A year ago, we all woke up to a sharp reality of “new normal.”
But even compounded with the bleakness of a world turned cold so quickly, the hopelessness in all that was lost, and the division of what was left, we all still chose to get up and try.
We educated ourselves. We read books. We went on long walks. We baked bread. We planted seeds. We grew from the soil underneath of us. We listened to what each other had to feel. We gave even when we didn’t know what we would have left. And we woke up every day and chose to try again.
It’s been an exhausting year, to say the least, but no matter how big or how small these accomplishments feel for you, I want you to know that getting up and trying was all you needed to do.
You are essential. The work you do matters. And your creativity will always liberate you.
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This is a post of gratitude for all a year can hold — and the power of human resilience all at once.
And seasons from now, I know we’ll continue to watch the seeds we planted in the depth of this turn to blooms too.
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A year ago, I found myself among the 7.7 million unemployed people as a result of COVID-19.
And a whole year later, I’ve found myself sitting in ~virtual rooms~ with global leaders who have cultivated my passions, affirmed my purpose, and fostered this fiery creativity that will forever live inside me.
I launched my own freelance company this year and am assisting brands worldwide in connecting their stories to purpose — Mukatafa, Global Imprints, and Mananalu, to name a few.
Because now, with my ~vaccinated~ feet back underneath me, I’m beginning to set goals for the next seasons.
If you’re looking for someone to grow your brand through impact storytelling, get their hands dirty, ask the hard questions, and drive to the core of what’s important, I’m your girl.
Let’s keep growing these seeds together.
In every bend of this little mountain town, I have a sweet, sweet memory that speaks to everything I became because of it.
But earlier this year, when COVID hit and we felt the pull of every social, environmental, personal tragedy that we thought a year could hold — I convinced myself that this was it — this was all this place could hold for me too.
&& so I left.
Coming back has me feeling every wave of emotion that I’ve opened myself to the feeling since I turned 18 and now, so much more ~~
I’m reflecting in terms of worth and value and validation and I’m realizing how wrong I was to look for it in a job, or in a place, or in other people
because all of it lived in me all along.
I am my worth. I am my value. I am my validation. And that’s enough.
putting this here, because maybe these mountains, in their quiet waking moments, can you give you this peace as well.
&& baby, we’re all gold
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I’ll be back Appalachia, I’ll always be back.
Gratitude for the changing of the seasons and the gift of feeling all that comes with them // there’s magic here.
Things I learned this summer:
- how to effectively roll a kayak (aaaaand ride big water even though it’s not pictured here)
- how to do anything and everything with a ramp (pickle, pesto, cornbread, sauté, the whole dang thing)
- how to make side hustles full-time hustles (check out my prints!!!)
- how to actually support myself and make a living wage (not to anyone’s surprise, non-profit salaries do not pay)
- how to take care of myself (I’m running and writing again)
- TO WEAR A DAMN MASK (this pandemic is real and it’s up to us to heal it)
- aaaand that this upcoming election is not a party polarized decision — but of fascism vs. democracy (so freaking VOTE like your life depends on it — disclaimer, it does)
- that the only consistency I know is that life is a pattern of learning and unlearning (and I will always be a lifelong learner)
Take care of yourselves out there. Know what keeps you sane. Educate yourselves. Do good and be good. AND VOTE.
Thankful for these mountains and my people through all of it 💛
Due to COVID-19, I was let go at the end of March 2020.
I’ve felt every possible emotion on the spectrum on a seemingly two-minute loop — and still actively am. If you know me, you know my work was far more than just work— it was the heartbeat of my every day.
Life is compounding on all the effects of this virus. We’re facing far more than sickness — we’re facing loss on a whole other trajectory. This virus has truly taken something human from all of us. But I think that the only way to heal is by going back to our own humanity in the process.
I’ve spent the last three weeks healing in the form of running and writing and knitting and reading and cooking and just being in these mountains that made me fall in love with the brevity of this work in the first place.
