Julie Joyce
I am a caregiving cornerstone and pivot point between Biscochito, the person receiving care, and their Circle of Love. I work with the entire team and Circle of Love, advocating for the Total Life of the person we are providing support for. I make sure everyone is heard, seen and valued.
In the early 1990’s I was in a small dance company. I loved dancing but was questioning the importance and meaning of what I was spending so much time and energy doing. When the choreographer I was working with declared her work was intentionally about nothing and without meaning I knew I was in the wrong place and quit. Soon after I responded to a flyer calling for people to help teach a creative movement class for children with Down Syndrome. Though this was something I had no previous knowledge of or interest in from the first class I was hooked! Within a couple of years I became the director of a dance company whose members all had disabilities. They didn’t look like dancers and quite often didn’t perform the choreography as given but none of that mattered because everything they did on stage, in rehearsals and classes was heartfelt, moving, meaningful and beautiful.
Over the last 30 years, mainly through the mediums of dance and writing, I’ve had the privilege of facilitating and bringing forward for others to see, hear and appreciate the creative work of people who are often overlooked and not recognized as the impactful artists and human beings they are. This work has opened my eyes, mind and heart. It continues to teach me about being flexible, having open ears and patience.
Along the way I became a direct support provider and service coordinator for people with developmental disabilities. I was the first person Kimberly Corbitt hired when she started Santa Lucia in 2006 and we’ve worked together since.
From 2002 to 2018 I was a hospice volunteer. This work taught me a lot about being present with people.
In the last ten years I’ve become a care provider for elders. They’re teaching me about aging. Good to know!
