To Emerge

People in need of services may face hurdles to get the services they need.  To get all of the services one person needs, that person may need to walk through several doors in a single day. That is why we've partnered with Ace in the City and other Twin Cities charities to provide a holistic approach to charity and social services of a kind that is totally unique in Minnesota: The Center of Belonging.

At the Center of Belonging, a client with various needs can walk through one door and find what they need behind it.  Their needs will be triaged and they will be directed to the services needed, all in one place. This month we are talking all things Center of Belonging--and guess what? It is currently under construction! We are thrilled to call the Center of Belonging our future service site.

In this month's episode of To Emerge, we speak with Tim Anderson, founder of Ace in the City. Tim shares how the Center of Belonging came to be and the vision to provide a place where everyone feels known and feels like they belong.  As nonprofits, we are coming together with the same goal--to communicate to clients that they belong.

The Emerge MicroLoan Grant Program exists to provide an opportunity for business mentorship and start-up investments for single mothers who desire to be entrepreneurs and work their own hours. Recipients “repay” the investment by one day being a business mentor to another mom. Participants present their idea before a professional panel. One recipient is awarded each year. At Emerge Mothers Academy, we believe that when you get her started, she will do the rest!

Erica Morrow is the owner of Slow Road Photo, a family and student portrait company based in Minneapolis, MN. In her work, Erica is always on the hunt for honesty, joyful family moments, and beautiful natural light. When she’s not making animal noises and singing silly songs from behind the camera, you can find her embracing her own beautifully messy and altogether lovely Slow Road with her husband and her three elementary aged children.

Emerge Mothers Academy is Slow Road Photo's 2020 Nonprofit Partner. They have committed to donating 50% of their profits to equip single mothers at Emerge Mothers Academy.

About Slow Road Photo:

Slow Road Photo is a family and school portrait studio based in Minneapolis. Our company was born out of a deep desire to invite us all to walk a little slower and allow ourselves to be filled with a sense of wonder at the beautiful things in our lives. Whether through school portraits that capture children with honesty and heart or through playful and gentle spirited newborn and family sessions, the photographers on the Slow Road Photo team are passionate about helping you honor all of the moments along your family’s road. Slow Road Photo is committed to living out of a place of gratitude and operating as a conduit to be a blessing in our community and to the world world at large. We don’t want our impact to be an afterthought, but instead we want it to be at the forefront of every single thing we do. That’s why in 2020, Slow Road Photo is giving 50% of all our profit to Emerge Mothers Academy. The best part is that through every photo session or school print order, our clients become world changers, too. Together we can make little impacts that will add up to a whole lot. And we can’t think of anything in life more exciting than being on a team with the Slow Road Photo family to do just that!

Single momma, entrepreneur and TEDx speaker Junita Flowers is much more than just survivor of domestic abuse.  She’s a woman of resilience and is guided totally by love. She found strength baking the recipes of her childhood, which led to a purpose-filled business. Junita was not only determined to create a better life for herself and her family, she also made a commitment to embrace hope for others.

A portion of her company, Junita’s Jar profits are donated to support education and awareness initiatives dedicated to ending relationship violence. So, when you buy these deliciously wholesome cookies, you become a part of our mission to help women live their best lives

The To Emerge Podcast is excited to announce a new direction! We are shifting our focus to monthly interviews centered on empowering mothers. Our desire is to have you walk away believing that you can do this, you have the ability to rise up and the capacity to emerge.

Today’s episode features Sindy, a single mother from Emerge Mothers Academy. Sindy is a Colombian powerhouse who through the pain of divorce and the struggles of single parenting, has found an unshakable joy. She welcomes you to walk with her through her past and present stories hoping you find confidence and tenacity to power through your story too.

“You don’t come into this with a lot of confidence. However, through this process, you gain confidence. And I’m over here on this side. I’m not the woman I was two years ago. I’m so much stronger because every time I got through a day, I was like, Okay, I did yesterday, so I think I can do today.”

