Meet Bria Goeller

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Bria Goeller. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Bria below.

Bria, thank you so much for making time for us. We’ve always admired your ability to take risks and so maybe we can kick things off with a discussion around how you developed your ability to take and bear risk?

Slowly and over time. Sort of like desensitization.

Like many young people, I went through cycles of enthusiasm and disillusionment. I had years where I said “yes” to everything, recovery years when I questioned whether that was the right move. There were times I hunkered down, other times I felt emboldened. With experience, I’ve gotten closer to striking a balance. A large part of it is learning when risk-taking will pay off and when it’s wasted energy.

It was learning how effective risk-taking can be that made me dedicate energy to getting comfortable with it. We live in a world with a lot of noise, and oftentimes the most efficient way to cut through is to do something unconventional.

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 currently live in Atlanta and work to raise awareness about convict leasing, forced labor, and their impact on today’s justice system. I’m also advocating for improved legislation around the criminalization of domestic violence survivors. Prior to that, I ran a creative communications practice for clients doing community change work and taught courses rooted in arts and civic engagement.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1) Pragmatism. Especially at a time when so much activism is driven by emotion, I think remaining level-headed has been a real asset. I try not to let myself get derailed and always focus on the big picture. I think of it like building a garden, not lighting a fire. Flames burn out, but gardens keep growing with patience and water.

2) Self-awareness. Before I do anything with others, I make sure I’m solid in my own footing and clear on my goals. The only way to hear your own voice is to carve out time away from other people’s voices.

3) Resilience. I’m learning to address burnout as it starts to hit, not after. This one is the hardest, because living in a human body requires a lot of maintenance (especially if you deal with chronic conditions). I’m constantly reminded that pushing through may feel okay in the moment, but it always comes back with a vengeance. I’m getting better at finding a balance.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I’d welcome a conversation with anyone doing work around race, women’s rights, and a re-imagined criminal legal system!

I’m also developing a resource hub for folks doing community organizing and civic engagement (best practices, strategy guides, examples of successful projects, etc). Reach out if you have something to add.

briagoeller.com/contact

Contact Info:

• Website: https://briagoeller.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briagoeller/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzbFotXdwoEwHN5JSqy0FMQ
• Other: https://ko-fi.com/briagoeller

Image Credits

Bria Goeller