One of my favorite movies is Forrest Gump, and one of my favorite parts of the movie is when Forrest returns from the war in Vietnam and buys a shrimp boat business, naming it Bubba Gump Shrimp. With no shrimping experience and an over-abundance of competition, Forrest has limited success. That is, until Hurricane Carmen hits the Gulf Coast. The storm decimates the shrimping industry in the area. Forrest Gump’s boat Jenny was at sea at the time of the hurricane. It suffered damage from the storm but was not destroyed by being blown on land like other boats. Forrest's business prospered after the hurricane, leading to an abundance of shrimp while also eliminating much of the competition. He turned his profits into multimillion dollar investments and fame within the financial world.
With the holidays upon us, I’ve been reflecting on giving and receiving gifts. Due to the pandemic, there are barriers to the traditional hustle and bustle of the holiday season. While unemployment has dropped compared to last month it’s still higher than normal and food insecurity remains high according to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap. In Guilford County, about 18 percent of the county suffers from food insecurity.
My sister asked me recently, “What do arts leaders need to hear from you in this moment?”And my answer came easily: “We need these organizations to help the community heal. Please, arts leaders, find a way to use your gift and help us each heal.”
Greek has many different words for love.In my professional life, I am blessed to see beautiful examples of phila (brotherly love) every day through our nonprofit partners.But today, I want to talk about agape—unconditional love.
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