Lani Basa is the Owner of The Business Women’s Circle (The BWC), an organization that connects, builds communities, and creates experiences for women to grow. Celebrating 10 years, The BWC continues to focus on supporting women in business through peer Circles, workshops, and their Annual Forum.  Previously, Lani spent 22 years at the Target Corporation as an “intrapreneur.” Her tenure includes time on the Marshall Field’s Stores Leadership Team, Director of Organizational Effectiveness, and her last position—creating the HR Operations Division at Target. In all roles, she has always focused on strategic development, leadership coaching, and professional development.  The loves of Lani’s life are her people (family, ohana family, friends, pets...), learning (almost anything), the Pacific Northwest, food, books, and co-working spaces. Lani eventually plans to do more traveling, after having lived a nomadic life having lived in 9 states and 6 countries – all by the time she graduated from college – she knows the wanderlust will hit again.

"I feel hopeful that going through this will help someone else." Pam Carlson is a Chicago native, who now resides in Cincinnati OH with her husband and three small children.  She is a casual blogger and stays very involved in small groups for women and mothers.  Pam is an avid user of chapstick and loves coffee.  After her most recent mental health shift, and an uncovering of anxiety she has begun to use her voice to help others spot anxiety and panic attacks sooner. Pam hopes that her experience identifying anxiety will help other women to move forward with seeking a path forward with anxiety.

It takes grit to start over, especially as a business owner and single mother. In this episode of the To Emerge Podcast, we hear from owner and founder of Wellness With V, Vanessia Norris. When circumstances beyond her control changed, Vanessia saw it as an opportunity to take a bold step and make a fresh start in Minnesota. Vanessia shares how community, her faith, and love for her daughter give her the determination she needs to thrive as an individual and business owner. We learn that the power of being heard makes a lasting impact and is the driving force behind Wellness With V.

Vanessia shares with vulnerability her story of becoming a single mom and walking with her daughter as her daughter battles mental illness. We hope you feel encouraged that even if you are walking a hard road, you can reinvent yourself and have a fresh start. 

This week we are sharing an episode from Building Psychological Strength, a podcast by Peak Mind Psychology. Co-founder and podcast host, April Seifert, interviews Becca as they focus in on how to create a life of meaning after adversity. Becca shares how her journey through single-parenting created a pathway to empower single moms in the Twin Cities. We hope you enjoy this in-depth conversation between April and Becca as they dive into practical and powerful tools to have power over your thoughts and create a life of meaning after adversity.

Emily Harman has 38 years of service to her country as both a Naval Officer and civilian federal employee. Emily retired as a member of the Senior Executive Service in May 2019. Emily’s last assignment was Director of the Department of the Navy's Office of Small Business Programs, where she served as the chief advisor to the Secretary of the Navy on all small business matters.

Emily finds deep satisfaction in helping others achieve their goals and realize their potential. She continues to serve through her business, Emily Harman Coaching and Consulting, LLC, as a personal life coach, a small business consultant, and the host of Onward Podcast.

"And I think in sharing storytelling, we have to remember that everything that informs our current being can be something that goes back really far, and we don't have to tell the whole piece of the story. But that part of the story is still a part of me."

Hear Jeni Wren Strottrup, an audio, media and content creator, share her journey into narrative storytelling. Jeni shares that each part of her life journey, even trials, impacted who she is today and the stories she shares.

Jeni Wren Stottrup has been creating high-quality audio, media, and content for over 15 years, from recording records as a music producer to producing narrative podcasts and radio with her show Gritty Birds. Gritty Birds Podcasting supports independent podcasters and brands in refining their message and content with audio to match through production, editing, launches and one on one consultations.

Follow Jeni Wren Stottrup on social media

We are thrilled to share some insights on how Emerge Mothers Academy has impacted single mothers across the Twin Cities and it is all because of YOU! Your support allows us to come alongside moms when they are in a season of needing support and resources. We work one-on-one with moms to make sure they have the tools they need to move towards stability for their families.

