PhillyCulture

In the spirit of gratitude and welcoming in the forthcoming new year, please indulge me as I reflect on my time here with Philly Culture. An opportunity that came my way at the perfect moment, I have been fortunate in joining a warm and supportive group that helps me achieve my ultimate and simple goal: to explore! Not everyone has the ability to say wholeheartedly that they love their work and I am fortunately a member of that elite club.

Through an act that seems more like serendipity than fate, I found myself in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection many moons ago. I trepidly made friends out of strangers and ventured outside of the borders of my college campus, hundreds of miles away from my hometown. Meters, parallel parking, and clueless pedestrians all became mastered in time. Today, I cannot imagine myself anywhere else. From talent and moxie to wit and candor, there is no end to the vast personality that is Philadelphia.

"We're so busy watching out for what's just ahead of us that we don't take time to enjoy where we are."

—Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes

Becoming a member of the PC team has opened new doors to me, expanding the cultural facet of my urban experience. I've borne witness to elevated voices from within our community and the exploration of our public spaces. Stepped back into my own history through visual and aural love notes. Been inspired by modern femininity and the strength in redefining it. These experiences and new points of view foster my continuing growth while being reminded to take time to smell those proverbial roses.

The year is not yet over and there are still things lingering on my 2017 to do list. If you'd like to join me, I would love the company!

• Contemporary Photography Exhibit at the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center
• Big and Small, Books for All at the Free Library of Philadelphia
• It's a Wonderful Life at the Walnut Street Theater

Cheers!

Philed by Kim Iburg