Chasing Waterfalls
Welcome to my page! I'm so happy you stopped by. This is where I'll be publishing all of my content regarding my summer passion project, "The Transformation Project."
If you haven't read my latest LinkedIn post, feel free to check it out on my profile under the "Posts by Sierra" section, and connect with me!
In case you don't feel like doing that, here's a short synopsis of the objectives, inspiration, and purpose behind this project.
This summer, I will be traveling across the United States using the cheapest modes of transportation, staying in Airbnb’s in different cities, identifying unfamiliar places to see according to the locals, seeking out exceptional people to meet, and documenting my experiences as I go. Here are my objectives for this passion project:
Objective One: Personify the Mission.
The purpose of this project is to prove that it is truly possible to "belong anywhere." I will publish daily blog posts profiling my Airbnb hosts and other interesting people I meet along the way. By gaining insight into the unique lived experiences of people from other cities, I'll attempt to detail the interaction without sacrificing its authenticity, and proliferate a collection of beautifully human stories. Ultimately, I hope to creatively depict the transformation of a stranger to a friend.
Objective Two: Humanize the City.
Cities across the United States are known for the things that make them unique. San Francisco has the Golden Gate Bridge, New York City has Times Square, Chicago has the Bean. But what about the unknown things that make these cities exquisite? What about the clandestine parks of lush foliage, the hole-in-the-wall diners that serve award-winning burgers, and the mom n' pop shops that sell one-of-a-kind souvenirs? My goal is to seek out these places and feature them in daily blog posts to put a unique spin on the city. Ultimately, I hope to creatively depict the transformation of the unknown to known.
Objective Three: Seek Out the Extraordinary.
In an effort to meet exceptionally curious people and understand how they are distinctively making an impact, I am seeking out previous MacArthur Grant nominees residing in various cities across the country. MacArthur Fellows are awe-inspiring people recognized for their outstanding originality and dedication to self-motivated, creative endeavors. I am choosing to seek out the nominees of the grant rather than the recipients because I'd love to discover and help bring to light unpublicized, extraordinary talent. Ultimately, I hope to creatively depict the transformation of the unrecognizable to adored.
After recognizing the limited options for effectively landing an internship with one of my dream companies, I figured it was time to take matters into my own hands. I ruminated on the similar, yet distinct, visions of the companies and realized that they were all dedicated toward the same mission: gllobal collaboration and caring. LinkedIn's vision, "equal opportunity for every member of the global workforce is quite similar to Airbnb's, "belong anyhwere," they simply target different audiences.
I felt a burning desire to contribute to the bigger picture in an impactful way. I realized that my own personal mission is to spread compassion, hospitality, and collaboration alike. After discovering this passion to change the world, I realized it had to be done on a grander scale; I needed to amplify the positive energies. I needed to be softly loud enough for the right people to hear-----the people who think big, but question constantly. The people who, embody strong, but insightful and considerate skepticism. These people are always open to new ways of thinking, never getting stuck in their ways, holding themselves back from seeing the gorgeous colors reflecting off of the mist.
Every generation holds itself back in some way. I want to help represent the waterfall chasers, trailblazers, orignial thinkers, thought leaders, the "crazy ones," if you will, of all generations.
Enjoy the blog, and maybe I'll see you along the way!
Sierra :)
