“It is one thing to be good at what you do, and it is another thing to be good and bold enough to have fun while doing it.” – Hanif Abdurraqib
Six months into my role at MORTAR, Allen asked me to help lead our $8.7 million Building the Dream campaign. At first, the pressure felt huge: raising that much money, telling the story of why this building matters, and trying to make people care about it as much as we do. This project required effort from all of us, working together toward something bigger than any one of us could have done alone. Now, we are 97% of the way there, preparing to unlock a major match with our end-of-year campaign rolling out soon. What a journey to get to where we are today.
I’ll be honest: there were moments when it felt heavy. I wanted to deliver excellence in every detail. But the longer I worked at it, the more I realized what my friend Hanif’s words mean. It is not just about being good at the work, but about enjoying the building, the people, and the process along the way.
That is how I started carving out time for myself as a non-negotiable. Committing to daily movement outdoors, like biking the Wasson Way, hiking local trails, or simply walking around the neighborhood, has become that thing I do to reset. Other days, I enjoy sitting on the fourth floor as the golden hour light pours in, or walking through the building when it is still, right before the shuffle of footsteps and the jingling of keys as my colleagues file in. Those moments offer me perspective and remind me why this all matters.
Two years later, the MORTAR Building feels like a different place entirely. I think back to when it was still under construction, and now, when I walk through our doors, I am excited to see who we will welcome each day. I enjoy seeing alumni gathering around tables, my colleagues dreaming up the next event, neighbors shooting promo videos, and visitors enjoying breakfast in our café. Nearly 1,000 people have already come through these doors, and seeing the building this alive is its own kind of joy.
All of us have grown here. This building has pushed us to become better at what we do, and to hold onto the commitment not only to do the work well, but to be bold enough to have fun while doing it.
Ciarra Wooten
Development Manager
