Spring is officially here! Help us kick off the season with Dawn Hancock, a troublemaker, a bleeding heart, a designer by trade and a do-gooder by choice. She will be chiming in our risk series. Get to know her a bit better below and join us next Friday 4/29 at Morningstar! Tickets get released on Monday, 4/25 at 11am.

What are three things you love about working in the Humboldt Park neighborhood?

I love being part of a community with a rich history, culture and people. Our nonprofit arm, Reason to Give, has been focused on helping the needs of the community over the last 9 years, so I have gotten to know a lot of the people who live here. The more people I meet, the more I love being part of it.

What drives your desire to create?

Helping people. I feel like that is what I am on this planet to do.

How does Chicago influence you or your work?

Born, raised and schooled here, I’m a midwesterner and Chicagoan through and through. I absolutely love being able to work with clients to help make our city better. From helping small business take their organizations to a new level to giving nonprofits a voice and visual language they always knew was in them but didn’t know how to express, I feel insanely lucky to be able to help our great city become even better, one collaboration at a time.

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Vanilla. Plain + simple.

List three words that begin with the letter “R” to describe your personality!

R.1 — real
R.2 — reserved
R.3 — resilient 

What does this month’s theme – risk– mean to you?

Risk feels like a dirty word. Like something you’re not supposed to do or feel. I say fuck that. Risk is something that should be embraced. Something that, one way or another, you learn from. The fear that most people feel that comes with risk prevents them following their hearts. Lets get rid of it. Lets think more like Brené Brown and open ourselves to being vulnerable and true and courageous. That’s where all the power is.