Visual Eyes

Ep 16 - Building Community: Diane Pappafotis on The Pride Center’s Impact & LGBTQ+ Advocacy

• Visuals by Momo • Season 2 • Episode 16

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🌈 How can nonprofits create lasting impact in the LGBTQ+ community? In this episode of Visual Eyes Podcast, we sit down with Diane Pappafotis from The Pride Center to explore how collaboration fuels change.

🏡 Key Topics Discussed:
✔ Affordable LGBTQ+ housing & senior support 🏡
✔ The importance of safe community spaces 🏳️‍🌈
✔ Women with Pride: A program empowering LGBTQ+ women 💜
✔ The power of nonprofit partnerships & overcoming competition 🔥
✔ How events like Wilton Women’s Week build visibility 🎉

Diane shares her personal journey into nonprofit leadership, why she believes collaboration is the key to success, and how The Pride Center is making South Florida more inclusive and connected.

🎧 Tune in now to be inspired by Diane’s work and learn how you can get involved!

🔗 Watch the full episode on YouTube: [INSERT YOUTUBE LINK]
🌍 Learn more about The Pride Center: PrideCenterFlorida.org
📢 Follow Visual Eyes Podcast: https://www.VisualEyesPodcast.com

🔹 #LGBTQ #Nonprofit #CommunityImpact #PrideCenter #WomenWithPride #SafeSpaces #Collaboration #Inclusion #LeadershipMatters #EqualityForAll


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Special Thanks to Stacy Daugherty for the beautiful wall artwork in the background. Socials: @artographybystacy

Chris Baker:

Chris Baker, and each week we'll explore incredible connections between nonprofits, businesses and the community. This is a space where we highlight inspiring partnerships, uncover strategies for creating meaningful impact and share stories that show how working together can make all the difference. Whether you're a nonprofit leader, a business owner or someone just passionate about building connections, this podcast is for you. Hello, and welcome back to Visual Eyes. Today, we are welcoming to the show Diane Pappafotis.

Chris Baker:

Did I say that right, right, you did, I did yay, names can be a little tricky sometimes, but I'm glad that I've, you know, worked on it a little bit. So and you are with the Pride Center. So what I would love tell me a little bit about your journey and what inspired you to join and become involved with the Pride Center.

Diane Pappafotis:

The amazing Pride Center. Well, I actually was connected to the Pride Center before I moved to DC excuse me, florida. I moved here four years ago and in my previous life I was actually following the Pride Center via social media. I was stalking them and they were building this amazing which is now a 48 unit affordable housing for the LGBTQ plus community.

Chris Baker:

Oh my gosh, that's amazing.

Diane Pappafotis:

And I did some work in affordable housing in my previous life, so I was following them on social media as this amazing apartment complex was being built, and so I said that's an organization that I need to follow and I need to stay connected to.

Diane Pappafotis:

And so fast forward. Two and a half years later, there was an opening at the Pride Center. There was a couple of openings at the Pride Center and I said, hmm, and a friend told me about this and I was looking. I was not working at the time, I was taking a hiatus, practicing my yoga and trying to figure out what's next in my life. So I connected with the Pride Center, had some great conversations with Robert Boo, who's the CEO, christopher Fagan Bush, the COO, and I ended up with the Women with Pride program and I'm the coordinator and it's a great place to be being a woman and getting to hang out with women all day.

Chris Baker:

That's amazing.

Diane Pappafotis:

It's a tough job.

Chris Baker:

Oh yeah, sounds really bad, but it sounds like you actually had the time to really, you know, take time for yourself, regroup with yourself and, when that opportunity came, in it was just a beautiful opening, so I love that.

Diane Pappafotis:

It was. It was great, and I have a background in nonprofit and I feel very passionate about the work, and so it was a great connection right off the bat.

Chris Baker:

Oh my gosh, that's awesome. So part of our story here on being on Visual Eyes is we want to talk about collaborations. So the Pride Center has collaborated with organizations like Coffer Support Housing. Did I say that right? You did Good and to develop residential residence for the Equity Park.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah.

