A Note From The Journey

Staff List

Julia Long has been a devoted advocate and leader at Circle of Hope for many years. She began as a student in the Getting Ahead Class, then interned at Peace Connections while earning her master’s degree in social work. After graduating, she volunteered consistently and joined the staff as Volunteer Coordinator and, more recently, has served as a Facilitator for the Getting Ahead Class. Julia notes, “It has been really wonderful to notice the ways in which each individual is able to recognize and be accountable for parts of their own story in which they have control. But what is more beautiful to me are the ways in which you are watching in real time individuals holding spaces of grace, compassion, grief and joy in such a short time. There is a beautiful show of the strength of resilience and allowing for both what is hard and very real without sugar coating, but seeking out the brightness in one another to remind us all that through the horse blinders of life, there is more often someone on the other side just to let you know, you are not alone.”