By Cade Martin

As a kid, I spent many a dinner at a table surrounded by friends of my parents, an eclectic cast of characters — sculptors, writers, painters, creatives. That thread of creative community has remained in our offices, our teams, and our collaborations. But that thread feels thinner in this moment.

So I asked, with the purpose of sharing, and of supporting and caring for this creative community in its current, uncertain reality. I asked what people are doing, how they are feeling, how they are sparking creativity. It feels important to share what we do, when we can’t do all our doing.

Reaching out first to some of the talented people I’ve had the good fortune to profile though the Capitol Communicator portrait series.  It’s my version of a virtual dinner table of sorts. Grab a chair and listen in to my conversation with Carolyn Becker, Senior Manager of Communications & Community Engagement at Goodwill of Greater Washington.

Carolyn, what, if anything, are you doing differently?

I really miss my morning commute, traveling to and from the office, seeing the city throughout my journey. The city has a special aura after sunrise – a sense of calmness and air that’s not usually present in the city. My commute was also my way of staying physically active, haha. Since I am now working from home, I wake up even earlier to find a moment to catch a breath before my virtual day begins….since everyone is online all the time now. This virtual world has changed everyone’s schedules. From a physical activity standpoint, I now dance every morning! Now playing: Gloria Estefan’s, The Rhythm is Gonna Get You. 

Are you staying creatively active?

Oh yes! The creativity never stops. Whether, it’s finding new ways to spread Goodwill’s message and mission or foster my own sense of style – it’s always going. Here are some ways I’m staying creative:

• My daily morning funky disco solo dance parties. Music always lifts my spirit.
• Dressing up daily. Dressing for success in my thrifted vintage attire allows me to further build my fashion styling muscle. Every day, I experiment with new patterns and textures, especially ones that I may not have rocked in public, for the fear of being seen as too out-there. 
• I’ve pulled out almost every denim item that I have to be reinvented with leftover fabrics, patches and paints that I had sitting in storage. I love working with my hands, so I’ve been hand-sewing and learning at-home stenciling techniques

How are you sparking yourself creatively?

I am very passionate about ways to reduce my environmental impact and be a better consumer – every action we take affects Mother Earth, our community and our wallets. Thus, I’m always finding new ways to reduce, reuse, recreate and recycle. By examining my actions and consumption patterns, I’ve been able to refresh my behaviors and evolve my daily practices. Also, because I work on social media, I really have to be online all of the time. So when I’m not working, I try to remove myself from using my technology. By looking away from the screen, I can practice mindfulness and being present in the moment.