For several years, I watched how there were always a few things in common in each community I worked in and visited.

• The "charity" being given was almost always at the hands of privileged outsiders, not community insiders.
• There were always leaders within these communities who felt compelled to do more but often felt stuck or ill-equipped.

I questioned and wrestled with these observations. Why did communities that struggled with poverty and injustice have to wait for an outsider to come in with what they needed? How was this connected to a community's unfortunate history with oppression and colonialism? What prevented a community from taking the reins of its own growth and future? And why did leaders see themselves as stuck or ill-equipped even when they were ready and willing to act?

As time passed, the idea for Cultivate began to take form. I learned that for anyone to do something successfully, three things must be in place:

• This person needs to have the necessary skills or understanding to do whatever they wish to do.
• This person must have the necessary resources to accomplish their goal.
• This person must surround themselves with people who can help. Very little in life is accomplished without help from others. Community is a must.

I began to see the potential each community and each person has. This potential, if fueled by passion, could accomplish more than anyone could imagine.