I’m feeling extra sentimental as I reflect on this past weekend’s beach cleanup and the incredible team that continues to grow with The Giving Gifts. I just wanted to take a moment to express gratitude for a few very special people here in Ensenada who are very much behind the scenes of everything!
When I first considered moving to Ensenada, Karen Garcia was the very first person I called. The Garcias were the only family I knew when I arrived here, and Karen has been part of every step since. A year ago, she was the first person I invited into the changes The Giving Gifts would undergo, and she hasn’t missed a beat since. Whether it’s helping EZ up, welcoming everyone, or taking on anything that needs to be done at our cleanups, Karen and David, are always the first to show up.
Mariana, Juliett, and Natalia are the other three official members of The Giving Gifts team and I can’t imagine what we would do without them. Mariana is the ultimate problem-solver. Whenever we hit a roadblock or need a creative solution, she’s always there with an idea. Juliett might be one of the most skilled at just about everything, entrepreneur, connector, and creative who makes sure we have coffee at every cleanup! And then there’s Natalia—someone who just gets my ideas before I even finish explaining them (which is wild because half the time I don’t even understand my ideas haha!) She’s always quick to say yes, follow through, and lead with her heart.
Natalia will be moving to Mexico City soon and getting married, which is so exciting for her, and while it’s bittersweet to see her begin this new adventure, she still has one more cleanup with us before the big move! Although, I am still trying to convince her to come out for the cleanups even after she moves, I know and trust that her gifts are going to continue to be used here and any community she finds herself in.
One of the most beautiful things about impact is that it doesn’t simply end when circumstances shift—it continues on. It’s the ripple effect. Every person who has impacted my life has left an imprint on the way I use my gifts. Each person who pours into me has left a part of themselves in the work I do today. That same ripple effect is something I see in The Giving Gifts—how every person who shows up, in any capacity, leaves a lasting mark. Even when they move on to new things, the impact continues.
