A whole other journey around the sun. Arguably the most intense yet...
Well amigos, I am so so happy to be writing this - we did it! 2 whole years of Matriarch. I am feeling a way about it, lots and lots of emotions but all overwhelmingly lovely.
This past year has been the most overwhelming of my life. I forget that I wrote last years version of this a month into my grieving process and now we're over a year into it. That is unbelievable to me. In a year, we have started the podcast, grown this beautiful community and platform, done a fundraiser and a million more things. Oh and we got a degree! It really has been a whirlwind. But knowing that Matriarch is here has been one of the stabilising factors that calms me when I wake up in the morning. To have this community is an honour and one I will never forget.
This year I feel like Matriarch has really grown with and looked after me in a way I never expected. Matriarch has been my home, my distraction, my therapy, my salvation and just an utter joy. Whether I'm writing cathartic blog posts or chatting with incredible people who want to tell their story on this platform, it has enriched my life in a way nothing else does. This comes back to the key values we have here of listening to learn and growth from difference. To be learning and growing from people and topics that I am so different from has enriched and developed me in a way no educational institution can. And I think that's because it's so personal. There's a factor of humanity underpinning the work we do at Matriarch which clearly, people like and I find an honour to be able to offer.
I think this past year has made me believe in myself and this platform more. Clearly this works, clearly people like it and clearly there's a power in Matriarch. When you create content and genuinely pour your soul into it, not getting an outcome, especially numerical ones you think you should measure your worth with on social media, it hurts. You feel like you've failed and you should just stop. I mean this year, we've actually shrunk. There are less people following the 'gram, if that's the way you choose to look at it. But in fact, our engagement in the content itself is increasing. I used to say this a lot in our first year, and our second has gone to prove that whilst this community isn't yet of hundreds of thousands of people, those who are here care. Like really really care. And that is more than I ever could have asked for, more than I thought of for this thing I created back in 2019.
This year we also created and rolled out our first lot of consultancy and training work. Over the past 2 years of this job (it absolutely is a job to me), I have grown my skill set exponentially and learnt an unbelievable amount. Having provided training to people on the other side of the world about social activism and online campaigning, I have gained genuine belief and validation in my ability to help people. After not being able to hear this from one of my parents, hearing this from other people I was helping was the comfort and joy I needed.
I can't really comprehend exactly the effect Matriarch has had on my life or where it's going - I've never really planned this which makes it all the more exciting. But if I'm lucky enough to have it continue this way, I know I will have a richer life for it with so much love.
Thank you for any part you've had in this. You mean the world to me.
All my love,
Ria x
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