Ask an Elder #02: Advice to Your 20 Year Old Self

Welcome to our monthly column: Ask an Elder 🥳

Here at Collective Creations Newsletter we firmly believe in the power & value of intergenerational spaces. There are so many learning opportunities and bits of wisdom that get lost when they aren't intentionally shared 🌿

This 'Ask an Elder' column will be a community Q&A section where:
📥 readers can submit questions or requests for advice
📨 we send them over to our group of trusted womxn elders
💌 then publish their responses in our newsletter

So sit back, relax, and scroll through to hear responses to the submitted questions from a number of different womxn from our trusted circle of elders!

Question:

If you met up with your 20 year old self for coffee, what would you tell her?

Response from Danielle Jackson

I’m Danielle Jackson a native of Seattle, Washington. Growing up as a child and young adult I experienced and survived many traumas. Those experiences encouraged me to seek counseling and later advocate for others in my community to overcome their past and lay the foundation for their future.

I worked for over 30 years in the non-profit sector and 18 years with Seattle Public Schools. I now run my own nonprofit, CHAMPS Resource & Service Center, in Rainier Beach, WA. My faith, life experiences, training, job skills, counseling, visions and passion ignited my purpose to serve the community to ensure they have access to resources and services.

Contact me @ dajackson@champsseattle.org

Response from Kerry White

Kerry White is a leader, builder, and advocate from Seattle, WA who lives by five core values: honesty, integrity, curiosity, compassion, and intention. She grew up swimming competitively, playing sports, and exploring the outdoors—something she still loves today. Her career has taken her from executive chef to senior food industry leader to earning a master’s in Conscious Leadership, always seeking alignment between her work and values. Now, she channels her expertise into food justice, community building, and creating systems rooted in equity. When she’s not leading projects or mentoring young leaders, Kerry enjoys spending time in nature and at home with her two sweet children (kitties), embracing the balance of action and rest in her life.