In our Work Preparation Program, over 90% of our moms find gainful employment within their first 90 days with us. And in this said work placement, women are propelled upward to the tune of an increase in salary or wage $15k to $25k more each year. And you know what's happening when women are out-earning their former selves? They not only don't need government aid anymore, but they are paying more in taxes, and they're shopping more. It's like an economy win for us. And in our financial literacy classes, 80% of our participants are reporting an increase in confidence in handling their personal budgets. And they're planning for retirement. The microloan grant for our business-minded moms has been able to give away grants to the tune of $20,000 to moms who have a great business idea.

These are just a few examples of the work we have done together. We hope you enjoy this brief episode! We will be back with regular podcasting on October 22nd. 

Leah Adair, a Minneapolis-based mother and teacher, shares her journey through her diagnosis of OCD. 

"So I think the first thing is to remember you're not alone, and how common it is, it's one in four people...I think the first thing to do is to just acknowledge you are not alone, it can feel so isolating any kind of mental health condition can feel so isolating. Just because of the stigma."

Read this podcast episode full transcript here: https://otter.ai/s/D_O3foJtQ3Go1ARrX-_ljg

To Emerge is sponsored by Emerge Mothers Academy, a Twin Cities-based nonprofit providing support services to single mothers. 

Interested in becoming a Sponsor of our annual charity gala, Splurge For Emerge? Visit our website;

Have you ever felt alone in your journey of grief? Even with a community of people around you, grieving can be a very isolating journey. On today's episode of To Emerge, Mara Simondet shares her story of unexpected grief when her husband suddenly passed away. Mara shares how she has found that there is healing in honoring her husband's memory by celebrating him and the life they created together.  

If you are not in a time of grieving, learn how being intentional with your words or even your presence can be a source of comfort to someone who is grieving.

We are excited to share that one of our partner resources, Connected Families, is launching a podcast! Listen to this episode replay with parenting coach Chad Hayenga and learn practical tips that you can apply to your parenting today. 

Hear Becca and Chad walk through difficult parenting scenarios and how to approach them in a way that builds peace and connection with your children. View the full transcript of this episode here; https://bit.ly/2XV5IpI

We hope you walk away encouraged and with a renewed sense of purpose in parenting. One key takeaway; Instead of walking into hard parenting moments fast, large and loud, consider; slow, low and listen.

Meet Precious Detina, a teacher and podcaster. Precious shares her story of growing up with a difficult mother-daughter relationship and the path that it set her on. She shares how she overcame difficult situations living in poverty as a young girl and how they shaped her into the empathetic women she is today. Precious' podcast, Unmothered & Unbothered, works to provide a safe space for women who have walked the journey of a hurtful relationship with their mother and seeks to encourage healing and understanding.

If you have a difficult relationship with your mother, we hope you take away from this episode that over time, there can be healing. You can choose to move forward in life and that you are not alone in your struggle. 

Carisa shares her experience walking through a hard year full of trials that shaped her into the women she is today. From trials as a business owner to loosing her childhood home, she believes the character she gained from those experiences now serves a purpose. She is a champion for wellness for women and wants others to know they are not alone in their journey.

"I am so grateful I went though that (trials) because it has given me such a strong message..."

Hear a story of rising up from a unique illness. Maryanne Sea shares her recovery from Environmental Illness fostered her passion for Organic food and Non-Toxic Living and she champions these every chance she gets, including on several television and radio shows in Australia and the United States.

Terri Russell share her journey through the loss of a young son and the loss and betrayal of her first husband. Terri chooses to find strength in her faith to keep moving forward.

Today on To Emerge we hear from Katie Kath, a Twin Cities-based mother and entrepreneur. Katie shares her personal story of walking through the loss of her husband while having a young child and owning a business. Hear how empathy is the greatest gift to offer a person who is hurting and how resilience can be a healing tool.

