It's a Small World After All

​After a full 16-hour day at Disneyland, most weary travelers would delight at arriving at a hotel that unexpectedly transformed from basic to upscale in a matter of months since booking. In true California fashion, potted fiddle leaf plants, '70s-inspired furniture, and a steady Khruangbin playlist greeted us upon our escape from Anaheim to our new beachside sojourn. When traveling with my boisterous family, however, the newly posh environment personally evoked dread.

Oh no, everything is cream. This is an adult hotel.

Oh no, a shareholder meeting in suits? This is definitely an adult hotel.

Approaching the pool, forcefully whispering reminders about mindful splashing and appropriate noise levels, we serendipitously stumbled upon. . . another child! 

After a delightful hour of meandering conversation about Chicago, parenting, and the best Korean restaurants in LA, I came to learn that the child's mother was a professional artist and prestigious art professor on the East Coast in town to see her work in a show.

​Early in my career, "networking" felt like a dirty word. A transactional and insincere process to accumulate higher titles on a corporate ladder, completely unnecessary for my profession or interests. I've come to understand that networking is merely being open to making connections and forming community around shared professional interests and ideas. K-12 educators still have much in common with higher-ed faculty. Artists in one discipline often find inspiration from artists working in other mediums. Networking provides awareness and respect for our interdependence. Making and maintaining professional relationships offers opportunities to support and learn from each other. A siloed practice can never fully prosper.​

​Not only was my new connection open to being featured in our Visiting Guest Artist series - to Zoom and share her creative practice with my students - but she was en route to a friend who happened to be an artist I currently teach! Disney was right: it truly is a small world. This chance encounter was reminder to challenge my own assumptions, bravely chat up strangers, and that

Connecting and community is necessary in every profession.