Meet Risa
/SHOWING UP
I believe in showing up. I think it’s the remedy for a lot of what ails us today-- the remedy for yourself and the community.
“Showing Up” was the theme of the last TEDx event I helped produce, as licensee, in Richmond, TEDxGraceStreetWomen. While there are continued Richmond TEDx events for VCU and Youth (Collegiate), 2018 marked my last involvement on a big TEDx organizing (all volunteer led) team. (Well there was that TEDxGreenRock Correctional Center event in May of 2024, but I was only partly involved in that event. The first of its kind in a prison in the state of Virginia.)
The year was 2006, I had been in Richmond just long enough to start developing a solid social life. My apartment on Strawberry Street felt like the primary pulse point for the heart of Richmond. I loved the Fan! It was a striking contrast to my old lifestyle in Southern California-- tight-knit community, vibrant restaurant scene, and everything within walking distance. All of the amenities directly across from my apartment felt like my own little village. Then major tragedy struck the City and the ripple effects from the pain inflicted from that event (IYKYK) reigned an incredible sadness like no other. To me, it was so easy to see how everything and everyone was so interconnected. I can attest to the whole “2 degrees of separation” concept in Richmond. Everyone knows everyone, especially in the creative community.
While I had been community-minded previous to 2006, I felt compelled to get involved on a much deeper level. My early volunteer experience usually consisted of one-off event planning or volunteer time at a food bank. But I began to look for more meaningful connections for my involvement. How could I contribute to the community in a positive way and make connections with people and for people that would have a positive lasting impact?
The year was 2013 and along came TEDx to Richmond! Being a Californian, I had long known of the world of TED from the early main events held in Monterey and then Long Beach. In 2009 TED franchised their brand and created the TEDx concept of locally organized events in cities all around the world. When I saw the “coming to Richmond, TEDxRVA” announcement, I pounced on the opportunity to get involved. When people ask me about how they can get involved in something-- where should they begin? I tell them about how I got involved with the TEDxRVA team and how I . made in-roads with folks that I had never met before. I tell them that the answer is easy, just SHOW UP! Find something that you can really get behind and show up consistently. As is the case with any volunteer-led effort, the one who shows up consistently and follows through time and again soon finds themselves with the tasks that no one else is trusted to do. After assisting with the production of eight different TEDx events I’ve made countless connections in Richmond that have enriched my life. I consider so many of my TEDxRVA teammates life-long friends now and it’s easy to see how community involvement and volunteering is one solution to the troublesome loneliness epidemic that is plaguing so many currently. When I say “volunteering” I don’t mean the occasional charity event that you can spend a few hours on. No, I mean the type of involvement that engages you on a higher level-- the thing that you show up for that doesn’t feel like a chore or a task. These are the things and places where you will find deeper meaning and lasting friendships. Those friends that will, in turn, show up for you when you need them.
Through my TEDx planning days, I’ve made connections that have led to Board positions with several nonprofits in Richmond. Connections lead to more connections. The more you show up, the more things are handed to you and the better you and your community are for it. Please get involved in something that moves you and watch your world expand in ways you couldn’t imagine. Show up and you’ll be better for it.