In the absence of federal support, have you seen a community response?
It has been remarkable to see the community support us and I think some of what I’m learning is it’s important to ask for what you need. We’ve raised over $50,000 over the last month, and the majority of those gifts have been less than $100, which really demonstrates a quote my board chair says that “shavings make a pile,” every gift counts.
We have also seen a significant increase in visitors since January. Oftentimes, you can tell that they are carrying something — oftentimes despair, confusion, a sense of hopelessness—and by the time they leave, they feel empowered and grounded because they can explore Pauli’s activist framework and the ways that Pauli coped with times that felt treacherous and impossible as well.
That certainly has been the work of a lifetime, to be able to use our space to provide healing, hope, and possibility to folks in what has been a really difficult time.
