Episode 11: Quick Hits - Being Inspired By and With Lori Gay

Shared Ground

Send us a text

What happens when you've spent years helping communities increase home ownership only to see everything burn down? Beyond the ashes of wildfire devastation, communities face the dual challenge of rebuilding structures while preserving their human spirit.
Sean had the chance to connect with Lori Gay, CEO of Neighborhood Housing Services of LA County during a 2-day working session focused on recovery and rebuilding in LA.

She offers a profound perspective on recovery that challenges our very understanding of resilience. "In many communities of color, they do not want to be defined as resilient," she explains, "because the thinking is why do I have to appear as though I'm bouncing back?" This powerful reframing shifts our focus away from expecting communities to demonstrate superhuman recovery. Rather, how might we create genuinely sustainable futures where people don't lose themselves in the process of finding their way back home.
The conversation reveals the emotional weight carried by those supporting disaster-affected communities. Gay shares her personal approach to sustainability: "If I need to cry every day, let it happen. Just keep pushing forward, but not forgetting that I need to walk or swim or sit and be quiet." This balance of action and reflection forms the foundation for effective long-term recovery work.
Most remarkably, the discussion uncovers unexpected wellsprings of hope emerging from disaster's aftermath. From a 90-year-old determined to rebuild to strangers donating cars to pastors who've lost everything, these "goodness stories" represent our collective hunger for connection after years of pandemic isolation. "Post-COVID, people are ready," Gay observes about this extraordinary outpouring of support, suggesting that within horrific circumstances, we might also discover our renewed capacity for compassion.
Subscribe to hear more conversations exploring how communities rebuild with resilience while honoring both their structures and souls. Share your own stories of unexpected goodness emerging from difficult circumstances in the comments below.

Shared Ground is produced by Sean Knierim and Allan Marks. Thanks to Cory Grabow, Kara Poltor, Corey Walles (from The Recording Studio) for your support in launching this effort.

For more stories of resilience & rebuilding, kindness & generosity: visit shared-ground.com and subscribe to Sean's substack. We invite you to share your own stories of resilience at the Shared Ground website - whether in response to the January fires in LA or other situations.

Follow us at seanknierim.substack.com, Instagram, or wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc).

Chapters

1. Introduction and NHS's Wildfire Recovery Work (00:00:00)

2. Redefining Resilience in Communities (00:00:41)

3. Self-Care During Crisis Response (00:02:37)

4. Finding Hope in Unexpected Places (00:04:41)

5. Post-COVID Community Giving and Gratitude (00:06:01)