Terika Floyd

I would say the journey. I would say, with my faith, I would say God, but God allowing me to navigate a journey in which I got to meet people along the way, you know, that were my cheerleaders, my encouragers, those that got in the fire together with me, helped me put the fire out. It's life to me that helped me. I could be going through a bad day, and I go grab a coffee, and there's someone in that coffee shop that does something that I needed to hear, right? And so that's a part of the journey. Or the person that is helping you carry the load. And it's like, wow, this is true success. It's that journey in the community that now becomes your family, your adoptive family, in the journey.

Love what you do. That's something my mom said. I've heard that not just from my mom, but just from different people, and I think that love what you do, because love, to me, conquers all things. Though you may go through trials and tribulations, or you may pivot, or things may change in your career and in your path down the line of life, you gotta love it. You have to really enjoy what you do day after day, because that is that fuel to have you keep going. If you don't love it, don't do it. But it doesn't mean just because you love it's gonna be easy, it just means it helps you conquer through the battle. I think that whole thing of figuring it all out when you're young, some people know, and some people love what they do at that age for the rest of their lives, but for me, it was evolving. A little bit of this, a little bit of that, and that love brought it together. And now it's like, I can do art, I can be creative, I can still do education, teach people things, and work with adults, and garden, and put it all together, because it's all the things that I love to do.

Always be teachable. You know, always be ready and willing to learn, and listen. And with that comes listening, gaining insight, because you can learn a lot, and there's a lot to be learned along the way, and the journey is not the destination. Understanding that there's a route you have to take, willing to be teachable during the route, stay on the route. And as you are on that route and getting further and further towards your destination, pull others along the way with you for the journey.

In the nonprofit arena, the one thing is funding, which just kind of goes without saying. For me, right now, it has been more personal, so it's like regaining my footing after a TBI, and trying to see the best way to pick up the pieces, and what to no longer work on, and what to continue to work on. I think the hardest thing is, and I don't think it's just right now, I think this is a continuum, is how can we meet the needs of the people we serve in the most efficient way, but is the most impacting. That's always a challenge. For legacy and impact purposes, I think it's identifying the needs in real time. And how, when you identify those needs and address them, how they make the most lasting impact. So when us as leaders are no longer here, and someone else is running it, that legacy is still continuing. It's not what you say to a person, they always remember how you make them feel, so it's that part. It's that challenge, like, when we're no longer here, time has gone on, is that impact and legacy still alive? And so, working backwards now to make sure that it stays alive has been a huge challenge, outside of the normal funding and things like that.

I would say what I value is my faith, which is just loving others, being there for others, being a true example of love thy neighbor, and showing and spreading love to others, and being a good person. Character is everything. Character will get you places that degree or certification might get you in the room for that interview, but I really, truly believe it's character that helps you stay in that room and help you navigate life and how you treat people, and that can take you further than any degree or quantitative type of plan work or scheme. I went to Catholic schooling, because at the time, in Camden, those were the only safe schools. So I got a lot of that character and discipline in my early on. And so I just take that with me, and in my faith.