07/09/2026
Who taught you what generosity looks like?
This is something I’ve been hit over the heart with over the past several weeks. I’ve been reflecting on my own journey of giving and connecting the dots back to each individual person who taught me the importance of its importance.
Today I got to attend the ribbon cutting for downtown Fargo’s new mural on the side of VFW Post 762, brought together and spearheaded by the big-hearted people at Folkways.
This mural, dedicated to our diversity of Veterans in North Dakota and in celebration of America 250th, went up through a variety of local partnerships. Meg Felix, Upper Hand Signs, and Lesley Wild worked tirelessly to capture the timeless power of American traditional artwork in a previously untapped space.
Throughout the past 5 years, I’ve volunteered and contracted with Folkways to support a few of their big ticket events. I’ve observed and encouraged some incredibly talented community champions, and they were some of the first people that came to mind when I was thinking about making this post.
In a world where giving of our time and resources has trended downward, it’s important to highlight when things this incredible take flight. Our local Thrivent team was blessed with the opportunity to support this gift to our city, and I’m beyond proud of some of our individual advisors who also gave to make this project possible.
So the question stands… who taught you what generosity looks like?
A pastor? A friend? A tiktok influencer? A nonprofit?
This week, I was taught by Folkways that generosity isn’t just a donate button, it’s an invitation to be present and celebrate local belonging.
