How I'm Showing Up as a Changemaker in the Coming Year

Reflecting on how I bring this identity into my whole life

Hey Changemakers,

Today, I want take a moment to share some of the big and small ways that I will be showing up as a Changemaker in the coming year.

With the end of the year fast approaching, I’ve been reflecting a lot on how I can take agency in this identity even when the world feels out sync. As I often say, it’s important for each of us to remember we hold the the power to create meaningful change — especially in those times when we might feel powerless.

I just received my own Changemaker shirt from the campaign that ends in its first iteration this coming Sunday, December 8th.

In the spirit of that campaign, I hope this post about my own changemaker identity will inspire you to reflect on the ways you’ll be showing up in the upcoming year as well.

Showing Up as a Changemaker in my Professional Life

I’m excited to share that this fall I began a new role as the Operations Director for Explore Washington Park, an amazing nonprofit dedicated to connecting people with the culture, diversity, and wonder of nature in Washington Park, which is located in Portland, Oregon.

Spanning more than 410 acres, Washington Park is home to the Hoyt Arboretum, Portland Japanese Garden, World Forestry Center, the International Rose Test Garden, the Oregon Zoo, 15+ miles of stunning, forested trails (including the starting point of the iconic Wildwood Trail), and so much more.

While I take on this new role, I’ll continue my work with Art Nature Place, which has been so meaningful to me in recent years — where I will continue to partner with organizations on interpretative materials that help support greater access to the outdoors and facilitate environmental and cultural connections in meaningful ways.

I’m proud of the ways I will acting as a Changemaker in both of these roles — helping to expand access to public outdoor spaces and creating the best experience possible for people who visit places like Washington Park and beyond.

Living and working with intentionality has always been at the heart of what I do, and guides how I approach my life and my work. It’s what drives my deep commitment to honoring place, whether through my illustrations of native plants and wildlife or my efforts to expand access to cultural resources and the outdoors.

A broader sense of care and connection shape how I approach the relationships I build—whether with colleagues, partners, or the broader community. Through my work leading teams, collaborating with organizations, and co-creating projects through Art Nature Place, I’ve learned that fostering a sense of shared purpose brings people together in transformative ways. And at the heart of it all is community. I see my work as part of a larger effort to empower individuals and groups to imagine new futures and take collective steps to build them.

And here on Substack, I will be continuing the work of supporting others in their own changemaking journeys. As I get closer to the new year, I’ll be exploring ways to expand my focus on building meaningful community through this platform as well.

How I’m Showing Up in my Whole Life

I have talked a lot this past year about the importance of developing core values that can provide us with a compass and anchor for our actions. Living my core values is something I strive to do not just in my work but in my everyday life.

For me, this means being a person that acts with integrity, that shows up for my community, and that makes steps to model for others. There are certainly things happening around us that we cannot control, so my focus instead becomes the areas of our lives where we do have some control — our communities, our neighborhoods, our families, and even just simply ourselves.

This can include small but meaningful gestures, like helping an aging neighbor or the everyday ways I act as a parent for my son. I can even show up as a changemaker in the hobbies and recreational parts of my life. For example, as a runner, I support others and help build community by organizing weekly community runs open and welcome to all.

From lending a hand to organizing gatherings, I believe that fostering a sense of belonging is something we all can contribute to, and it starts with how we show up in our own personal lives.

And honestly, outside of work, I’m also excited to be able to wear my Changemaker shirt at gatherings with friends as well as out in the world at coffee shops, because I love the opportunity to start a conversation on the small ways we can all create meaningful change in the world. We can never have enough of these conversations, which are often the powerful sparks that lead to meaningful, transformative change.

Reminders of Where You Can Start

When I launched the Changemaker shirt campaign, I shared some steps that you can take action as a changemaker right now.

I’m sharing these ideas again because they also provide a useful framework for the new year.

1. Start Where You Are. What’s one small change you can make now and in the new year? Maybe it’s having a difficult but meaningful conversation, starting a new project, or taking a stand for something you believe in.

2. Invite Others to Join You. Change doesn’t happen in isolation. Share your story. Ask your friends, colleagues, and community members to reflect on how they can step into their roles as changemakers. If you’re wearing a CHANGEMAKER shirt, you’ll have an easy way to start this conversation with others.

3. Celebrate Progress. Every step forward matters, no matter how small. Embrace the process, and don’t wait for perfection to take action. What’s your smallest next step?

4. Be the Change. Wear the Change. Each of us holds the power to create meaningful change. The CHANGEMAKER shirt is designed to serve as a bold reminder of that power and a statement of commitment to the work of transformation. When you wear your shirt, you’re sending a message to the world—and to yourself—that you’re ready to lead with courage and determination.

The Changemaker Campaign Ends this Sunday, Dec 8

The CHANGEMAKER shirt campaign will end on December 8 — in time to give the shirt as a gift or have it in the new year. So maybe your work as a changemaker simply means giving this gift to a friend you admire for the work that they do.

Let’s lead with courage, inspire others, and make the changes that matter most. Because change doesn’t happen on its own—it happens when we rise to the challenge, together.

The current campaign is running on Bonfire.com through December 8th, and all shirts will ship after that date. Feel free to email me directly at murawski27@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Shirt purchases help support the work here at Agents of Change and efforts to grow this community & support a wider network of professionals across nonprofits to make positive change in their work and lives.

Let’s inspire each other to shape the future we believe in.

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