Chris Baker:

So how has this helped the LGBTQ plus seniors?

Diane Pappafotis:

Well, I think, first of all, there's a shortage of housing affordable housing across the country, and in this area there's not a lot of housing for LGBTQ plus individuals, and so this is a unique offering in the community and I think the Pride Center and this happened prior to me being there but I think it was really forward thinking about having this connection with the community center.

Diane Pappafotis:

As we get older, it's oftentimes can be an isolating experience for folks, and so what a marriage being connected to a community center that offers a variety of activities on campus, and so it's, I think, been a great partnership between the two. Probably some bumps in the road because you have differing communities and populations that may be existing at the same time in populations that may be existing at the same time, but it's wonderful because, being on the campus, there are some folks that don't get out a lot, so they can just go next door and take place in events that we have, like Coffee and Conversation, all the social events that we have. We also have wellness events there, so it's very easy for folks who may not get out a lot. So it's been, I think, a good experience so far and definitely an evolving relationship.

Chris Baker:

No, that's fantastic Because, honestly, you know, as we age, it's sometimes harder to meet new people, build those connections, especially in the senior community. So like definitely giving them a space where they can actually just be free and, you know, be happy and content. I think I just love that.

Diane Pappafotis:

Me too. Yeah, I do too.

Chris Baker:

What other collaborations have you guys experienced in the community, with either nonprofits or for-profits, that you can tell us some stories about?

Diane Pappafotis:

So I've been at the community center almost two years, so almost my two-year anniversary.

Diane Pappafotis:

So I'll speak about my own experiences.

Diane Pappafotis:

The Women with Pride program oftentimes we partner with other organizations to offer services, and so, whether it be social, health, awareness or educational services, last year we had an amazing series called Films at the Center, and what we did is we offered some amazing women's films four different films. We had partnerships with organizations like Tello Films they're based out of Nashville we partnered with Outshine, we partnered with Franco Stevens from the Curve Foundation, and so these partnerships allow us to offer these great events and we can offer educational opportunities for folks so they can learn about these other organizations, and then we fill those needs in a way that we can't just do by ourselves at the Pride Center. So collaborations for us are everything, because we're not experts in everything, but we do know how to partner with organizations, and in my program specifically, I often link people to different services, and so I have to know what services are offered in the community, whether it be private or public, and so linking women to services that they need is crucial, and that means we have to have good partnerships.

Chris Baker:

No, I remember actually going to one of the film nights that you guys had. That they need is is crucial and that means we have to have good partnerships. No, I remember actually going to one of the film uh nights that you guys had you were there, you saved us.

Diane Pappafotis:

We were sinking technically and you saved us. Oh my gosh, that's right. Yes, I, I've told that story that was an amazing night.

Chris Baker:

I love the two videos that we got to play. Yeah, um, there was some technical issues at the very start yes uh, we worked through, we figured it out, we did, um, but yeah, that was amazing night there was actually a few other people for profits there, actually in the back tables, that were able to collaborate and give back. Uh, one of them I remember was I can't remember the name, but I remember michelle singer yes, michelle singer tasteful thoughts, tasteful thoughts, perfect amazing.

Chris Baker:

Uh, I can't remember the name, but I remember Michelle Singer. Yes, michelle Singer, tasteful Thoughts, tasteful Thoughts, perfect, amazing. She was there. And then I also remember Francine Sweet with Sweet Life Travel Tribe.

Diane Pappafotis:

That's right.

Chris Baker:

She was also there that night. Yes, and then also the Skirt Soap Flow magazine was also there that night. That's right. Yeah, so there was a lot of amazing collaboration that evening just to kind of get out there.

