Tarpon Springs, FL

United States

34689

Founding Director of Peace4Tarpon in Tarpon Springs Florida. Tarpon Springs is the first Trauma-Informed Community in the United States. Owner and artist at Smiloart.

Since 1985, I have been an artist in Tarpon Springs (smiloart.com) but 10 years ago, I found my creativity was drawn to a totally unexpected direction. This new uncharted phase of my life journey is called Peace4Tarpon. It is all about the fascinating and compelling work to create a trauma-informed, responsive, connected, resilient community. This city-wide effort led to Tarpon Springs becoming the first trauma-informed community in the United States. Peace4Tarpon is a grassroots volunteer organization - the first of its kind in the nation. We are fueled by the passion, creativity and diverse inspirations of our partners. We engage service providers, and professionals and all are welcome at our table, but we find the most enduring and consistent support is from our everyday citizens. We are currently unfunded and are seeking to find a sustainable, non-competitive funding model to help us build infrastructure to respond to our steadily growing number of partners and their inspired ideas. We were supported for two years as one of 14 locations from around the nation to be chosen as a MARC (Mobilizing Action For Resilient Communities) site receiving more than $300,000 from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the California Endowment for the two year period of the Grant. In the five years prior to the MARC Grant, we were the recipients of over a million dollars of in-kind and pro-bono services from our community partners. We are fortunate to be a generous and supportive community which understands that because they are part of Peace4Tarpon they are part of Tarpon Springs' journey toward healing, connection, happiness and peace. We work together and everyone is encouraged to find their unique piece to contribute to our collective vision of a healthier, happier and more peaceful community. "Offer the peace/piece you can" is one of our slogans. If someone has an inspired idea that aligns with our mission and purpose, we wholeheartedly embrace and support it. We include everyone under our "big tent". We are not hierarchical and share leadership. Our process is non-linear, fluid and creative and we engage our community members as active participants and leaders. As Founding Director, I have the unique privilege and perspective of being immersed in our emerging model while observing our path and growth in the process. It's a living breathing creative endeavor which feeds my creative spirit. My thirst for knowledge and understanding is also satisfied as I learn something new every single day.

I see ACEs as the common thread running through the fabric of our communities. It creates a tapestry we are constantly creating and re-creating as our understanding of trauma deepens. We see how it plays out in the lives of individuals, families and our community. I see ACEs as the most significant information and understanding a person can have to make sense and have meaning of what on the surface seems to be a chaotic and rather random world. Yes, the world is chaotic, but not random. It's highly predictable if you know ACEs.