50 States Project
Has become the
#flipthebox movement

January 26, 2025

Dear Friends,

Please consider joining the Facebook private group! I’m overflowing with gratitude and excitement as I share what inspired me to start this private group. This group is an extension of the powerful connections I found during my 50 States Project, where sharing food became a beautiful symbol of survival, safety, and belonging—something that has been a cornerstone of humanity since the beginning of time.

As with anything I do, I began this journey knowing it wouldn’t be perfect. I often say, “It’s easier to make ugly beautiful than to wait for perfection—because perfection is impossible.” So, I launched this project humbly, starting in my own home over the past few months.

The conversations and connections that have come from these gatherings have been nothing short of amazing. I’ve been inviting three people at a time—sometimes close friends, sometimes people I only know through social media—and the magic of it all is that they often don’t know one another. (Though I once accidentally brought two dear friends together—what a reminder of how beautifully small our world can be!)

Now, the #FlipTheBox movement is taking on a national stage. Next week, I’ll be sharing this vision during my TEDxEustis talk, and in just a few weeks, my book will be released!

Looking ahead to 2026, I plan to travel to different parts of the U.S., hopefully reuniting with some of the incredible women I met during my 50 states journey. Together, we’ll host potlucks that foster belonging and connection—creating a table where everyone has a seat.

Thank you for being part of this dream and helping make it a reality. The ripple effect of #FlipTheBox is already creating community, reminding us that we are stronger together. Listening will always be more powerful than arguing, and it’s our differences that make us resilient and unique. At the end of the day, we all need food to sustain us, love to guide us, and connection to remind us that we’re more alike than we are different.

We’re just humans, doing our best and loving who we love.

I hope to see you at my table one day—and maybe even sit at yours.

In hope, love, and community,