Diane Pappafotis:

It's important those organizations help sponsor our events, so they help us offer events to folks at either low cost or no cost, and it's important to have those collaborations Again, these organizations being with Women, with Pride, I love to support women's organizations or organizations that support women, and so it's wonderful, these collaborations. We need them, we want them, and when folks come to the Pride Center, we want them to have a great experience. And that's part of it, a great experience, and that's part of it connecting with their community, connecting with resources, making sure that they come to the Pride Center and they have a great experience, but they also know what else is happening in their community.

Chris Baker:

Well, and also they need a space to feel safe.

Diane Pappafotis:

Absolutely. It's part of our mission.

Chris Baker:

And no, and that's great. Actually, can you explain the mission, Like what is the mission of the Pride Center?

Diane Pappafotis:

Well, we offer a safe and welcoming place for individuals, lgbtq individuals and our friends and allies in South Florida, and so we have an amazing campus. Not only is the Pride Center there, but we host other organizations as well. They rent space from us. To name a few Dolphin Democrats, gay Men's, chorus, sage of South Florida, transinclusive. They're all on our campus and these organizations do amazing work. They, too, want a safe space, so we created that on this campus and that is our goal to make sure that everybody in the community is welcome here, and I would say that, in my experience in the past two years, it is a safe and welcoming place. I've heard feedback from women who've come to my programs saying they feel comfortable there. They may not want to go out to a bar, but they feel comfortable at the Pride Center. We have parking and they know that they're going to see friends. So I think we live up to that mission.

Chris Baker:

No, yeah, I've been there only a handful of times, but every time I've been there, I've been there only a handful of times, but every time I'm there. I've always felt welcoming Great Safe. It's been a really good opportunity just to meet new people. I was there for Coffee and Connections.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah, coffee and Conversations.

Chris Baker:

Coffee and Conversations yeah, and that was fantastic. I think there was some donuts.

Diane Pappafotis:

There were, and some coffee.

Chris Baker:

Lots of coffee, lots of coffee. It was just an excellent space to just relax. We got to hear from a few people that were helping in the community and different events that were happening, so it was a good collaboration.

Diane Pappafotis:

And not only do you hear about what's happening in the community, but we have a great opportunity for organizations to sponsor Coffee and Conversations, so they can come in be a sponsor, help support the event and we get to hear about their organization. And so each week we have a different sponsor and it varies. It could be financial services, it could be health and wellness. It really varies and oftentimes these organizations are just part of our community. The individuals in that room probably already do business with them and they are supportive of the Pride Center and we want to support them as well.

Chris Baker:

That's amazing. So on the other end of the spectrum, sometimes we have some challenges that we have to face when we're trying to collaborate and work with either a for-profit or other non-profits. Can you kind of of help share some of those stories that may have happened so that we can start navigating and how to change that conversation and make it easier for us to collaborate with you know other people.

Diane Pappafotis:

That's a tough question. It's a tough question because you really want to be honest in those challenges in the relationship. So I'll be as honest as I can. My experience sometimes has been there is a feeling of competition, and competition, I think can be challenging, but it can also be a way to figure out how you can collaborate I was about to sneeze, I'm sorry. How you can collaborate and figure out how you can collaborate, and I was about to sneeze, I'm sorry. How you can collaborate and figure out how you can be stronger together.

Diane Pappafotis:

And so there there've been a few times that I've worked with organizations where we've had to sort of really get into the logistics of what it means to work together in a sense, where there's a lot of questions and trying to figure out certain things ahead of time, where you may not have all the answers the first time you date someone. We say, well, let's try it out and see how it works. And I've had a couple of relationships where folks haven't felt comfortable. They really wanted to nail down very specifics and it just hasn't worked out. It hasn't worked out. So I think you have to have some trust going into brand new relationships and trying to figure out what that means and be clear about goals, be clear about what it is that you want and what it is you want to achieve together. And if you have that I think you can have successful relationships. But if you don't have that clear communication, that trust, that goal setting, sometimes things can go, can go bad communication, that trust, that goal setting.

