Multicultural Family Hub

So. The big news. 

Andre and I are starting a business called Multicultural Family Hub.

Our goal is to bring together multicultural families with children so that we can connect to one another and create joy, ease, and beauty in our family lives. 

The past few years creating Barn Swallow Gardens have been so full of growth, beauty and healing. 

And yet, I’ve felt this tug that there was some other step we needed to take next.

I kept trying to push our business in many different directions, but nothing was quite working.

I kept waiting for the answer by being open, and closing doors when it wasn't working

The path forward all started on a vacation.

We had not taken a vacation in over 5 years.

We were slogging through the world of small children, Covid, Dixie Fire, and the belief that there was never enough time or resources. 

Last January changed that and we took our kids on a vacation to Miami.  

We enjoyed the warm ocean water, danced to the music in little Havana, and even pet an alligator in the Everglades!

However, the most important experience we had was in a Pirate Park. 

We took our kids to a playground that was built in the shape of a Pirate ship.

There were at least 50 kids there running, jumping, spinning, and playing.

Our kids jumped in with no hesitation.

They captained the ship, and garnered a crew of kids all from different cultures and languages.

Despite any barrier, they began plundering the playground seven seas together. 

They came home that night so energized, having made friends, and finishing off the night with cookies from an Argentinian bakery.

Our kids being able to see themselves reflected in other kids who also came from multiple cultures was so powerful. 

When we came home from that trip we started asking different questions. 

These were super challenging questions because we love our family, friends, and

the life we’ve built here in rural Northern California, but there was still that tug to create something different.

The rest of 2024 was spent trying to follow that tug but not knowing where it was going.

Later that year, on a trip to visit family in the South, it became clear it was time for us to spread our wings and make a change. 

In our 16 years together Andre and I have experienced that bringing together cultures to create a family can bring a whole lot of challenges.

You’re blending different parenting styles plus differing thoughts on money, spirituality, education, and work. 

Not to mention unspoken expectations, all these factors can create tension.

We’ve learned through trial and error, countless books, therapy, coaching, and many kitchen table conversations. 

We felt inspired to apply the knowledge, skills, and wisdom we’ve gained and share it with others.

Multicultural Family Hub will serve as a platform for community, education, workshops, and events.

It will be a space for other families who are on this journey with kids to see themselves reflected and realize they’re not alone. 

We’ll continue to share here about our journey with Multicultural Family Hub as well as Barn Swallow Gardens. 

If you’d like to get more exclusive updates about Multicultural Family Hub, please sign up below, we’ll be releasing our website, podcast, and more offerings soon!