As Leslie Dwight (@lisamessenger) has so eloquently put, “2020 isn’t cancelled, but the most important year of all”. In many ways, this has resonated with me and made me think of all the lessons I have learnt. Initiatives headed by passionate people for their cause, friends dedicating their time to help charities, volunteers spending hours bridging language gaps between those affected by the pandemic and those who can serve them… These are just some of the things happening in my community that have inspired me. More importantly, they made me realize that anyone could make a change, whether big or small.
Change is incremental, and we may not notice it in our daily lives. But it does manifest itself in the way we think, feel, and act. What we think influences our emotions, and ultimately what we choose to do. These positive thoughts about “making a difference” stood out to me, and slowly they made me feel like maybe, I could start something of my own. The plan was to start selling commissions and donate a portion of it to charity, however before that I needed to create some sort of “portfolio” for reference. Hence @illustrat.io was born.
We have grown tremendously since I created it a little over a month ago, more than I could ever have imagined. Along my journey, I have met countless of supportive, creative, kindred souls that form this amazing community. I still have lots to explore and learn, but one of my goals would be to raise a substantial amount of money through my work for those who need it in my community.
I’m sure many of us have different takeaways from this period of distress and uncertainty. In a way, 2020 is a year of growth and I hope it continues to be.
~Chelsea
*Check out her amazing artwork on Instagram @illustrat.io! Here is some of her really cool work below too!
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