Meet Vivian Williams-kurutz

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Vivian Williams-kurutz. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Vivian, so great to have you on the platform. There’s so much we want to ask you, but let’s start with the topic of self-care. Do you do anything for self-care and if so, do you think it’s had a meaningful impact on your effectiveness?

I have a large toolbox of self-care practices that I draw from to nourish myself physically, mentally, and spiritually. These include contemplative practices, journaling, physical activity (preferably outdoors) with my favorites being walking, biking, lap swimming and yoga. Laughter is truly good medicine and I welcome the funny that can evoke tears, howling and staggering about while holding my belly aching from the convulsions. Gratitude is guaranteed to raise my vibrational frequency along with nourishing myself from the inside with wholesome, life-giving foods.

Nature holds a particularly special place in my self-care practices. Its healing power deeply impacts me because it asks nothing of me except my presence and noticing. The warmth of the sun or the touch of fresh air on my face, combined with the miracle of creation, washes over me in a profoundly restorative and deeply healing way.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Vision-driven founder and executive director of Harlem Wellness Center, health activist, community organizer, speaker, workshop facilitator, and writer. Through her two decades of work at the intersection of racial and health justice, she is committed to contributing to the vibrancy, health, and stability of her community and the world. Vivian received a Proclamation from the office of NYS Senate in recognition of her service to the Harlem community.

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?

The three qualities that have been most impactful along my journey are: Vision, Collaboration, and Faith.

Vision-making is at the core of my life journey. Words like manifesting and law of attraction are commonly used today but as a young person, I was unknowingly employing these powerful practices. I was a dreamer and many of those dreams have come to fruition. Having traveled across the globe, I’m sure that my doing so is connected to that little girl who stood on her bed at night running her fingers across a large map of the world and naming the places she wanted to visit. At 15 years old I dreamt of moving to Manhattan from my native state of Wisconsin, when there was no supporting evidence that it was possible. The City of New York has been my beloved home for decades!

Vision-making paired with my ability to reverse engineer the steps needed to chip away at a big idea is a process I employ over and over as I aim to live the fullest expression of myself and potential. Writing down my vision and protecting it from those who can’t imagine or encourage me in the vision has been a crucial element in allowing me to move forward.

As a community builder, fostering collaboration has also been a throughline in my life. I’ve seen the beauty and power of working together for a shared purpose. By forming partnerships, sharing resources, and combining expertise and labor, I’ve been able to accomplish more than I could alone. Doing things together is also a lot more fun!

Last but not the least, I possess a deep faith in that which is larger than myself and called by many names: God, creator, great presence etc. My faith is at the core of who I am and how I engage with the world. I believe visioning is sparked in the soul. Once I have a vision though, it takes sincere faith on my part to participate in the process of moving toward that vision through action steps. Belief and action are sweet companions. While I have on occasion been teased by my family about my penchant for dreaming, they’ve ultimately been a source of encouragement. The balance I gained from family through roots of emotional support and wings to fly out of the nest, has helped me be brave and take risks while knowing that my worth is ultimately not wrapped up in worldly accomplishments.

Based on these three factors that have helped ground me in the vicissitudes of life, my humble offering is to encourage others to nurture the qualities of vision, collaborative action and faith: Dare to dream boldly. Your vision and your personal mission statement will serve as lampposts when your journey gets foggy. Don’t try to go it alone. Ask for help and build alliances. Build a strong network of people who believe in you and your passion. Be kind to yourself, especially when things don’t go as planned. Forgive yourself and others, even when it’s difficult. Letting go of that negative baggage will keep you moving forward.

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?

In addition to having built approximately 30 community and corporate partnerships through my work with Harlem Wellness Center, I’m also in a Creative Partnership with the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies and a Collaborative Partnership with The Wellbeing Project. If you’re about peace, racial healing, mindfulness, and actively doing what you can to move the tide towards a safe, just, free world where all are equally positioned to thrive, I’d love to learn more about you, your work and your big vision.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Cassi Glisper (headshot)

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