The Magic of Community

By Miesha Rice, Advancement Director at Alliance San Diego

San Diego has been home for 14 yrs and I still feel very connected to my southern, community roots. I grew up in Charlotte, NC, a then smallish metropolitan city where the tea is sweet, the accents are thick, and the tolerance for differences in culture, race, and religion is shamefully low. My identity as a Black woman was often challenged and criticized making it difficult to exist with confidence. It was my single mother who kept me proud and humble; filling my weekends with volunteer shifts at community events, helping me understand the benefit of raising money for a cause, teaching me to organize and plan church functions, and reminding me that all people are worthy of being treated kindly.

I correlate dignity to my mother’s reminder to treat others kindly; it is the glue for creating connection. I learned early on that advocacy in the face of blatant hostility is no easy feat. It sprouts cycles of resentment, fear, anger, and despair; it can suck the light from your desire for a just world. The remedy to that type of opposition has always been: connecting back to the community. Being raised in the company of others who care grounds you in resilient joy, collective power, and combined knowledge. Community is a sanctuary of healing that gets me through the toughest days. I bring that mantra to my role as Advancement Director at Alliance San Diego.

When I started 12 years ago, I facilitated my first volunteer orientation in a tiny room with 50 eager community members; I found comfort away from home. I found a space to shape a future my kids could feel safe in. Alliance San Diego was working to find real solutions to issues holding back generations of people. Fast forward to today; I can honestly say that community and trust remain the cornerstones that keep the mission alive. Our hope is to create a network of leaders that not only come together for the cause but stay together, heal together, and continue to make change together. We cannot go far without the all of you as helpmates.

Building community is the spirit behind every invitation to donate, volunteer, or attend an event. Whether it’s a Think Table, workshop, a volunteer effort, or the All Peoples Celebration, these spaces aim to cultivate fresh energy, a responsive team, and laser focus on the true need of the people. In a world that tries to diminish our worth, we invite you to invest in our vision of an environment where all people can thrive with dignity. Any amount you decide to give will make a difference. Let’s lean into the magic of community while creating a truly inclusive democracy.

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