Episode 584 – Together we can – with Cathy DeForest from VisionQuilt

• Welcome back QFY fans
• Have you sometimes wondered what our world would look like without violence, without shootings, without the trauma caused by violence which often results only in more violence?
• I live in a city with a long history of crime
• In the 80s Oakland was amongst the most violent cities of this country
• This has changed
• But crime and gun violence continues to be a problem in our country
• A problem I thought needs to be solved by the people in charge – our police, our government, those with money and power
• But then I spoke to Cathy DeForest and I realized that we don’t need to rely on others to solve the issues that plague our communities
• We can do something about them
• We all have skills, knowledge and resources that can make an impact and bring about positive change
• And when we then look for others with a similar goal, and reach out to them to collaborate, that impact grows exponentially
• Join me today in a fascinating conversation with someone who started with a dream, turned it into an idea, spread the seeds of the idea and then helped it grow, seedling by seedling
• Cathy DeForest is the Founder and Executive Director of VisionQuilt, a volunteer grassroots organization that aims to empower communities to create their own solutions to gun violence through the power of art and inclusive dialogue.
• VisionQuilt helps to Organize workshops and exhibitions throughout the country, encouraging  dialogue that focuses on solutions to prevent gun violence.
• As you listen – I want to encourage you to pay attention to the following words:
  • Connection
  • Partnership
  • Creativity
• Cathy shows us the impact we can make if we focus on those 3 words more often
  • She connected with a desire to make a difference that came from within herself
  • She also connected her past experience and skills with that dream and carried it forward
  • She then partnered, and still continues to partner with others to spread the word and make a difference in our communities
  • And she constantly looks for creative ways to grow her vision and help all of us wake up
• Allow yourself to wake up
  • So that you can also find a way to make an impact
• Organizations like VQ are dependent on people like us to help and Cathy shares many ways we can do that in this interview
• I so enjoyed meeting her beautiful soul and learning about this peaceful and healing vision of hers
• And I hope you do as well
• Check out their work on
• https://www.visionquilt.org/
• And most importantly – spread the word
• This is how I am meeting wonderful people like Cathy
• Though connections and word of mouth
• And if you do the same, we can get messages like hers out to a wider audience
• Until then

Much love