And in the midst of this, I’ve also felt an overwhelming amount of gratitude surface in feeling all of this. Gratitude for the three years I spent learning, serving and pouring every ounce of my creative energy. Gratitude for meeting people from all walks, all corners of this world. Gratitude for the person I have become in the process. Gratitude for the three years that were among the best of my life.
During my time, I was able to tell the story of water’s power in shaping social, environmental and economic landscapes around the world. The wholistic value of Wine To Water’s work flows far “beyond water” and I was able to give these words life.
These stories are the best I’ve ever told. And so while I am still feeling, I know to to consider this a failure or anything less than my greatest success is to do an entire disservice to my time as a whole. I’m overwhelmingly grateful.
Grateful, and ready to begin again.
I’m selling prints and hosting photography sessions for the time being. Please check out this portfolio for samples of my work 💛 If you can support me during this unknown time, I would love to share my art with you in any capacity.
We’re all feeling right now because there is so much to feel. Give yourself time but know that even in this, and all the compounding effects that you’re feeling in this viruses wake, we can come back gratitude.
I am now a full-time freelancer! Message me for pricing on photography sessions, print pricing, and writing contracts. I’d love to work for you too.
as we reap the benefits of this past year’s harvest and enter this settling, stilling, giving season— I can’t help but look around at all the things I’m grateful for— these just being a few. here’s to a month that brought wonder and colors that made me feel in love and grief and sadness and letting go all over again. here’s to living a life that’s full enough to feel it all. here’s to embracing the spectrum
my mantra of this season: “release and choose what to reclaim”
When the next generation asks us what we did with this time, I hope that we can answer leaned back with a warm cup of coffee in hand, that we healed how we needed to irreversibly transform the trajectory of their future.
“Because if we do this right, nothing will be same.”
Feel how you need to and be intentional with your healing so that when we come together, we can create a safer and healthier home for all of us who live here 🌱🌱
Mask **in hand** and making the move — TO ATLANTA.
Yes, in the middle of a pandemic. Yes, in the midst of the biggest social justice movement of our time. And yes, in the peak of summer.
I’m listening to something visceral and taking this step with both humility and hope — knowing that I have much to learn. The value of our life-experience is contingent on exchange. I hope to continue to form partnerships that respect the vast, diverse cultural landscapes this world offers in an attempt to transcend connection. In this move, I know I will continue to find opportunities that allow me to shape narratives that transform life trajectories around the world.
But I need your help.
Do you have any contacts that are engaging responsibly in the social, political and economic landscapes and would like to add a storyteller/ researcher/ writer/ photographer to their team? Here is my online portfolio for reference: https://jaleighjensen.squarespace.com
Please please me know if there is anything I can do for you during this time too. I love making the world smaller, one connection at a time.
Wishing you all all the best in navigating your own transitions. I’m here for you if you need me.
an excerpt from my experience living in Nepal working with Wine To Water for a year
for more stories, check out my personal blog jaleighjensen.exposure.co and Wine To Water’s blog winetowater.org/blog
When I think back on this past year, all I have are visceral, full circle feelings of gratitude.
Gratitude for slow mornings on this porch where I drank coffee and put mindful intentionality in creating moments of peace before I began everyday. These quiet stillness gave me the opportunity to know and love myself more this year.
Gratitude for true and genuine people who wore love and support or their sleeves and allowed me to make a home here. Roshani, Kaushal and Bhumika especially but also Emma, Jasmine, Kiran, Neejan and Ram, And every other volunteer who allowed space for vulnerability and connection.
Gratitude for my support system that proved to transcend all corners of this world. My parents, Liz, Nat, Colt, and so many others who just picked up the phone when I needed them. They made the world seem a little smaller.
Gratitude for getting hit numerous times by other bikes, cars and buses. It taught me physical resilience and how strong my body and mind are if I treat them well.
Gratitude for testing my comfort zone. It taught me emotional resilience and how not to be afraid of the dark.
Gratitude for learning how to be intentional with the presence I cultivate. There is a difference in being with someone and being there for someone and there is a time and place for both.