Chris Baker:

Um, sometimes things can go, can go bad. Yeah, it's basically, like you know, building a business or making your mission move forward right you have to have the ultimate goal yeah and sometimes there needs to be flexibility right and if you both can see the ultimate goal and like this is what we want yeah that collaboration, effort to work yeah but then you know they're moving this way and you're moving this way and you're kind of going the opposite direction.

Chris Baker:

True, if the new goal isn't in the same site, you're not going to come back and that's the problem. So, yeah, you definitely need to clear those goals and the strategies to go. Okay, what if we did it this way? What if we moved the needle just a little bit to the right, a little to the left? Whatever it needs to happen, so that really kind of brings the collaboration back on on track you've done this before, yeah we've worked.

Chris Baker:

We've worked with different non-profits and even, you know, with working with for-profit and for-profit. When you have to, like, have a common goal, right, like, okay, my business is doing this and your business is doing this, how do we work together? And so there's always this collaboration effort. Obviously, this show is more for the non-profit, specifically because we really want to make sure that communities really improve.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah.

Chris Baker:

And the best way to do that is to help non-profits, because that's how we're going to start from the ground level and keep building up, so we're building a better foundation I love that you know what I mean, and so by building a better and stronger foundation through collaboration yeah that's where we're really going to shine through, and if everybody is all about competition, like, oh, then I have to do it this way and I'm only into it this way. You're only limited to what you can see right there.

Diane Pappafotis:

You said it.

Chris Baker:

Right.

Diane Pappafotis:

You're right, absolutely.

Chris Baker:

So if we have two people working towards the same method and it's two different organizations or two different people, yeah, towards the same method and it's two different organizations or two different people. Yeah, you've expanded it exponentially beyond that one person, because now you can see bigger and you have more paths and then hopefully you get other people involved and that just helped it grow. So I really do feel that this is the reason that we're all here is to collaborate. We need a tribe.

Diane Pappafotis:

We do.

Chris Baker:

To actually move the needle forward.

Diane Pappafotis:

You just said something that I didn't really think about in the answer, but the learning component of it. Every time I've collaborated most of the time I've collaborated I've walked away really thinking like, oh, I loved how somebody just did that and I love how they do this. For-profit, non-profit, doesn't matter.

Chris Baker:

It doesn't.

Diane Pappafotis:

It's the learning and the emulating, and I have done it so many times through my collaborations and I see it and oftentimes in non-profit, especially when you're running a program there is a component to it where you have to market your program and yourself. And just because you're a non-profit doesn't mean you need to be good at selling. You kind of have to sell a little bit and it really is doing it authentically and just communicating what it is that you want to do. And I have learned that through collaboration. I've learned to better market myself and my program by watching other people and my collaborations and how they promote what they do. So that is so true that you talk about these collaborations, and I think it's the one thing that I've really learned here at the Pride Center, because my collaborations in my previous life were very different and so I've done things very differently. I network differently, I work differently and it's a lot of those collaborations have taught me a lot. Oh yeah, I mean it.

Chris Baker:

Collaborations have taught me a lot. Oh yeah, I mean it's even taught me a lot in the last three years since we've opened our doors to visuals by my mom yeah, it's been three years it's been three years, uh, and we were just super excited that we're able to, you know, continue the work that we love to do. We're continuing to tell stories, but it wouldn't be possible without some of the collaborations and the people that we have met and moved it forward Like they're our lifeline.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah.

Chris Baker:

And I'm so grateful for them, like it really made a huge difference, and every nonprofit that we've had the opportunity to work with. We're having the opportunity to build their story through video.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah.

Chris Baker:

It's opening doors for them build their story through video. Yeah, it's opening doors for them. It's giving them a new structure and a new way to speak to their audience. Um, so, yeah, it's been very beautiful cool.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah, I'm glad to hear that. Being visual is hard.

