A friend mentioned this year she’ll be setting “values-based goals.” This was something I could get behind. I’ve never been one for New Year’s resolutions or long lists of specific objectives. I typically have one or two big goals but, as an artist, I prefer to stay fluid, able to pick up or let go of my goals as opportunities arrive. I acknowledge, though, that most of my goals, and certainly my most successful efforts, have always been tied to my core values.
In 1991, I started a simple freelance writing business. In 2009, I decided to launch a company that could “grow in conjunction with community service.” I even put that exact wording into the mission statement for Teresa Funke & Company, LLC.
See, I’ve always felt that artists are in a unique position to move between various sectors and share our ideas, skills, and talents in ways that will bring inspiration and creative solutions to our communities. The sectors I wanted to work with were education, business, the arts, and nonprofits.
Over the past 11 years, I’ve developed my School Kit program, placing kits into 80 schools. This past year, I started a special initiative to provide classroom kits to Native American schools to help support learning during this challenging time of pandemic. With the support of my business and individual partners, I’ve also run my Author Visit for Schools…