Gratitude for the ability to speak the little bit of Nepali I can. Language is important and the ability to connect with someone with the words they feel is one of the most visceral feelings of understanding that we can give each other.
Gratitude for all the times I saw the world be hard here. It taught me how to be soft.
This experience grew me, shaped me, changed me— and I will always be grateful.
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Before I left, The Water Committee in Kalyanpur gave me this “Token of Love” as a thank you for being a part of their project this year… but I told them that I’m only taking this back home to share with the thousands of people they couldn’t see but who were supporting them just as fervently every step of the way. And I want you to know that if you are reading this— just in giving your support this past year— YOU had a fundamental impact on me and the project there.
The most important thing I learned this year is that one of the most sacred parts of being human is our ability to connect. People really aren’t all that different, although we make look different and talk different and eat different and think different things and have different views— we’re all human and we have power in the way that we can relate to each other.
When I left in August, Ambassador David Miller, Chair of The Special Operations Fund, sent me an email saying, “Be kind, for this world has been hard for so many already," and I heard his words echo throughout my entire time in Nepal.
The value of this experience in Nepal lives in my processing and how I allow it to shape the trajectory of the rest of my life. Because even in all of the moments of learning in, I’m just now beginning the journey of where this experience is going to take me.
I am currently somewhere over the Gulf, making my way south to the Dominican Republic to capture W|W's Year End Campaign content. As I transition into this new role at W|W as a "Storyteller," I can’t help but be thankful for the opportunity to continue . This deep-rooted passion I have for this water stems from the notion that with it, change in every single capacity of life is possible. Health, poverty, gender equality, economic growth, education, food security, sustainable energy and so much more… Water is the one factor that can undermine or enable the progress of every other Sustainable Development Goal outlined by the United Nations.
I am beyond excited for another year spent learning and growing with both W|W and The SOF. Together, we are all going to continue to build off of this experience and transform the ways these stories are shared and how change is ensued.
My full blog on my time in Nepal: jaleighjensen.exposure.co
three weeks of squeezing into our teeny tiny car, eating copious amounts of peanut butter, running glaciers in the pouring rain, skinny dipping in the same glacier-fed lakes, making cheese boards off cooler lids, and just reminding me who tf I am && how life is meant to be lived— in the moments. Because at the end of the day, it’s the moments—that’s all we get 💛
from one of my trips to the Dominican Republic covering Wine To Water’s work
for more stories from my time in the DR and Nepal, winetowater.org/blog
THE FUTURE
Radhames Carela’s New Triple In-Line Ceramic Filtration Technology
We’re in Radha’s workshop in the DR factory and he’s basically dancing around, running back and forth to each workstation. He’s explaining the importance of an in-line filtration system and the drastic effect it could have on communities everywhere. I’m just running behind him, pen and paper in hand, trying to keep up with how rapidly the thoughts are pouring out of his head. The passion here is contagious.
And when his long-winded explanation finally finishes, I ask, so what is this system called? He replies, “The Future.”
Radhames Carela has lived all his life in El Higuerito, a small town outside of Santiago, Dominican Republic. He has worked with filters since 2003 and with clay for more than 45 years. He’s a craftsman, an artist, a husband, a father, a grandfather and a survivor.
“I’ve enjoyed working with clay my whole life, but now, life’s even better because I know I am helping other people live better too.”
For generations, his family had been potters. At a young age, Radha learned how to make household ceramics from his mother. Continuing her tradition, he made bowls, mugs, plates and other tools to earn his living.
In 2006, he connected with Ballantine, a missionary from the United States working with teens in the greater Santiago area. Together, they developed a ceramic filter using clay, sawdust and silver and created a filter factory called Aqua Pure.
“When I was a young boy, I used to ask ‘How can my art move around the world? What can I do to make a difference?’ When Lisa came here with the idea of filter, this could happen.
