"Right now is the one time that we are all here together. And if we can figure out how to make that better, let's figure it out.” – Erica Brown

In this episode of Hudson Valley Storycatcher, host Jen Lee sits down with Erica Brown, the Community Engagement Coordinator at Radio Kingston. Erica also serves as a board member for TMI Project and Good Work Institute. This conversation dives into her personal philosophy of community as a lifelong calling, a thread that runs through so many of her life’s spaces and seasons.

Key Highlights from this Episode:

• Community as a Calling: Erica discusses how her roots in community engagement began at age seven, volunteering at Thompson Memorial Church in Auburn, NY—the final hometown church of Harriet Tubman—and how that experience, along with her upbringing, planted the seeds of volunteering and showing up for others.
• The Reality of 2020: Erica speaks candidly about the "nakedness" she felt as a Black person following the murder of George Floyd, and her journey through the feelings and experiences that followed.
• Fasting from Urgency: Erica shares her current practice of “fasting from urgency" to allow herself to be more present and to sit with decisions rather than rushing through them.
• Language Justice: Why true inclusivity requires more than just a translated flyer. Erica explains how the Hudson Valley Language Justice group is working to make spaces and programs truly accessible through interpretation and translation. She also shares how asking, “What about…?” can widen who is at the table for (or considered during) discussions impacting wider communities.
• Universal Love: A closing thought on the attempt to love everyone and anyone, and why connecting with one another matters.

Resources Mentioned:

• Radio Kingston: Erica’s professional home in Kingston, NY.
• Thompson Memorial Church: The historic church in Auburn, NY, where Erica’s ancestors attended with Harriet Tubman.
• Kingston Resilience & Mutual Aid: Grassroots groups Erica worked with to provide food and resources during the pandemic.

Connect with Hudson Valley Storycatcher:

• Host: Jen Lee
• Website: HudsonValleyStorycatcher.com
• Recommendations: Have a neighbor with a story? Email us at HudsonValleyStorycatcher@gmail.com