Many of us could use more compassion and creativity to grow, these days. I believe this starts at the seed level: self-care, sense of belonging, and mechanisms to maintain wonder like the day we were born. As a small-town girl who came of age in the big city and through intentional immersion in diverse cultures, I aim to inspire networks of inclusion, peace, and justice. My work has appeared in the NYC Daily Post, The Harvard Public Health Review/HPHR Journal, and Health Righters.