Welcome Hannah Parker!
This month, Hannah Parker joins United Way as Manager of Volunteer & Community Engagement. Hannah brings over five years of experience working in the Triangle. She previously served as Program Manager at Band Together in Raleigh, NC.
Why is this work important to you?
As someone who was born and raised in the Triangle, I knew from a young age that I wanted my community to be at the center of the work I did. Over the years, I’ve seen the Triangle change drastically and become a leader in industries and a beacon for folks looking for a better life, while people and spaces I love have been displaced and discarded. We’re at a pivotal point in the Triangle’s story and it is deeply important to me that equity and justice are the main characters.
What most excites you about taking on this new role at UWGT?
I’m excited to learn, grow and evolve alongside colleagues, community leaders and radical thinkers whom I’ve looked up to for years. This is an organization that walks the walk. They are led by their community and they are rooted in justice. It is an organization that loves the Triangle and also holds it accountable. We share a tough love for our community and I can’t wait to dive into this work with folks whom I can learn so much from.
Could you share a favorite quote?
“Find a beautiful piece of art. If you fall in love with Van Gogh or Matisse or John Oliver Killens, or if you fall in love with the music of Coltrane, the music of Aretha Franklin, or the music of Chopin – find some beautiful art and admire it, and realize it was created by human beings just like you. No more human, no less.” – Maya Angelou