Michelle Christie
Dr. MICHELLE CHRISTIE RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS
QUESTION 1: You have deep commitment to helping people in need. It is interesting that in life we all have the opportunity to walk away from helping others, and it is equally interesting that some people don’t take those steps away from others in need. What were the main factors in your life that encouraged you to walk toward people in need and devote a significant part of your life to helping others? Please elaborate some about each factor.
Response: It has been my belief that there are Picassos in all of us, yet some people have more opportunities than others to ignite their innate abilities within. My passion has been to create opportunities for children who are often left behind. As a child raised by a single mother of three in a disruptive and volatile environment, I felt alone and unimportant in the world. Poverty was an obstacle in my life, but a greater obstruction was how people treated me and predicted my dismal future. Not one person in high school discussed college with me. They assumed I would not succeed. I was determined to do well in school. School was my stability...my safe place. Because of my childhood experiences, I wanted to help others like me who needed a person in their life to elevate the Picasso within and to see the good they have to offer the world. Thankfully, I had a third grade teacher who believed in me and her voice of confidence and "can do" spirit stayed with me during those times I needed the strength to climb those steep hills of doubt. We all need a village, but one person can make a difference.
With a nonprofit, you can build a dream team who shares your passion to support vulnerable populations, such as underserved deaf children and their families.
My life is devoted to these children, but I am no longer alone. The gift of leading a nonprofit is the power of giving and the meaningful rewards it provides my life, but also all who have joined me on this journey. We are impassioned to see deaf children overcome and succeed. We are committed to teaching children to believe in themselves. We are relentless in providing equity for children with (dis)abilities and highlight their worth to society.
As educators, we had always known of the inequities in education for children with disabilities, but the pandemic magnified those inequalities and became a glaring reminder of how marginalized our children have been. As schools closed, our students received little support during these most challenging times. Now more than ever, my passion had been fueled to provide and equal playing field as every child deserves the chance to become their greatest self. I have been fortunate to live my greater self and commit my life to others. It is true honor that I cherish and never take for granted.
QUESTION 2: When you started your nonprofit, what were the main challenges? Please explain the main challenges and how you overcame them.
Response: When I found No Limits for deaf children and families, there were and still are no (other) theater groups for deaf children. It was challenging to convince others of my vision when they had not seen it come to fruition. I had man naysayers. People questioned deaf children on stage in front of an audience. Why I am setting them up for failure? What if people didn't understand them? Thankfully, their comments fell on 'deaf' ears. I followed my gut instinct and created No Limits without fear of failure. I knew I would always get back up. I charged everything on my credit cards as I had no knowledge of how to write grants or raise funds. I think fundraising from the start has always been the greatest challenge as it is ongoing from year-to-year. I often dream about a time that I and my nonprofit friends could focus 100% of our time on the children, rather than focusing on raising funds to keep the doors open.
QUESTION 3: What suggestions would you give to university students who are committed to helping others in need and are considering starting a nonprofit?
Response: I would tell university students who are committed to helping others that the journey may have road bumps, but do not let fear get in the way of your vision. Although No Limits started as my dream, it has become other people's dream for our children too. It is essential to bring others along on your journey.