I am a 26-year-old explorer with a passion for great design and desire to do good.
That's the abstract, here is the breakdown. I am a Wisconsinite (or more specifically Milwaukeean) who graduated in 2006 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Interior Design. My ambition to work within the field of design steams from the ability to shape and enhance human experience through inhabited space. For the past few years I have worked in an architectural firm, trying to do just that. I have gained valuable experience and knowledge yet am now ready to grow in other dimensions, take advantage of my youthful optimism and affect greater change. Outside of work and design, I am the type of person that cannot sit still. I am an avid traveler and begin to feel a bit trapped if I am not planning a trip somewhere new. I recently took an amazing month long roadtrip by myself (and my adorable dog) hiking around the Northeast , camping and couchsurfing the whole way. I am a voracious reader with literary ADD, as I am usually juggling more books than I can handle. A snapshot of my other interests include spending time with friends and family, watching football, meeting new people, exercising, all things french, witty sitcoms, psychology, art, coffee and laughter.
So, why Bike & Build? Meeting with a fellow traveler and friend over coffee I mentioned that the ideal opportunity for me right now would something that combines my strong desire to travel, passion for architecture and ability to affect change. I told her that I had been part of a start up bike charity a couple years ago that sadly never quite got off the ground yet I still had the strong desire to find something like that. She mentioned a friend of hers did something like that with a organization called Bike & Build and suggested I check it out. As soon as I chugged my coffee and finished the conversation, I googled Bike & Build immediately. It was exactly the kind of opportunity I was looking for - a traveling physical activity that helped the less fortunate through architecture. Perfect!
When one thinks of basic human needs, Shelter is one of the top three. It is extremely disheartening and unjust that there are so many people who do not have access to adequate shelter or affordable housing right here in the United States. In my hometown of Milwaukee the lack of affordable housing has lead to greater disparity and segregation, making it one of the top segregated cities in the nation. This is a complex issue with no one-step solution. However, because everything is connected, by helping raise money and build affordable shelter through Bike & Build, we will be providing not only immediate assistance yet creating a positive ripple effect that will spread through the community.
It is this reason that I am excited to be a part of this worthwhile endeavor. I am nervous to spend days upon days on a bike, yet it is the good, 'i-am-really-looking-forward-to-it' nerves. As I get a little older, I realize that life is too short to NOT take a chance on something. It is the things we don't do that become regrets. So with that being said: Carpe Diem, let's ride.
