Kyla: Hi Joy and Kylee! Great to meet you. Thanks for being here. Could you start by sharing a fun fact about yourselves?
Joy: I like to go on walks. And I have a son.
Kyla: Oh nice. Where do you like to walk?
Joy: Everywhere.
Kyla: Nice, nice. And how about you Kylee?
Kylee: I’d say my fun fact is that I know how to juggle. And I was born and raised here in Jacksonville.
Kyla: Oh, that’s nice, so this is your home. That’s good. How long have you guys been with L’Arche?
Joy: 39 years!
Kylee: She’ll hit 40 next May!
Kyla: Oh, wow. Congrats, Joy. And how about you Kylee?
Kylee: I started as an assistant a year ago last September.
Kyla: That’s great. What do you think makes L’Arche unique?
Joy: I like everyone. Everybody tries and helps pick up the mess. It’s one in a million.
Kyla: How about you Kylee?
Kylee: I think L’Arche is unique because It’s a place where everybody’s gifts and talents are recognized and celebrated. I don’t feel like that happens everywhere. It’s a place that is accepting of everyone—a place with kind common-minded people all united to make the world a better place.
Kyla: That’s good! And Joy could you elaborate on “the mess?” Do you mean the mess around the world or where?
Joy: The mess right here, for me, and anywhere.
Kylee: L’Arche helped you through a hard time, right? Helped clean up that mess?
Joy: Yes, that’s it.
Kyla: Okay cool. That’s awesome to hear. So, what is tough about sharing life with L’Arche?
Joy: It’s hard sharing things… But it’s really not that hard!
Kylee: [Laughs.] I think, for me, it’s probably that I always want to give my all, but I don’t necessarily always have a full cup myself to be able to do that.
Kyla: So, that is tough for you?
Kylee: Sometimes. I always want to be the best assistant that I can be, but sometimes life is hard and it can be hard to push through to be a source of optimism. But the cool thing about L’Arche is that you don’t always have to be. It is a safe place that you can be vulnerable and share when you aren’t feeling your best.
Kyla: Thanks for sharing. How has L’Arche impacted you as a person?
Joy: It makes me more aware of my surroundings. It makes me more aware of what I can do and what I can’t do. It makes me more mindful of what I am capable of.
Kylee: I can honestly say that L’Arche has impacted me as a person by giving me some of my best friends. It’s given me the chance to really slow down and enjoy the little moments of life, whether it’s eating dinner together at the table and talking about our days or watching TV together. Or just laughing or going on a walk. … It’s made me more in tune with myself and more comfortable with myself. It’s given me a new outlook on the world and how there are still a lot of things we need to do to make the world accessible for everyone, but I think we are going in the right direction.
Kyla: Oh yes, I agree. Okay last question: How do you think L’Arche impacts the community around you?
Joy: The community around me has become more accessible to me. I have the opportunity to be in more places.
Kylee: I was also going to say something similar to Joy. I think L’Arche being in the city of Jacksonville has led to like some connections around town which has been cool. We recently connected with the local coffee shop, Happy Brew. It’s made to be accessible to everyone and employs everyone. It’s neat. We’ve started doing events with them. … I think L’Arche creates a lot of opportunities for core members to be engaged in the community, helping build connections between people with and without disabilities. That is the mission of L’Arche and it definitely leaves a positive impact on the community.
Kyla: That’s good. It leads to people knowing each other.
Kylee: Yeah, it creates a smaller community within a bigger city.
Kyla: That is important. Well, these are wonderful answers. Thank you, guys!
Kylee: Thank you! Have a good day.
Joy: [Smiles and offers a thumbs up.]
Learn more about L’Arche Jacksonville at www.larchejacksonville.org.
