A City for Connection and Curiosity
A rare Phoenix native, I grew up here and have always felt the paradoxical disdain for the smoldering summer heat and delight at the crisp, sunny winters. Despite enjoying splashing in the pool most summers, I still carried a bitterness towards the debilitating, intense sun, and I remember saying when I left for a St. Louis boarding school at sixteen, “I am never coming back.” As they say, never say never.
About twelve years later, I returned begrudgingly with my new family in tow. My husband-at-the-time had taken a job in Chandler, and my mom and stepdad still lived here in the valley, helpful with our two-year-old at the time. Little did I know that Phoenix would become a place I would call home, not because of the climate, but because of the people.
Shortly after moving back, I took a dance class with Movement Source Dance Company, who invited me to join, and I’ve been dancing with them now since 2009. My fellow dancers have seen me through pregnancy, miscarriage, two divorces, multiple job changes, and more dating mishaps than I can count. They are my second family, and performing all over the valley has opened my eyes to so many beautiful spaces, incredible artists, and hidden opportunities.
When I started my writing and editing business, Joyfull Communications, here in 2022 right after my second divorce, I was in dire need of community. I had no idea how many amazing people in the Phoenix area I would get to connect with, partner with, provide services to, and learn from over the years. While I can work remotely from anywhere, I love working in my favorite local coffee shops best, Songbird Coffee and Tea House and Dark Hall Coffee, as well as local libraries. While I can work with clients from anywhere, I love supporting local businesses with their books, newsletters, and content strategy. Then when they succeed, we get to meet in person to celebrate!
One thing I didn’t realize at sixteen when I left was how much creativity existed here in Phoenix, how many artists and entrepreneurs make this city their home and love collaborating. We are social beings, and while writing is often done solo, some of my favorite communities are storytelling and writers’ communities where I get to meet people practicing their craft and having endless fun doing it. Whether listening to six-minute stories from locals at the Storyline Slam at Changing Hands one Friday each month, or moonbathing with my fellow creative fiction writers under the Strawberry Moon as we engage in wordplay and laugh till we cry, I now call Phoenix my home because the people I have found here are my kind of people.
Some say we naturally find what we are looking for. Maybe that’s true. Maybe I would find incredible people wherever I go. Yet I can’t help but notice that even when I am aimlessly wandering the aisles of Costco or hiking up South Mountain, I run into people who are kind. Who offer help. Who smile. Who make each experience I have a little lighter.
For a sprawling metropolis, Phoenix, for me, has a surprisingly intimate feel. And, at the same time, there is always more to discover. A new mural around the next corner, a pop-up performance when you least expect it, an adorable consignment boutique a friend introduces me to. So for those of you who, like me, love to feel both connected and curious, Phoenix provides both. Who will you meet today who will surprise and delight you, and make your life in this sunshine city even brighter?
