"When I reflect on the words creativity and innovation, my aunt, my second mother Gwen Barjon is my first thought. From the incredible hands-on learning lessons she cultivated for her elementary aged science students, to her personalized birthday cards, to her beautiful gardens, to the hybrid hydroponic and bed gardens she built with my uncle at my elementary school> She led a movement that prioritized connectedness to nature, zeroing in on sustainability which became a model for other schools in the Dallas area. Her talents were diverse and all who had access to her genius benefited. Her projects always embedded building up the whole person through lived experiences, creativity, and possibility. At the dinner I did this year at UVAE in honor of her passing on Earth Day in 2020, I mentioned a project she had 3rd grade me and my classmates participate in. She had each of us select a Black American inventor and do a thorough research paper on said inventor and their invention. She did not stop there, she asked us to improve upon that invention by adding to its concept and creating an actual model of the new design and how we improved upon its function. There are so many complex and fascinating concepts that are built out of such a project for the development of a young person. These speak directly to what we’re trying to accomplish through our mission at The Evolved Network. As I reflected on her life and what this award would mean, there was one person that stood out. Whose strategic, creative, and thoughtful insight, mentorship, and leadership has sparked so much of our growth and our possibilities. I won’t lie, sometimes it has felt overwhelming in attempting to execute all of the ideas that come from our discussions, but like my aunt at the heart of it was bettering the world for all by getting her hands dirty planting seeds of hope where no one thought a seed could grow. Deeply caring about the little things, the impact of personalized card, the power in the experience and empowering others to use their creativity and innovative skills to open the doors of opportunity and possibility for themselves and for others. It is an honor to name our first and inaugural Gwen Barjon award for creativity and innovation to Chef Sarah Stegner." -Sebastian White

"It is your job to give your children a better chance to succeed than what you had was what my father told me about fatherhood. When I decided I was going to reapply for grad school, he told me you should consider schools in DC where we were living so you don’t have to worry about additional living costs. Of course I ignored him thinking this was his attempt to keep a close eye on me. After he passed away, my brother would tell me stories about many of his friends who were having trouble at home that would come stay with them. I then began to reflect on the many summers I spent with him and there would be one of his childhood friends’ children staying with us rent free as they pursued a graduate degree or a professional internship in the area. As a new father I think about the trust those friends must have had in my father to watch over their kids as they pursued their dreams. I come back to this statement he made. Give your children a better chance to succeed than what you had. I realize now that what my father was offering was a foundation. A way to create fiscal responsibility using the foundation he built through his efforts and that could empower others. However you interpret the sacrifice of a private person with his personal space is up to you, but I understand his intentions with such great clarity. Whether it was a space to breathe for emotional reasons or financial, he offered a space for others to call their own so they could dream. Jodi Fyfe has done the same for The Evolved Network. She has allowed us to use the foundation of her hard work as a space to dream and has done so with grace, strategy, and kindness that I personally will never be able to thank her for. I was recently reflecting on this and I couldn’t think of one time she’s told us no in how she could support us. It makes me feel incredibly spoiled, but also incredibly motivated to make sure I honor her sacrifice and the love and care she’s shown me, my family, and The Evolved Network. I think beyond that as a person who hates asking for help and never wants to burden anyone with my stuff, it may say even more about her that she’s a person I’m willing to ask. It was an easy choice to select our first and inaugural William White Award for Fiscal Responsibility and Empowerment to Jodi Fyfe." -Sebastian White