Meet Chloe Carter

We were lucky to catch up with Chloe Carter recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Chloe, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

My belief in my creator and my purpose to help others on their journey to overcome has been the foundation for my resilience. However, in full transparency, resilience has sometimes felt like a cross I have had to bear. As a child facing death, divorce, mistreatment and being an emotional pillar for my family, I was still somehow able to hold on to moments that brought me joy and carry those with me through every situation.

I think I have always naturally been an optimistic human but have been intentional in the last few years by practicing mindfulness, building my own self-confidence, relying more on my network and taking action in the face of fear. My love for music as therapy has also played a pivotal role in building resilience; processing trauma through melodies feels transformative for me. I have learned that resilience is a hidden gem that builds on itself over time and ends in being at peace with yourself first and foremost.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.” – George Bernard Shaw

I am also the Owner/ Founder of The Advocate Agency. The Agency helps to navigate conflict, strengthen company culture and guide transitions for individuals and organizations through neutral third-party mediation and facilitation services. We offer tailored solutions that help organizations find opportunities for growth to align and thrive.

I have been a career youth development coordinator and advocate for the last 18 years. I work as the Youth Community Engagement Coordinator for Chesterfield County, Virgina. My biggest accomplishment in this role has been the opportunity to be the Co-Chair of Programs and Activities providing creative direction and session design for Teen Summit RVA over the past 3 years. This event hosts up to 1,000 students across the Richmond Region and focuses on youth voice, workforce readiness/exploration, soft skills and life preparedness. This year we will have over 17 interactive sessions, a 100+ vendor workforce fair, and over 10 fun and engaging activities!

I am currently the Religious Education coordinator at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, a historically Black Catholic Community in the heart of Churchill, Va. This is role allows me to connect spiritually and culturally while learning to helps those struggling with challenges in their faith life.

Historically, I have specialized in trauma informed care and resilience training; identifying individual and community needs and providing resources. I have worked for several non-profits including Communities In Schools that are experts in this work.

I may be a bit of an art, food and music snob. I love to be impressed by these mediums and explore new experiences that I’ve never had before. My current music obsession is Alex Isley, My Noodle and Bar in Richmond Va. will always have my heart and Miguel Carter-Fisher is one of my favorite painters of all time.

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?

Being able to navigate social situations and adapt to different environments has served me well over time. I have developed the ability to build relationships with almost anyone and also help others to be more comfortable in spaces they may feel out of place in.

My ability to dream big tends to push ideas about rising to the mission of a project or organization along. I have been able to helps others understand all that it takes to make an impact that lasts.

Anticipating the needs of others has helped me to exceed expectations in all areas of my life. Everyone appreciates being thought of without having to ask.

If you are early in your journey, remember to always stay true to your values. Write them down and embody them so that when you face challenges, you have a compass that helps you make decisions.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

The author Brianna Wiest has me in a choke hold right now. The first book I read is called “101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think” and that’s exactly what it did. This book helps you understand the ways in which humans seek control over things that we often can’t control. It’s a practical guide to self-acceptance and resilience. I feel like it was divinely inspired as it draws many parallels to the concepts and teaching of the bible. I have also read two of her other books, “When You Are Ready, This Is How You Heal” and “The Pivot Year”.

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Image Credits

Professional photos taken by Terrell Artis

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