Hi – I’m Chloe-Lucia!
I’d describe myself as a deeply political, creative, and loving person. I love spending time outside with dogs and often take my friends’ dogs on hikes and adventures. I also love to make art. Specifically, I enjoy making “useless” art. To me, this means items that in some way defy function, sense, or profitability. Lastly, my greatest interest in life is spending time with the people I love. I prioritize this as best I can every day.
As I’m writing this, I am in my fourth week at Pathways. My technical title is Community Peer Support Supervisor, but I would say that Community Organizer has some truth to it, too. In my role, I supervise my team members who facilitate our support groups, ensuring they run smoothly for both facilitators and attendees. I also help brainstorm and bring to life creative opportunities for our community to engage in peer support. Additionally, I provide peer support myself!
On a daily basis, my role fluctuates significantly. On some days, I have met with community partners to explore potential collaborations. On other days, I brainstorm and reach out to people who might be interested in participating in some of our future planning. I have spent hours in online meetings and joining our support groups, and I have also joined my team in tabling at the Burlington Winter Farmers’ Market. It’s been wonderful to have a role that allows me to engage with the community I live in every day.
I was interested in taking on this role because I was seeking a job where I felt I could be a part of my town, state, and world, and simultaneously be myself. I love where I live, and I love all of my neighbors, and to be paid for providing mutually beneficial support is truly a miracle for me. I am also a very vocal advocate of my beliefs, and being in a space where that is welcomed was a big incentive.
I believe in Pathway’s mission to end homelessness and offer innovative mental health alternatives because I think all people should have the right to warmth and a bed, and I believe in mental health care that thinks outside the medical framework and opposes barriers to entry. Everyone I have met within this organization has had a passion for ensuring the safety of all our neighbors and has been incredibly good at listening and learning. I would say that in writing this, I have realized that I am most inspired by the commitment to nuance. Pathways has established a framework that meets people where they’re at and doesn’t expect them to meet some goal made up by moralistic impositions. Pathways functions under an immense belief in respect. I am excited to work for an organization that I have observed being so aware of power dynamics, privilege, and the politics of existing.
My most memorable experience so far at Pathways was a moment I shared with an old friend and active community organizer in Burlington. I met with them to discuss collaboration ideas and left with such a warm reminder of how kind people can be. I have recently been carrying a lot of grief and change, and my mental well-being has been tumultuous. This friend of mine and I discussed how lucky I am to have a new role that allows me to put my grief into something. I have been feeling empowered in my new role, and I cannot express what a surprise it is to work somewhere where your range of feelings and selfhood is welcomed.
