By Miranda Millard
Chaos Coordinator
We were worried about the rain – would people show up in the rain? And then as I hopped in my car to head down to the venue – the hail started. I remember seeing Derrick’s tweet “Oh HAIL no?!” and I couldn’t help but think about all the hard work, grit and determination that had brought our 4th class of entrepreneurs to this day. The night was for them.
Walking in the rain – feet soaked, the entire MORTAR team putting in 12hrs that day (plus weeks of preparation) – it was all for the entrepreneurs. An opportunity to celebrate our students who were ready, who stay ready, “Open4Business”. Life’s a Pitch – PITCH Night and Graduation – an evening of connection, community, of pride, dreams accomplished and goals to continue to work towards. Success stories in the making…Name it claim it.
The Drinkery blessed us with the venue [thank you Justin!] and the weather was no match for the abundance of support our entrepreneurs received. People poured in the doors like the precipitation that fell at their feet and there was a line out the door prior to the official start time. Supporters, alumni and partners all waited patiently to get inside. Suffice it to say – we made it rain and those rain showers brought rainbows as each graduate colored their canvass, the stage, full of liquid sunshine hopes, dreams, visions and revisions.
Our graduates pitched their passions and the silver lining of the night was made visible in their shine. A late April evening shower gave way to a deluge of growth, nurtured by space and opportunity committed to community building… and equity. And thus the hectic, the frazzled, the stressed out – so much, TOO MUCH going on for all of us – was all worth it in the end. It always is.
The day after I received a text from an acquaintance who had attended the event – “I hope you all are celebrating today. Another class down!” I responded with an LOL – and that we were all just back to work. We stay on the grind – just like our students. And neither a drizzle nor a monsoon will keep us from achieving our goals. We can’t stop, won’t stop. Our entrepreneurs can’t stop, won’t stop. Cloudbursts of condensation and sun showers keep the growth going.
We here, and we’re not going anywhere.
Bring on the lemonade.
