Her Story
About Chloe
I currently serve as the Executive Director of Basement Poetry, a position I've held since 2016. I've been working in the field of social work and social services for about 10 years. My previous experience includes working in the healthcare industry, where I provided HIV and STI testing and oversaw an HIV and STI clinic in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The clinic also had a drop-in center for youth. Throughout this time, I was building up Basement Poetry to be what it is now - a very small nonprofit that works with the community to create art productions and healing spaces. We're currently building a garden space for the community, but we're really just trying to create spaces in which people can process and heal, and really share how they're feeling through the arts and other creative outlets. My path to this work stems from my own experiences as a young person who struggled with all types of challenges, experiences of trauma, substance use, and my own mental health. I've always admired the folks in my life who made sure that I could graduate high school on time, and they were all art teachers, drama teachers, and I had a dance teacher that was very important to me. Because of that, and because of everything that I've overcome in my time in high school, I knew this is where I wanted to be and this is what I wanted to do.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Chloe
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say to be mindful of the times in which you need peace and joy. Those things are what moves the work - any work. It doesn't matter if you are a girl in STEM, doesn't matter if you are a young woman in automotive, like, find the peace and joy, and in those moments, it's where some of the best ideas you have come. And also, you deserve it. We deserve peace and joy, and we do not need to move like machines. I think the girl boss era, which we still love and enjoy, you know, has really affected us, the hustle culture. So, find time for rest and restoration and peace and joy.
02What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think the biggest challenge and opportunity is trying to fund the work. Trying to figure out which donors enjoy your work and reaching the donors that are interested in funding the work that you're doing is always a challenge, but there's opportunity there, right? Especially when we're thinking about funding restrictions that grants sometimes have - governmental grants, foundation grants - there's challenge there in meeting expectations and things like that. But the opportunity is finding funders that really understand your work and believe in your work, and believe in you as the executive director or leader in this work, and are like, hey, we're gonna really believe in the work you're doing, and we're gonna fund you, and it is going to be operational funds, so you don't have to worry about stipulations or anything like that. There's such joy in that. For executive directors right now, I think it's just so important to hold on to the vision of your work and continue to believe in it, because there are people that still believe in the work, regardless of the challenges with finding funding, especially now with a lot of government contracts that have been cut. A lot of funding going towards other initiatives, but I think arts and humanities are essential for our communities. It's the way that we heal, process, and grow.
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