Chris Baker:

It's not easy not in this day. Yeah, so in this day and age, how do you stand out? Yeah, and you know, you've got everybody that's on TikTok and Instagram and Facebook and everywhere and all of them are doing like dances or all of that stuff and they're so fun to watch.

Diane Pappafotis:

They are. They are Interesting.

Chris Baker:

But how do you compete as a nonprofit One if you're not making enough video content? Yeah, To stand out.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah.

Chris Baker:

And two are you telling the right story? That's so important to make sure they're on that same path. Yeah, so um cool, that's very important. All right, so let's go back to pride center and so you guys have a couple initiatives like the active aging health expo yeah, and women with pride program, yeah so, and they aim to help the community. Can you share any success stories that really stand out of that impact and how it's helping Broward County?

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah, I'll start with the Women with Pride program. For the most part we offer social, educational and health and wellness programming for women. I say for the most part because we do other things, we do community work outside to help other organizations, but our focus primarily is to offer this kind of programming for women. The stories that I have, the feedback that I've heard, as I've already mentioned, we offer a safe, welcoming place for folks.

Diane Pappafotis:

The community that we serve is not as visible as the men's community here in South Florida, and I'm not going to speak for all women, but some of us like to stay in a little more and nest and not go out and go to the bars late at night.

Diane Pappafotis:

So oftentimes we offer programming for folks that makes it accessible for them. So we have an afternoon program that we offer quarterly. We have events during the day, early evening, and so I feel like sometimes the community has a lot of options. If you want to go out late at night or if you want to do certain entertainment kind of activities, to do certain entertainment kind of activities, we offer programming, I think, for the folks who may not want to do the typical kinds of programming. And so it's important again to have a safe space for folks to go to, and one woman came to me after one of our events and said this was the first time that she had gone out in a year, since her wife passed the first time by herself, and so for me knowing that there are folks out there they're seeing us on social media and in those videos- that they can come to the Pride Center and feel safe and welcome.

Diane Pappafotis:

I think that's serving our community.

Chris Baker:

I think that's hitting the mark, and so I've been excited to be a part of that extremely valuable and very important, and I know that there actually is a very big women's community here there is um, because I've seen it firsthand yeah, I bet you have I have been amazingly working with uh, lesbian thespians and I've met some amazing people where I met laylee and I met you through multiple different channels and just seeing the way that you're building this community and, you know, bringing people together in a safe and fun way, it's just, it's so beautiful because, honestly, it's so valuable yeah um for me growing up, I didn't have that yeah and so it was kind of like. You know, I'm seeing all of these safer spaces where I can be myself.

Chris Baker:

I can actually, you know, do something amazing and be my like, be authentic.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah, it's hard, it is.

Chris Baker:

It's sometimes hard to just let yourself go from that. Okay, I'm going to pretend to do this and I got to do it this way Because I came from a very small town.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah.

Chris Baker:

Less than 200 people, so a very, very small town.

Diane Pappafotis:

Is that even classified as a town 200?

Chris Baker:

people. No, if that's, maybe it's a uh village, I'm not even sure, but it was. It was hard and I I really knew that I needed to be somewhere diverse yeah and so coming down to south florida was like this is home, like I'm starting to feel like this is home because I've met some amazing people here and the collaborations that I've made and just the chance to actually be me yeah it's so invaluable and you're contributing to your community, and so that's, I think, that allows you to make those connections that you otherwise wouldn't have and deeper and deeper, that's right, the deeper connections, so that's cool.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah, I mean that's. I met you through connections and and networking and I knew honestly, I knew the second I met you. I'm like this is a great guy.

Chris Baker:

Maybe momo not so much, but you are a great guy uh, well, I appreciate that and I thank you so much, and and Momo is a great guy, so I know, just put that one back in. But no, I really appreciate that Because honestly, it's sometimes I don't hear it enough.

Diane Pappafotis:

Oh yeah.

Chris Baker:

And, like I feel it, sometimes you don't hear it enough, so I thank you.

Diane Pappafotis:

OK, cool.

