An Informal Interview @ Mercy Connections

Follow-up with Dolly

I met with Dolly Fleming, ED of Mercy Connections (MC), again this past Thursday. This time, she had ideas for an internship; however, the person who would serve as my primary mentor, the Director of the Justice & Mentor Program, had not yet met with Dolly - she could not guarantee their organization could host me.

Prior to wrapping up our meeting, Dolly generously provided my partner and I with complementary tickets to one of MC's two major annual fundraising events, Jazz Jam; she felt it would be an opportunity to see the organization in action and to meet a number of people who contribute to its success. I was relieved and excited that Mike and I were available for the evening that was only three days away at the time of the offer.

After we met, Dolly invited me to join them for the Mercy Connections' (MC) weekly Thursday Community Luncheon; it's open to anyone in the community, free of charge. The lunch opened with informal remarks, highlighting a cultural holiday and a theme for the week. New attendees were then invited to introduce themselves and share how they learned about community lunch. After celebrating successes and shares, dining with new people who either work within or are touched by MC's work, I wanted to institute weekly community lunches anywhere I find myself as a professional. What an incredible idea - weekly time and space for what Dolly calls "the importance of the encounter."

Something has definitely not changes since the first time I landed at MC - I felt like a better person when I was there; I felt the embers of that light that had gone out beginning to rekindle.

Jazz Jam 2017

Dolly had mentioned meeting my parent at our first meeting, so I invited Christine Hallquist to consider purchasing a ticket and joining us. I was thrilled to learn Christine was available and interested in attending with only two days' notice; I hadn't spent quality time with her in a while and she has been one of my longest-standing mentors when it comes to professional decisions and existential leadership discussions.

Jazz Jam was incredible. While it was well organized, had amazing music, and delicious food, these weren't what struck me the most. The energy at the event matched the energy I've experienced in the halls and meeting spaces at MC. Everyone appreciated and enjoyed each others' company and presence; there was admiration and love emanating inward and outward between every individual.

Jo Nelson, Director of the Justice & Mentoring Program, made a point to join my table for a bit, hearing our stories and sharing some of her own. Christine also knew a number of people and introduced me to them, including the first chair of the board of Mercy Connections, someone Christine had met via her translating identity journey and experiences. Later, when Jo introduced me to her "Justice League" - the mentor coordinator, KM, and volunteer justice liaison, MB, my path crossed with the former chair again. KM was hosting her parents and brother; we shared stories of international travel and sibling-hood. There was almost a magic to the evening. Everything felt like it was connected; I truly felt I was doing as my UVM Internship Sponsor had advised, I was "following the energy."

From Left to Right: My partner, Mike, myself (Kiersten),
and my parent, Christine, enjoying Jazz Jam 2017

Words of Wisdom from a True Leader

Mid-evening of Jazz Jam, Dolly took the podium. The room fell silent. She opened as though she planned to deliver your standard generic ED welcome message and donors' thanks, but then there was a critical shift in the speech: Dolly paused, and then began to sing a song. She didn't have a singing voice but her words still danced into my head - it wasn't about being in key, it was about being vulnerable. She then went on to call people to Mercy Connections: "to those of you who were imprisoned and have served their time and now face building your life in the community, please come; for those of you who want to make a new connection who have felt along for too long, please come; for that person who has felt dormant and as though they've been packed into a box, waiting to break out and share their gifts with others, please come..." Dolly was addressing every person in that room with a handful of carefully crafted sentences, constructed with deep emotion and heart. During her speech, I felt she was speaking directly to me - that she had pulled together song, poetry, and prose to help me feel loved, valued, and empowered, but my leadership brain also knew every person in that room was feeling that way. When she finished, I looked to the former chair and current volunteer liaison and just said, "Holy cow... does she always do that?" To which MB replied, "Just you wait until the May fundraising event - never a dry eye in the house."

A quality leader knows their constituents deeply and truly... and can write. Boy, could Dolly write...

At the end of the night, I knew I had just been through an informal interview. I said my farewells and Christine and I chatted all of the way home and through our morning coffee the next day about how amazing of a time we had and how much we admired the organization. I enjoyed sharing in the newness and positive first impressions with someone I admired - I guess I wanted her approval and was happy to receive it in spades.

MC has so much to give me; I know, if accepted as an intern in this organization, the potential for learning and development are endless. I hope they take me, and I hope I can give much to their mission and cause. I might also start to sing off-key: "Come on baby, light my fire!"