Clarissa Watkins
When it comes to loving her neighbor, Clarissa starts with the basics: providing physical, emotional and spiritual health to all local families, even if they’re uninsured.
What keeps you up at night?
What can be done so that all kids have equal opportunity to be healthy kids who grow up to become healthy adults who contribute to healthy, thriving communities?
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Make friends who don’t look like you. This not only applies to physical appearances, but also to other factors such as upbringing, education level and income. The way we build relational bridges in this broken world is by being good neighbors to one another. Pull yourself out of your comfort zone of familiarity and get to know people who may have different political views, families or lifestyles than yours. Ask them real questions about their lives and invite them into yours. Let them see your highs, lows and in-betweens. Be intentional about sharing theirs and then have insightful conversations about those experiences.
“Pull yourself out of your comfort zone of familiarity and get to know people who may have different political views, families or lifestyles than yours.”
One year from today, how do you hope you’re different?
I hope that one year from today, I look more like Jesus. I want my words and my actions to reflect him. I hope that while interacting with me, people are reminded of the goodness of God and the love he has for them.
What’s been the biggest obstacle in your life so far?
One of the greatest challenges in my life so far (or at least what feels most daunting) is being a “bridge.” As I have learned more and become more vocal about social issues, I have ruffled the feathers of people I love. Everyone has their own views and opinions and as an empath it has been especially difficult to facilitate these more challenging conversations without letting emotions take over.
clarissa is one of 100 women we have featured in the inaugural issue of Hundred Magazine. To learn more about her and the other 99 women, buy the issue.