Chris Baker:

Very, very valuable. So looking forward, yeah. So what are some of the strategies that is kind of bringing to the LGBTQ community?

Diane Pappafotis:

So things have shifted recently politically, and so a priority that I might say and I'm not going to speak for our CEO, but I know some of the things that we are doing in our day to day is reinforcing that we are a safe place, that we are doing the things that we need to do to make sure that folks are as safe as possible one when they come to our campus.

Diane Pappafotis:

And we are really making sure at least our leadership is making sure that we as staff and our community are informed about important issues that are going on, not only locally but nationally, and really doubling down on communications and making sure we are aware of what's happening, especially issues that are affecting the LGBTQ plus community, and so it's not that we weren't doing that before, but we are really really hyper focused on that now because of some changes that are happening that affect us as a community center, that affect us as a community for profits, nonprofits, and so I appreciate that commitment and shifting those strategies to make sure that we are doing what we can to serve our community.

Chris Baker:

Yeah, no, that's extremely invaluable and very important right now. So how can you know the community get some of this information? Is this information you're putting on the website? Are you guys hosting like forums? What are the ways that you're getting this information out?

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah, a few different ways. Again, our campus houses lots of different organizations. We also rent space and so oftentimes you will find collaborative events happening on campus with different groups and, depending on what's happening, depending on the month, there are different events. Staying on top of what's happening on our campus, we will have town halls that are happening, political groups may meet there, we have support groups that meet there, and so I think it's important to stay on top of the events that are happening with other organizations on our campus.

Diane Pappafotis:

I'll mention Coffee and Conversation. Again, that is our active aging program and it is the largest continuous group of LGBTQ individuals who meet weekly. Lgbtq individuals who meet weekly and we have a packed main hall where, again, different organizations come in and inform the community what's happening. We have local law enforcement that's been there. Local legislators, leaders of other organizations come in, so it happens weekly and it is an opportunity in person to socialize a bit and find out what's happening in the community. So I think it's website looking to see what events are happening and attending our own events.

Chris Baker:

Okay, well, that's wonderful, yeah, so definitely check the website.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah.

Chris Baker:

Look for different opportunities to get some of this information and see who's coming in to speak, and if you're on social media.

Diane Pappafotis:

That's another way that we share. We share information about other organizations as well and what they're doing, and so those like-minded organizations. We're always sharing about events that are happening in the community, whether we're participating or not.

Chris Baker:

So I'm just going to throw this piece in here. Normally I'll set it to the end, but now we're talking about website, we're talking about social media. So what is the website and how can they contact you through social media? Can you share those handles?

Diane Pappafotis:

absolutely so. We have the pride center, which is wwwpridecenterfloridaorg. That's our website, we. We are the pride center on facebook, on instagram, tiktok. And then what's the new? One?

Chris Baker:

blue sky is that okay, all right, so I have to get on that one yet.

Diane Pappafotis:

But yeah, we're on there. Women with pride is there, so we have a Facebook presence as well Women with Pride on Facebook, instagram and Blue Sky. And then we have an event coming up at Wilton Women's Week. We haven't talked about that, but we're sharing a lot of information about Wilton Women's Week wwwwiltonwomensweekorg, and so that's a big event that we're hosting for women. So all three of those places you can find information.

Chris Baker:

Wonderful, all right. So now that you brought up Women's Week, Shameless plug yeah, let's jump into that one, because I know that's something that we actually have a collaboration. Yeah, so we need you, yes, so let's talk a little bit more about that. Yeah, when is it? What is it all about? Sure, who is it for the attendees? What are we looking for? Do you need you know? Are you looking for sponsors? Are you looking for extra help volunteers? Yeah, tell us more.

Diane Pappafotis:

Thank you for asking about that.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah, wilton, women's Week is happening April 26th through May 4th and it is essentially a celebration of the LGBTQIA women's community and it really the mission is to spotlight and highlight all the great women-led programs, organizations, individuals, businesses and our allies as well.