April is focused on one of our core values; health and wellness. Today we hear from Mikaela Norman. An advocate for others to learn about their mental, physical, and emotional health. Mikaela shares her journey into the wellness space and goals she has to move forward in empowering others to live their healthiest lives.

This month on the To Emerge podcast, we are focusing on our core value; health and wellness. Nicole is a Certified Holistic Health Coach and Entrepreneur in Minneapolis. She teaches others how to become their healthiest, happiest, most authentic selves. Her holistic approach to nutrition and wellness goes beyond the food you put in your body. It takes a holistic view of all areas of your life, such as stress, relationships, sleep, and movement. Nicole’s ultimate goal is for you to live mindfully, eat more plant-based foods, exude confidence, and feel beautiful.

For the month of April we are focusing on all things health and wellness. On this episode, hear Dr. Reba Peoples share her story that lead her from practicing traditional medicine to functional medicine. Dr. Reba Peoples is a truth seeker, dreamer and spirit in evolution. As a board-certified psychiatrist, personal development coach and founder of Imara Health and Wellness, her mission is to help individuals and communities learn SMART ways to harness both the power of ancient wisdom and the gift of modern brain science in order to build extraordinary lives that are healthy, joyful and purpose-driven.

As a holistic and functional psychiatrist, Dr. Peoples recognizes that each individual’s unique environment, life history, biochemistry, and genetics all factor into their experience of wellness. As a community coach and orange methodologist, Dr. Peoples recognizes that the wellness of the individual cannot truly exist outside of the wellness of the community as a whole and by extension, society as a whole.

For the month on April we are focusing on one of our core values, health and wellness. 

For the month of March, we are talking all things financial literacy, one of the core values of Emerge Mothers Academy. This episode is an overview to understanding the basics of money management. We hope to see all women become financially literate so they can be independent and have a seat at the table.

Emerge Mothers Academy is a Twin Cities based nonprofit providing support services to single mothers.

For the month of March, we are talking all things financial literacy, one of the core values of Emerge Mothers Academy. On today's episode of To Emerge, hear Kailee Soderlund, financial advisor and nonprofit founder,  share her personal story that leads her to become an advocate for women who are or have experienced a form of domestic abuse. Kailee believes income is a tool to be leveraged. She is passionate about equipping women to overcome financial adversity.  

Kailee is a big believer in taking shame out of the conversation surrounding finances. We hope you feel empowered to take steps toward financial independence after listening to this episode.

Sign up for our email list to stay in the loop for future classes; http://emergetwincities.org/

For the month of March, we are talking all things financial literacy, one of the core values of Emerge Mothers Academy. In this episode, hear Stefanie Peters share her personal journey into entrepreneurism by firing her fear and paving the way for others.

February is our month on constructive parenting, one of the core values of Emerge Mothers Academy. In this episode, hear mother of 8 children, Laura McLellan, share how she and her family live intentionally through homeschooling. Laura is passionate about motherhood and shares tips to find thankfulness in everyday and create family values that draw the family together. 

This is our last episode in our personal development series. Hear clips from past episodes of women choosing to rise up in the midst of adversity to overcome.

We are continuing our month focused on personal development. Hear April Seifert, a Minneapolis business owner and podcaster who helps women achieve their goals, share her story of rising up! April shares the power in designing a life that reflects your values and striving to live each day to the fullest.

To Emerge is sponsored by Emerge Mothers Academy, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit providing support services to single mothers. To learn more, visit our website. http://emergetwincities.org/

This month we continue in personal development on the To Emerge podcast. Today we hear from Nancy Miedtke. Nancy is a learning and development manager in the Twin Cities. She is an expert in training people to leverage personal inventories in the workplace.  Nancy shares about the DiSC and Myers Briggs personal inventories.

Hear how understanding more about your personality can benefit your professional and personal life. Gain a deeper understanding to how you and those around you operate.

Personal Inventory Test:

Sarah Anderson is a Twin Cities mother and banker, who was diagnosed with breast cancer as she was parenting her young children. Hear her story of walking through this journey and learn how to support loved ones with breast cancer.