Loving Practice and Action

[L]oving practice is not aimed at simply giving an individual greater life satisfaction; it is extolled as the primary way we end domination and oppression.

bell hooks

All the Colors is rooted in my faith of a better way for each of us to relate to our resources and each other. My faith that there is that of God in all of us has slowly morphed into rooted action, into a desire to have love be the driving force for my life.

My introduction to the Religious Society of Friends (aka Quakers) came thanks to a friend recommending I check them out as a way to learn more about my new city, Philadelphia. I went out of love for old buildings like the Quaker meeting house, respect for Parker Palmer (the one Quaker I’d ever heard of), and my natural curiosity.

I arrived, sat quietly amongst the oddly lined up pews and relaxed. After a few minutes I began to cry because I felt the peace I had only ever felt in the middle of a forest – who were these people? I asked myself. How could they remind of sequoias and the lushness of Costa Rica? And why had I not noticed how much I was craving community?

A few days earlier there had been a bombing at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, the next major city in the state of Pennsylvania. After maybe 20 minutes of silent communion this topic came up in people’s messages. I was deeply moved by a Friend’s call to keep everyone in our heart, even those we see as causing harm.

At the time I was struggling adjusting my values to my new work environment. As a financial planner to high net worth individuals I knew the expectation was to help them maximize their individual enjoyment of wealth. I recognized that I worked to uphold a status quo of privilege I found heartbreaking and shortsighted.

Attending Quaker meetings gave my week structure and introduced me to faith in action, a social activism with hope and pragmatism. Their belief in a better world and practical movements like Earth Quaker Action Team pushed me out of complacency. I began to truly question extractive capitalism and my despondency about our prospects. Although you may not know it from my constant smile, my nature leans toward hopelessness and depression – the faith in action I witnessed each week at Quaker meetings changed me.

Going into Action

The Quaker call to follow one’s heart into action rooted my desire to help others with their money in the spirit of social justice. All the Colors, my financial empowerment business, was established days after the quarantine in place mandate went into place in Philadelphia, and days before a young Friend, Alice Edgerton passed away.

Alice had encouraged me to start my group coaching since we’d first met in January 2019, but I didn’t get to share it with her. I remember our first lunch together well. She felt shame from not earning her way because of health challenges related to cancer. She also shared her fear around what would happen once her settlement and disability were spent down. It felt good to normalize her experience and give her tactical tips on how to manage her student loan deferment.

The last few month’s of Alice’s life I helped guide her on how to establish a Trust for her mom that would not interfere with her own medical benefits. Tragically, Alice passed months before her mom so the precautions were for naught, yet I’m happy that I got to act as a money translator for her. Translating money and our financial systems into Alice’s language was an act of love.

Through All the Colors and specifically Bosque Money, the community coaching program, I bring this love to the people I get to work with. I translate money, capitalism, self-worth, exploitative practices, and owning our money patterns with compassion. It is thanks to the example of Quaker Friends that I am able to work with people to navigate imperialism, exploitative systems, and financial disempowerment with open heartedness and a deep knowing that a better way is possible.

Did you find this post helpful? Sign up for my newsletter to stay in touch or learn about my 6-month Group Coaching Program.