Diane Pappafotis:

And it's a week of activities. There's going to be social activity, arts and culture, sports, health and wellness, all happening during one week. And is the entire women's community participating in all the organizations? No, but we're trying to get as many as we can to do what they do best during that one week, whether it's theater or sports, and we're having a pickleball tournament oh, whether it's poetry, it just depends we're having a dance. It's all happening during that week. And we want women to be visible. We want them to be out and about and enjoying themselves. So we put a week of events together. The Pride Center, women with Pride, is hosting it, but the magic of this event is it's an all-volunteer group of women that are helping organize and run this and, as we like to say, the heart and spirit of this event is happening from the women in our community.

Chris Baker:

Oh my gosh, that's so awesome. Yeah, yeah. So you said that you need us for this event, so tell us more. How can we be there and how are we assisting you?

Diane Pappafotis:

Absolutely so. One of the things that we really want to be able to do is not only for folks to enjoy the events and go to them, but for folks that aren't there, who can't make it, who may want to come in the future, we want to make sure that we're capturing this on video. So we would love your help with that. We want to make sure that we're really giving people a great visual experience, and so that's part of what we want to be able to do, and social media as well, and so we're going to have kind of a multi-pronged approach. We're going to have boots on the ground, folks posting about it, but we just want to make sure, visually again, for folks who aren't there or even who are here, and we want them to know about the event.

Chris Baker:

We want to make sure, like we said earlier, we're telling that story yeah, and so it's important yeah, well, and especially if we can actually have this on an annual basis you can get more people to come next year. You get more people the year after that and having that documentation, creating that content library that you can fall back on, or creating multiple marketing it's so important and whether that's captured on your phone whether it's captured on a professional camera.

Chris Baker:

you know it's very important to make sure that you're capturing all content as much as possible and then save it. Never know when you're going to need it A year later, five years later.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah.

Chris Baker:

You know, maybe you need to create a documentary for your organization because it's grown to this beautiful space and you have that content library from five years back. Yeah, how invaluable is that to put that information into your story.

Diane Pappafotis:

You're right, and for me, who always messes up on video, I want to make sure it's all edited professionally in such a way. Yeah, you're right, we want to tell that story and we want to be able to do that in a way that's appealing, because I don't know how to shoot video at all.

Chris Baker:

Well, if you ever need help, you know that's one of the things that I'm going to do. A plug here for visuals by momo yeah so we actually have workshops and coaching to help specifically non-profit organizations. Yeah, on what level they're at capture, how to capture it on camera on their phone, whatever device that they feel. Like me, yes, we'll teach you how to capture better video okay so that you can have that content library.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah.

Chris Baker:

And then you know we also have different tiers that we are able to assist. Second one is you're capturing and sending it us to edit.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah, oh.

Chris Baker:

Obviously just kind of simplifies the editing process.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah, can take a lot of time, yeah.

Chris Baker:

And then when you guys are ready, you know you don't have the time anymore. There's more resources. We come in, we capture, we film, we strategize and we edit all of it for you.

Diane Pappafotis:

So just with our phones? Yeah, okay, start with your phone, yeah.

Chris Baker:

Because, honestly, you never know what's going to be needed in the future and the biggest thing that really comes down to it is just making sure you have a media storage space yeah either get a really large hard drive, use the cloud, whatever avenue, and it's going to cost a little bit of money to have that stored yeah but it's invaluable for future marketing material for any non-profit, and so that's what we're trying to educate right now into the non-profit community, because we go and work with some of them and some are like I have no footage and I have nothing yeah and I'm like, how long have you been?

Chris Baker:

around well, we've been around for five, ten years. Yeah, where is you? Know we need something? Yeah, um, we can always recreate, but the problem is we want to try to keep the cost down when we're filming for people as low as possible, and if we have to recreate it, that's just an extra cost because we have to bring in more crew, maybe actors, whatever the case may be yeah try to get that there, where, if we actually had just even a snippet like you know, 10 seconds of just this, an amazing piece from five years ago, that could possibly be an amazing portion of the story.

