Getting to Where You Want To Be

Ever since I began my involvement in the downtown Phoenix community, I've been continually amazed. It seems like every week, I am meeting another person I look up to. Whether it be an artist, shop owner, developer, musician, or writer, I am constantly presented with new connections whose names I always used to look at longingly. And yes, I know, this is just Phoenix. It's a relatively small pond. But please, let me explain. My heroes have always been a bit left-of-center.

When I was 13, I started to read about this mystical place called downtown Phoenix. There were art galleries, there were music venues, there were restaurants, there were coffee shops. And not one of them was in a new building? What? I had to know more.

So, I began reading, as I so often do. Combing through old New Times articles, picking up zines and fliers around town, reading blogs, generally getting a portrait of what was going on. I familiarized myself with enough names, places, and events be a bit if a roving encyclopedia for friends I brought to this newly-discovered oasis. When I finally arrived downtown for college, I knew all I could, and was ready to hit the ground running.

Since then, I've worked at art galleries, moderated panel discussions, written grants, setup and torn down festivals, planted and harvested a field of sunflowers, worked concerts, and everything in-between. And every time, I'm in awe. It's a great life, and I am grateful every day for it.

Everything really hit me about this city when the below photo was taken. Two people whose work I had read for years offered me their blog, Vanishing Phoenix, of which I had been a reader for quite some time. A small gesture, yes, but it still felt nice to know that I was trusted.