When I Learned to Fly

In 2010, while volunteering with Women In Film, I had the opportunity to produce a public service announcement for the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles.

Our director, Sarah Elgart, envisioned and writer, Alison Marek, penned a powerful metaphor: a trapeze artist falling safely into a net, symbolizing how the Legal Aid Foundation serves as a safety net for people facing some of life’s greatest challenges.

There was just one problem.

Our budget was $100.

To bring the vision to life, as producer, I needed to secure a high-speed digital camera capable of shooting dramatic slow-motion footage, a trapeze rig, 2 professional trapeze artists, an equipment truck, and a crew of about a dozen people. Then, just when it seemed we had everything lined up, the trapeze school we had planned to use backed out at the last minute.

Determined to make the project happen, I approached Richie Gaona to involve his phenomenal trapeze school. At first, he was understandably skeptical. Why should he and his community invest their time, talent, and resources in someone they barely knew?

That moment taught me one of the most important lessons of my career:

If you want someone to invest in your dreams, sometimes you have to first invest in theirs.

So I enrolled in his trapeze school.

I learned how to fly. I showed up. I became part of the community—not because I needed something from them, but because I genuinely wanted to support what they were building.

Something remarkable happened.

Once trust was established, people wanted to help. The trapeze community rallied around the project. Stakeholders became champions. Partners stepped forward. Through coalition building, shared purpose, and generous in-kind contributions, what seemed impossible became achievable.

Together, we created something extraordinary.

The PSA went on to receive an Emmy nomination, which elevated everyone involved.

While I was honored by the nomination, the real reward was learning a lesson that has guided my work ever since: the strongest partnerships are built on mutual relationships.

Whether in philanthropy, community relations, stakeholder engagement, or nonprofit leadership, meaningful impact rarely starts with asking. It starts with listening, participating, and investing in others first.

This photo reminds me that before the Emmy nomination, before the successful production, and before the recognition, there was simply a decision to become part of a community.

Time and time again, that's when momentum always takes over and allows us to fly.