Impact & Program Evaluation: understanding what participants are experiencing, so you can improve the work and tell your story.
Simple things that make a big impact.
If you have an idea, or an organization looking for a partner to build something, train your staff, or take an honest look at what you're doing, reach out.
I'm excited for this next year. Thank you, everyone. I love y'all. Until next time, peace.
