Meet Alicia Sanchez | Founder & Published writer Dear God Are We There Yet

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alicia Sanchez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alicia, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
It all started with a fantastic, large, loud, loving hard working Dominican family. I was the only girl out of three boys, and my parents were entrepreneurs before I knew what that word meant. I grew up in a creative environment and decided to study Fashion right from high school which led me to experience fashion weeks as an intern with Oscar de Renta and Carolina Herrera. Later on, life happened, and I encountered many health-related roadblocks leaving me wondering what’s next in my life. In the midst of business and fashion, I stumbled upon writing. Of course it stared with my childhood author obsession.

So I began writing and published a book , I began a podcast and let my voice sing interviewing guests with a message, story or conversations. I rebooted my Youtube channel and slowly building my tribe. I submitted to every publisher, and editor and even with all the rejections I kept driving through my journey.

I quickly realized this is bigger than just helping one person at a time. Our vision is to provide life changing volunteer experiences that make an impact to help communities one question, one conversation at a time. We are bringing a different approach to volunteering whether in person or online.

We want to cultivate a socially conscious mindset that provides a time-shared approach for generations to come

We listen to local people’s needs, dreams and plans. Then, we mobilize volunteers to work hand-in-hand with them on their community’s vision to serve youth and families. You’re now part of that conversation!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The beauty in hindsight about any idea is that we see it as failure but infact it’s opportunity to learn something we need. I opened a Kids Fashion and Design school 8 years ago. At the time the demand was twice what I was able to accommodate. My employee at the time saw the community interest in the project and took the idea and replicated it. Though it was disheartening to go through this, I learned a lot. Though I had to close the location my mother took over and was able to launch the school in a different state and it was successful. This was definitely a learning experience and though I had to close the location, I learned sometimes you have to let go to see growth. My idea and dream did not die with me, it grew and succeeded elsewhere.

You see we are in a world that is continuously changing, and therefore we must adapt to it. Thanks to social service, many lives are benefiting. That is why our passion leads us to seek alternatives that generate impact through small actions, which, over time, will dramatically positively influence our environment.

We live in a globalized world, and the experiences that we have today will transform lives that would make us reconnect with our human essence.

When you hear the word volunteering what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Our non profit wants to change that perspective and the connotation behind what being of service is to others and impact. We provide volunteers to non profits globally virtually, we provide community impact microgrants to people right in our community that need help getting to the next step, employee volunteer programs and teaching children about social good through our worldly kidz boxes but the beauty about volunteering is that there are unlimited ways to help people!

This is why we created the Crafts Create Change Book. .This Book provides crafts that you can make and donate directly to causes like Foster Care, Domestic Violence, NICU, Elderly homes, Children on the Spectrum, Farm Workers and the list goes on! This book is not just any craft book. In fact, it’s so much more than a craft book. It’s a tool for positive change in your community and in the world. We show families, artists, crafters and sewing enthusiasts how to identify opportunities for change around them and how to use their hands and creativity to make those changes happen.

These sewing & craft projects are easy enough for people of all ages and skill levels to complete. We provides additional online resources: such as step-by-step instructional videos for each project and a donation directory for finding where to donate the handicrafts you create. Crafts Create Change has over forty different projects to choose from, including community projects.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I can’t take credit for these amazing recommendations they are actually from a friend, foodie and amazing business mentor Angel Marie from itsangelmarie.com. She was the one who introduced me to these hotspots. So for sure Garden Room Restaurant, Forzo Storcio in Midtown and South City Kitchen for the best southern food! Let’s not forget a little shopping in Buckhead which my girl Keisha who is an event planner from Rainbow Party Rentals knows a good shopping trip. I am also a mom of a toddler so Georgia Aquarium hands down is literally the perfect place for all my mom besties!Plus if you are a crafter or sewing enthusiast I recommend Melanated Fabrics & Creative Center in Midtown. More importantly, this is a business founded by two women of color who see the importance of representation and are on a mission to show that sewing is about inclusivity, Plus on March 26th, 2022 at 3pm we will be having our Crafts Create Change Book Launch there and we will be crating a project to support woman affected by Domestic Abuse.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Honestly I always recognize God first and foremost because I can go on and on about the influences that have inspired me along this journey we call life. However; I will say EVERY single person I have encountered in my life I want to recognize whether it was for a reason or a season as most people say but it’s the truth. Think about it every single person we encounter their thoughts and behaviors influence us sub-concisely or concisely. It’s the basis of Dear God Are we there yet.

Website: www.deargodarewethereyet.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deargodarewethereyet/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deargodarewethereyet/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dgawty

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC36xzfMVY9eDkeuwrybF1Zg

Other: www.craftscreatechange.com

Image Credits
deargodarewethereyet