We recently connected with Sandra Pohl and have shared our conversation below.
Sandra, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
Life is always throwing curve balls, how I handlie everything is based on my attitude. This would then drive my personal responsibility and trust to cope with whatever happens during the day. During the darkest days, i would get up in the morning and look for the grey clouds and check the for bad weather, slowly i began to look for the blue in the skies. This first impression of the day set the tone for how I coped with the challenges and the unexpected stuff. Either way, I learned that whatever i did or didn’t do, I survive. so, I decided early on that looking forward was more fun and easier than looking down and out.
I had a conversation on Waikiki Beach with My daughter, Vikki just before she went to college. She said her purpose in life was to make a difference, making this a better place through kindness and respect for people. She died, but I have taken her life purpose as my own and do twice as much to do for her as well as me.
- where does your generosity come fro yeah, Who really
When I was going through the darkness times with my grief, there were strangers who were very kind and generous with their time–listening to me because they understood my pain and loss. I think their generosity help heal me through the darkness. I made new friends who did not know my story of sadness, grief and anger. I soon learned that everyone has a story.
I know the pain and the joy of my life and I am more compassionate and empathetic because of my working through my own experiences of loss. I give back because I never know what impact I might have on another person who might be in pain. I give back to help with kindness and respect as it doesn’t cost me anything just as others in my life has helped me.
6 how did you overcome imposter syndrome
My artist husband always taught his art students to be a successful artist is to share personal thoughts and feelings authentically. It is telling your story in making the art whether it’s writing poetry and stories, painting and sketching or creating sculpture and pottery. He said it is easier to feel good about yourself and high self esteem as an artist, if you tell your truth.
I try to live in the moment, being me. I speak my truth and I have no shame for who I am, doing what I do with passion. i don’t have to pretend. I am too old to care what people think of me because in the long run it doesn’t mater what they think of me. Besides being an imposter is hard work and not fun. I haven’t forgotten the past but I don’t dwell on it. I do not project into the future because that makes me anxious, crazy with fears. I don’t have to be anyone else but me. I try to do what is best for me and not hurt anyone doing it. I can always change as needed and it’s okay, because I not proving myself to anyone.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a social worker and a public health educator. I like to think that I listen to people and help them manage change as individuals, families and communities.
My life changed forever in 1994, when Vikki was found in a diabetic coma, near death. Somehow or more likely miraculously, she started the long road from comatose living in a vegetative state to recovery. She had to learned everything like a baby such as swallowing water, eating solid foods, walking. To witness my 20 year old vibrant smart daughter recover from the severe brain injury was agonizing as there was little we could do to help. From a bright, vibrant college student she was a 10 year old happy child unable to resume her life living as an independent adult.
My husband and I planned to open a small art center and gallery for her as a sheltered workplace to keep her safe living at home. But before we could get through the thinking about it, Vikki died crossing the street in a crosswalk, as pedestrian in a car accident. I was devastated. Two years later my artist husband dies— hopes and dreams of our lifetime shattered.
Depressed and consumed by inertia, I slowly struggled against the depths of hopelessness. I lived fighting myself to get it together. I moved forward — moment by moment, 5 minutes at a time then one day at a time. I reluctantly accepted reality that I needed to live without their physical presence. I had to create a new normal, a life without them.
Left with my husband’s art collection I opened and operated an art gallery for about 20 years. I volunteered with several arts nonprofits along the way. After years of slugging it alone, my friends and I began talking about our dreams for an arts center in Chinatown and whether we could make that a reality. I approached the City about vacant commercial spaces in Chinatown which was in an economically depressed neighborhood. The City thought that we would quickly fail like all poorly funded hair-brained small business run by volunteers, The City took a chance and leased DAC 10,000 square feet at the beginning of the Covid mandatory business shutdown.
I choose to be the executive director to move this nonprofit storefront forward. Together with our big dreams, I formed a collaboration of nonprofits under the umbrella of the Downtown Art Center. I used the Creative Placemaking’s Lighter, quicker, cheaper. concept which provided the flexibility to get things done. I used the power of arts and creativity to successfully establish the DAC. Our Chinatown neighborhood changed for the better as people came to the center and visited the area shops, restaurants and galleries.
DAC’s immediate future is to expand access to arts experiences through connection, conversation, community programming classes, events and exhibitions to make art accessible to all. In 2024, DAC is expanding. We are doubling the square footage and tripling the programs for exhibitions, special events and classes.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folk need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
It is more than having a good idea and the money to startup.
It is more than having a good idea and the money to startup that brings success, Its the ability to listen without judgment, process and manage change, and know who to ask and what to ask for along the way.
For the DAC vision to come as far as it has in 4 years, has taken perseverance and tenacity. It takes more than one person, and one idea, it takes networking, collaborating and community building. It takes leadership that gets people to do what you want them to do because they are part of the dream and want to give to the cause because they are getting their dream to happen also. Its capturing and tapping their passion and purpose and giving people that sense of belonging.
Every thing you plan always changes There are two F word that guide the journey: 1) FLEXIBILITY in adjusting to what comes and is very critical to keep moving toward the goal, staying true to the mission and purpose–using life experiences and knowledge as assets. Or 2) Giving up is FAILURE.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I encourage everyone to engage in the arts and culture in their community because it is healing for individuals, families and communities. Plus it increases personal wellbeing and is fun.
Check out our webpage and social media. Put your name on our mailing lists to know how DAC is coming along to make this a better place. We appreciate big and small support to help us create healthier communities through the power of arts and creativity in Honolulu’s Chinatown.
Contact Info:
- Website: downtownarthi.org
- Instagram: @DowntownArtCenter
- Facebook: DowntownArtCenter
Image Credits
First Photograph portrait: Floyd Takeuchi 2nd Photograph with hand folded leaning on a pedestal : Sadako Tengan Photos around the gallery. Brandon Miyagi
