Today we’d like to introduce you to Hanna Hochstetler.
Hi Hanna, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Northern Indiana and graduated from Goshen College in the spring of 2018. I spent most of my college career working with other student activists on campus to address issues of safety & support for survivors of sexual & domestic violence. While that continues to be an area of work that I am passionate about, I felt burnt out from the intensity of the work and needed to take a step back for my own wellness.
As I began to explore other social justice work, I had an opportunity to travel to Arizona and travel to the border. Following my final class, Immigration policy and advocacy where I learned about the US’s oppressive & racist policies around immigration, I had the opportunity to walk 75miles in Arizona to raise awareness about migrants dying in the desert due to those border policies.
Similar to the work I had done in college, I found hope & community among activists from across the country working to create a safe and welcoming place for all. We all have the opportunity to speak out against injustice, work toward equity and learn from each other. Looking to move to a new city, and find a job working with immigrants, I joined a volunteer program called Mennonite Voluntary Service and ended up here in Kansas City.
I spent about two and a half years working at the Migrant Farmworkers Assistance Fund. I continued to appreciate the role community played in the work I did. I transitioned to my current job as Youth Programs and Volunteer Coordinator at the Front Porch Alliance in April 2021. I love working with youth & children & feel like this is a great opportunity to learn & connect in my community.
I have found that some of the most profound teachings & reflections have been shared by youth. I enjoy finding ways to have conversations with youth about social justice and community engagement. I hope that all of the youth programs we offer at the Front Porch Alliance empower students to understand their stories, trust their voices and engage in local efforts to strengthen our community.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Being away from my family has been difficult. I grew up living within 30 min from my dad’s extended side of the family and about 2-3 hours from my mom’s side. We had monthly get-togethers & attended each other’s school events. Being in Kansas City now, I don’t get to see family as often as I’d like. The pandemic has only added to the difficulties in seeing family. My love of community stems from my love for my family.
Another tension I hold is around the speed at which I do things. All of the work that I do is centered around relationship building – and that kind of work takes time and trust. I constantly have to remind myself to slow down and remember that our long-term goals are centered around building community, not around transactional relationships. I find joy in the community members I have met, the partnerships I have built and the experiences we have shared together.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As I mentioned before, I am the Youth Programs Coordinator at the Front Porch Alliance. This summer I will lead two youth programs for 13-17yr olds on KCMO’s east side. One of our programs, Reel Collectors, offers youth an opportunity to learn about filmmaking, record a short film, and learn about the basics of entrepreneurship.
The youth in that program created an amazing documentary about music and how it affects them. Our other program, PORCH Storytellers (Preserving Our Relationships & Collective Histories), uses storytelling as a central theme as we explored a new art medium each week. Whether we are using collage, improv, poetry, or clay, we find ways to share stories from our lives and pour them into our work.
During the school year, I coordinate five STEAM based programs; some in schools, and some at our offices.
One program that I am excited to relaunch this fall is Our Stories, a community engagement, and mapping program. Each semester youth are given a theme (last fall was food sovereignty) and they are encouraged to meet with community members and learn through conversation. Our hope is that we are able to record these conversations and create a podcast episode to share with the wider community.
As we go along, youth in the program will be able to map out the areas we explore. We will create a virtual map where folks can select an area in the community and see photos, read a reflection or listen to a conversation – all created by the youth in our program.
My passion for collaboration and community involvement is one thing that sets me apart from others. I am thankful to work for an organization that values community input and amplifies community strengths. Our youth programs not only offer opportunities to learn new skills but also build relationships with our neighbors.
What do you think about happiness?
There are many things that make me happy: watching a spectacular sunset, sharing a meal with friends, meeting someone new and feeling that connection, going on a hike, and exploring a new area. The list goes on! The pandemic has limited my ability to freely move and explore but it has also allowed me space to slow down and find joy around me. I got back into painting, and reading! Two things I love.
I also got my garden going again this summer. Being able to share the harvest with my colleagues, friends, and neighbors makes me really happy. At work, I try to find something that makes me happy every day. Here are a few things that made me happy these last couple of weeks: a conversation with a colleague in the late afternoon, a walk during my lunch break to drop some flyers off at a local neighborhood organization, an eruption of laughter during one of our programs, an “aha’ moment with youth when he finished rebuilding the teams’ robot.
The list could go on. Reflecting on what makes me happy is a good reminder to identify the positive things I have going in my life right now. There is a lot of tough and heavy work that needs to be done in our world, and I can easily get bogged down by it. But taking the time to find the joy keeps me moving forward. Thanks for asking this question.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.frontporchalliance.org
- Instagram: @frontporchalliance_kc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frontporchalliancekc
Image Credits
An Sasala, Ryan Haney, and Hanna Hochstetler
