-by Tom Kovach
I went to Dear Love of Comrades this past July, and one of the many things I loved about it was a practice called the Appreciation Circle. We stood in a circle and stepped forward when we felt moved to express our appreciation for someone in the circle. Perhaps it was a simple act of kindness or a profound moment of support they offered. It was beautiful to see gratitude being practiced and the expressions on the faces of the givers and receivers of that recognition.
Inspired by that, I would like to offer a monthly thanks for our unsung heroes in Body Electric. Perhaps you, too, will be motivated to express your gratitude to someone in our beloved community. I can tell you if you do, you both will benefit.
This month I would like to express my appreciation to Sarah Belzile. Sarah is so many things for Body Electric. She is a facilitator and coordinator. She is co-leading the Ambassador’s Program and working on a new curriculum for expanding our Ambassador’s Program to provide a pathway to becoming a coordinator or facilitator.
What many of you may not know is that when Body Electric transitioned to the New Body Electric School as a nonprofit, Sarah was one of the leaders of that effort. Not just the mechanics of becoming a nonprofit or the financial planning of how to buy the school but also the foundational work on how to make it run like Body Electric. Bringing our principles of communication, consent, and vulnerability to the world of staying afloat. She encouraged the Teal model for the New Body Electric School, which empowers people to bring their talents and not be weighed down by layers of needless hierarchy.
Sarah brings so much love to the work and the community, and she continues to give of her talents as she helps us to better understand and utilize feedback for personal growth and community growth. There will be more on that later.
So out of the many people I thought of to start this appreciation circle, I wanted to start with this bright spirit that has touched so many of us directly and indirectly with her work and her love helping make it possible for us all to be our community today. You can find Sarah’s biography on our website.
