Wow, wow, wow!! What an unbelievable journey this is turning out to be. I feel like I have blinked, and October came and went! But it ended with a bang and an overwhelming feeling of excitement for what November will bring.
Over 2500 miles travelled, 8 x colleges visited, nearly 4000 students delivered to, and 150 student participants enrolled as part of our 3yr research project!! And the enquiries continue to flood in.
It has been emotional, inspiring and has given me the confirmation that what we are trying to achieve is not only valuable but so desperately needed.
Hearing students share their stories and feelings of exclusion, discrimination, and frustration was at times heart breaking. Being able to share my own personal experiences left me feeling emotionally drained but so grateful for the opportunity to speak my truth. I felt inspired by their eagerness to learn about the importance of representation. I was thankful for the faculty members that believed in our vision to create a more inclusive dance education provision.
Meeting after meeting, connections and partnerships have been formed, and I cannot tell you how excited we are to get cracking! There have been so many times these past few weeks that Laura and I have questioned whether we have bitten off more than we can chew. But our passion and drive along with our amazing team, is what helps us put one foot in front of the other each day.
Nobody prepares you for how an initial idea to engage with colleges and organisations, can lead into something that is so much bigger than you ever imagined. Can we do this? YES, WE CAN!!
Being a single mum with four businesses to run is challenging, demanding but oh so rewarding and at times I have to pinch myself when I think about how far we come in such a short space in time. Our support is rapidly growing, we are continually learning and adapting to the pace of the movement, and boy oh boy is it moving fast.
“I don’t know how you do it” is a common statement I hear, and the truth is neither do I. But as Laura and I say… “We Can, We Have, We Will”
People think we are crazy to push ourselves so hard in order to achieve the outcomes we want. But this is far too important to change courses now and the wheels are definitely in motion at 100 miles per hour!
The pressure I feel daily to ensure I can finish what I have started, weighs heavy on my shoulders. But I remind myself that I am not alone on this path that leads to equity and inclusion and the passengers that stand beside me are buckled up ready for this ride. Watch out November we are coming for ya!!
“Life is not always an easy road; but it is “ALWAYS” a worthwhile journey!
Barack Obama
Stacey Green
Co-Founder