Chris Baker:

It can really be invaluable.

Diane Pappafotis:

So when you said storage meaning external, not on your phone, right Correct? Yeah, okay, okay.

Chris Baker:

Because, honestly, we lose our phone. We, you know, we change and upgrade our models and the data doesn't always transfer, but the case may be. So you want to put it either on a computer that something's going to be last a little bit longer in the storage, like a OneDrive or Dropbox, somewhere where you can store it, and you may have to pay a couple dollars a month but, it's so invaluable.

Diane Pappafotis:

Okay, I know now why my phone keeps filling up because of the video. Okay, that's an aside. I think that's what's happening. Yeah, so I really, and that's one of the video, okay that's an aside.

Chris Baker:

I think that's what's happening, yeah, but yeah, so I really and that's one of the things that we are really kind of trying to push is to make sure you save those pieces, because you never know what they're going to need and, like you said, most people are going to be on the on the ground boots running. Yeah, words are going to be a little hard for me right there, but you have people capturing the content with their phones.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah.

Chris Baker:

Yeah, find a way for them to send you the content. Yeah, and have the organization save it.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah.

Chris Baker:

So that way they can refer back to it. I would say 90% of it is probably not usable, but if you don't have access to it or you don't see it, you'll never know.

Diane Pappafotis:

Right Good advice.

Chris Baker:

Yeah, all right. So, as we wrap up today's episode, the last question I ask everybody is about what legacy you personally want to leave for future generations.

Diane Pappafotis:

Oh gosh, it's so hard Right.

Diane Pappafotis:

I really, having been with a couple different organizations throughout my long career, I always want to leave in a place better than when I came there. That's the easy answer. The more difficult answer is really, can I help leave a longer term strategy? So not only am I walking out the door of an organization, can I help them figure out, from my small perspective, where they need to be moving in the future and help guide in that direction. And that's a little harder to do because we're always in the weeds with today and thinking about today.

Diane Pappafotis:

But I want to be able to not only just serve the community and help fill gaps in our community. I want to figure out how can that organization and especially because I work with the Women, with Pride program and representing and serving women in our community what can the Pride Center do moving forward and where do they need to be down the road. And that requires a little more thought. And so that's what I'd love to be able to do. I'd love to be able to leave in a better place and then help them navigate the future, even if I'm not there.

Chris Baker:

I mean, yeah, we're looking for future generations, and how do we make it safe for the LGBTQ community? How do we make it future for all the future generations as a whole?

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah, yeah, how do we make it future for all the future?

Chris Baker:

generations as a whole. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And we have to look 10, 20, 30, 50 years into the future. We can't just you know we want to focus on today because it is the problems that we have to face today, but you're right.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah. We need to focus on the future and even if it's just the next four years and figuring out what is it that we need to do, excuse me, what do we need to prepare for? And if you can do that, I think that that's helpful, and so I don't know exactly what that means for me, but that's what I'd like to be able to leave.

Chris Baker:

I love that. That's so fantastic thank you.

Diane Pappafotis:

Yeah, oh, my god, it's. It's so awesome to be here. I didn't thank you at the beginning, but thank you for having me you are totally welcome.

Chris Baker:

thank you for being here and joining us on Visual Eyes. I hope that we had an amazing conversation today and I hope that the rest of you out there have learned something new.

Diane Pappafotis:

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, momo.

Chris Baker:

Thank you for joining me on this episode of Visual Eyes. We hope that the inspiration and practical insights can help you foster stronger connections and meaningful change. Don't forget to subscribe, share the episode and leave us a review. To learn more about Visuals by Momo and how we support collaboration and storytelling, visit visualsbymomo. com. A huge thank you to everyone out there listening. Until next time, remember, collaboration fuels change and your connections can inspire the world.