The .35 millimeter clay and fired sawdust combination creates a porous membrane that allows water to pass through but traps most of the solid bacteria and parasites. Colloidal silver acts as a natural antimicrobial that renders any remaining bacteria harmless. This ceramic filter can treat almost any water source— rain water, tap water, well water, etc.— except those that have been contaminated with heavy metal content.
“Everywhere the biggest problem of the world is the water crisis. This filter can fight the water crisis around the world.”
In 2015, Ballantine entrusted Aqua Pure to Doc Hendley and Wine To Water. Using the same filter technology, we have expanded the program into a holistic Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) solution in the Dominican Republic.
And everyday since, Radha has continued to adapt new ceramic technology to make the filter more efficient. The newest development is a triple in-line filtration system that can filter 25 gallons of water a day when gravity-fed and more than 30 gallons of water an hour when it is pumped. According to Radha, this triple filtration system can easily produce enough clean drinking water for an entire school or community, anywhere in the world.
This is different than other filters. Because there is a higher concentration of charcoal-- a byproduct of burned sawdust-- chlorine does not need to be used to clean the filter. And more, the silver in the filter sterilizes water on impact. Because there are three filtration components and three separate times water is in contact with silver, this filter allows for water to be three times cleaner.
He continues to develop new technologies in ceramic water purification systems through a partnership with Wine To Water. Together, we are spreading this important technology all over the world.
“This could filter an entire community for the people. We can increase purification-- more clean water for more people. This is the future”
somewhere above the clouds but below the mountains i learned that even in the world’s most beautiful places, the value of our experiences are in who we share these places with. It’s the people that make these adventures everything that they are— it’s always going to be the people.
What I learned. How I grew.
In these past four years, we lived, we loved, we hurt, we failed, we made friends who were good for us, we did things that maybe weren’t so good for us, but we laughed like we never have before. And all these things that pushed us out of our comfort zone, Appalachian was there to foster challenge and inspire GROWTH every step of the way. And ya’ll it’s been a long time coming. But grow. We. Did.
I learned to appreciate just how amazing this little mountain town is. We live in one of the best outdoor communities in the WORLD and I for sure took advantage of it.
I learned how to serve my community. I have so many important gifts to offer this world and I let them shine.
I learned to travel as much as I could. This world is so big and there’s so much to see so I booked the damn flight.
I learned that my body is beautiful and powerful and is the one true vehicle that will take you to all the amazing places if I treat it well.
I learned to kiss boys and girls I didn’t know because I really wanted to and in those moments, it was so much fun it made my head hurt.
I learned to kiss boys and girls I did know because I really needed to and in those moments, it was so much fun it made my heart burst.
I learned that some days I’ll wake up having no idea what you did last night and some nights I’ll go to sleep having no idea what you’ll do the next day. And I learned how to have the self confidence and faith in myself to be okay with both.
I learned that sometimes I’ll feel so creative that I might explode and the only way to combat that is to call your best friends and read them that poem or tell them about that run. And I learned that the right ones would listen and encourage me, even if they knew I’m just bull shit.
I learned to build REAL relationships. I learned to find people who motivate me, inspire me, teach me, and make me laugh. And I learned to really discover who they really are.
I learned to have the courage to love. To love deeply, intentionally, unconditionally. And even if that love didn’t last forever, I learned that in the moments it did, it was everything you needed.
I learned to surround myself with people who are different from me and to let them challenge who I am. And more importantly, who you I am not.
I learned to spend a whole day alone at least once a semester and I learned that I can be alone for a whole day without feeling lonely.
I learned to call my parents every so often just to thank them for raising me to be the person I am and for everything they’ve done to get you this far.
I learned that I can never, ever, ever forget how lucky I are to be in a place specifically designed to teach us how to become a more fully-formed social, intellectual, and emotional person. And I learned how important it is to take ownership of it and realize how much of a privilege it is.
I learned to take risks. Sleep under the stars. Say yes to the first date.
Because in all of these moments that taught me, challenged me, inspired me, moved me– I grew.
But most of all, I learned to keep looking forward because these are just the best for years of my life so far. There’s still so much more to come.
