© 2024 by Beth Luketic in Birmingham, AL

Mission Statement

My mission statement is also the title of this website, Bridging the Gap with Compassion, Connection and Creativity. This statement is twofold. One aspect is on an interpersonal level. The way I conduct myself in one-on-one and small group interactions. The second facet of my mission statement is how I accomplish goals within a larger community or organization.  

To break this down further, it means I build community and accomplish goals by connecting with people using compassion and creativity. Compassion to me means using empathy, intuition and being fully present when I’m interacting with people. I use the word creativity in a way that bridges the gap between people, especially people different from myself. This requires thinking creatively outside the box to acknowledge my biases and actively fight against them. I also believe, creativity is built out of diversity. A diverse group of people can accomplish more than a group that is homogenous. And, it’s more fun!  

One way I fulfill my mission is to be in the liminal space; to be “on the edge of the inside.” Think of liminal space as the space between. It’s like dawn and dusk or spring and fall. These times are transitional times; they are the bridge between day and night, summer and winter. Essentially, a liminal space that bridges the gap between two polar opposites.

What I mean by being “on the edge of the inside,” is to never fully identify with one group of people. This mentality says, “Yes, I’m a part of that group, but its membership doesn’t define me, and I’m also a member of that group too.” This comes both naturally and intentionally for me. I have always inadvertently defied the stereotypes of my own group. But now, I intentionally do it as an act of inclusion, open vulnerability, compassion, and to make people feel more comfortable.

All throughout my adult life, I’ve received confused looks when people find out something about me that doesn’t align with one of their presumed stereotypes of what a person who… “is from there;” “belongs to that group;” “is friends with those people and those people;” “listens to that kind of music;” etc… is supposed to be like. Brooke Deterline eloquently describes this in her TED Talk as being “a pattern interrupter.”

Recently, I connected with a phrase America Ferrara and John Paul Lederach said on the On Being podcast from Krista Tippet. “Boundary-less Identity.” These words are another way to look at Bridging the Gap. I believe one of the ways we can deeply connect with one another is to remove all the labels (i.e. boundaries) that “define us.” When we are able to do this, we see the other person is not that different from us. We see them for who they really are… human.

I’ve found that after I specifically defined my mission, I started to enjoy life a lot more. The words Bridging the Gap with Compassion, Connection and Creativity became my encouraging guidepost and gave me permission to fully live my life instead of simply going through the motions of being alive. And I’m realizing that when I focus on the “Boundary-less Identity” of people who are different than me, I have a lot more in common with them than the people who are the same as me. Living life by Bridging the Gap is a lot more fun and interesting!

** I say all of this with the knowledge that it’s impossible to separate myself from some groups I belong to. Specifically that I’m white and I’m female. I can’t change this. They are facets of who I am. Accepting that I belong to these groups means that I also acknowledge the privilege that comes with them – as best as I can understand and continually strive to understand.

© 2024 by Beth Luketic in Birmingham, AL