The Simple Good: Creating Hope Through Art

Today I’m excited to start the week off on a positive note! I have been following Chicago non-profit The Simple Good for a while now, after hearing founder Priya Shah’s inspiring story. Through our six degrees of separation – or as I like to say 3 degrees if you are South Asian – I got a message from a blogger friend of mine Ameera to see if I’d like to help her promote their upcoming fundraiser. Of course I said yes, and I even got the cool t-shirt I’m wearing in return!

The Simple Good is a non-profit organization committed to connecting the meaning of good from around the world through public art projects and art programs for at-risk youth. Giving people something positive they can do to feel empowered and at the same time connecting them with others with the same goal.

Here are the details: On July 29th, The Simple Good is hosting its 4th Annual City of Big Dreams Fundraiser which they describe as: a collaborative pop-up showcase uniting different mediums of art under a single inspiration – “the simple good of Chicago.” Through a curated selection of street artists, poets, musicians and dancers, we demonstrate the strength and inspiration that has begun to transform “The City of Big Shoulders” to a “City with Big Dreams.”

Through art, those in the most need can feel hopeful even when they are in difficult circumstances.

Art programs are usually one of the first things to go when school budgets are cut. Anyone who has personally experienced the transformative power of art can attest to the value of programs like this. So it goes without saying that art should be an integral part of life, and the more that school fundraisers and events emphasize this to showcase the immense power that art can have on a child’s (and adult’s) creativity and brain development, the more impact it can have on our lives as a whole.

There are a few ways you can help support The Simple Good. You can buy my tee, which is one of a few styles available, check out more styles here. Or, you can get your tickets to the fundraiser here. Of course you can always donate anything you can spare, or simply spread the word – every little bit helps!

Thanks for visiting as always ~ Have a great week xx

‘The purpose of art is to wash the dust of daily life off our souls’ ~ Pablo Picasso

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Last week we took a quick trip to escape the snow for some sunshine in Key Largo, Florida☀️ We spent every moment possible outside, Tom and Adam got their Scuba Diver PADI certification (yay!) while Sophia and I spent our days either swimming or drawing marine life and landscapes. This was my first trip after my sister passed last November, and even though I look so happy here, there were so many moments I felt the grief and sadness, as if it happened just yesterday. I am still figuring out how I want to show up in this space, as I have changed so much as a person since the loss. I just don’t feel called to post some of the things I shared before. Maybe that will change someday, or maybe it will just naturally evolve into something new. I think I will take this year to just process it all. (Even the idea of taking an entire year to think through something is a huge shift for my usually hyperactive type A personality) My focus at the moment is just living in the moment with my family and friends, spending time doing things that make me happy and healthy. I hope to share some of that journey here with you ~ thanks for following along ❤️
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