Meet our Community Coordinator in New Bedford, Jae’Lynn Williams

Meet Jae, the newest addition to Groundwork New Bedford! As our new Community Coordinator, Jae brings a vibrant energy and deep-rooted passion for her hometown. A New Bedford native with a love for creativity, community, and connection, Jae’s journey to Groundwork is a story of perfect timing and personal growth. From her background in yoga and dance to her commitment to inspiring others, she’s ready to make a lasting impact here. Read on to learn more about what drives her and why she’s so excited to be part of our community.

What led you here? Give us a short summary of your life journey up to this point.

I ended up at Groundwork by the grace of perfect timing and universal alignment. Previously, I worked as the Administrative Assistant at a small non-profit. Although this was fulfilling in a sense as I was able to help others and be my nurturing and compassionate self, I was still feeling like something was missing. It lacked a sense of creativity and personal development. I have always had a passion for dance and movement. I danced for most of my life growing up, and for years I was a yoga practitioner with thoughts of becoming an instructor. It wasn’t until I had my baby girl in 2022 that I decided I was going to go for it. During my maternity leave I enrolled in a Yoga Teacher Training at School of Yoga New Bedford. Who knew that a teacher training would be part of my journey that led me to Groundwork! 

The owner of School of Yoga, Juliet Loranger, set me on my path to becoming a yoga instructor and living out one of my many dreams. Shortly after, I left my office job to focus on teaching. Little did I know, it’s impossible to live off yoga teacher wages unless you have your own (already developed) business. So I went back to my office job part-time while continuing to teach. Surprise, Surprise, I found myself becoming burnt out and uninspired once again. It just so happened that at the time, there were many organizational changes happening internally at my office job. I ended up leaving as it was no longer a fit for my lifestyle and my schedule. I was then solely teaching yoga for the next 7 months. 

This was a phase of what some would call “character development” for me. I was feeling like I had fallen off my path, and I could not figure out what the next steps would be to get back on it. Juliet, who I completed my yoga teacher training with, informed me of a job opening at Groundwork. After looking more into the company, I immediately knew it would be a perfect fit and was exactly what I was looking for. I have love for my city, I craved being surrounded by creative people and art, and I loved feeling that sense of community. I knew I would be surrounded by like-minded individuals and intuitively, I felt it was the right move to make. Now I am here, and I could not be happier. 

What are some of the things you’ve learned working in the different environments you’ve worked in up to this point?

I’ve learned so much about myself and other people. I learned that it’s important for me to feel a sense of value and purpose in things I do. I’ve also realized that we can learn from every interaction or situation. Take the opportunity to take each win OR failure as a lesson. What could you have done differently next time (or) what is is that helped in the success that you can implement into other projects or areas of your life? 

What excites you about working at Groundwork?

I am mostly excited about being surrounded by creative and inspired individuals. The one thing that has lacked in past positions was that feeling of inspiration. I feel I have such a beautiful opportunity to learn from so many people here at Groundwork. The vibe in this space is unlike any other office space I have been in. It is a calm and focused environment, and I am surrounded by art!

What inspires you right now? What are you listening to, watching, or reading?

Firstly, my daughter inspires me daily. She makes me want to be the best version of myself for both of us. When you know you have a mini-you that is learning how to live life simply by watching you, it inspires you to look at your habits, communication styles, and even diet.

My most recent read was Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho. He has been my favorite author for a while. I have read many of his books and believe I have a few more to go before I can say I’ve read all of his work. Typically I prefer to read actual books, but lately I’ve been trying to utilize my Audible app and am currently “reading” James by Percival Everett, and The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav. I go back and fourth between non fiction self-help/spiritual focused books and romance/fiction. It’s even better if the fiction has life lessons and spiritual themes incorporated. 

Music wise, I am all over the place. I have such a large range of genres that I listen to. At the moment I am currently loving Greentea Peng, Thievery Corporation, FKA Twigs, Portishead, and Sault. I can’t not mention that I am absolutely part of the Beyhive, I never get sick of Beyonce. And if I’m in a back in the day cafe type of mood I will listen to The Roots, Lauryn Hill, anything Neo-soul really. This is a tough question because I just know I am leaving so many artists out! I’m a millennial so all the early to mid 2000s hip hop and r&b are go-to’s when I’m in the mood. 

I am currently a few seasons into Insecure on HBO. I try to avoid reality TV but Hell’s Kitchen has a hold on me. Other than that, I am a big film person, so I tend to watch a lot of movies and not many TV shows or series. I am a horror person for sure but appreciate ANY well directed or classic film. 

What skills or experience are you looking forward to sharing with our members?

Over the years I have worked in many different roles that each taught me something different. In my new role as a community coordinator, I hope to integrate all that I’ve learned and bring a sense of organization, community, empathy, creativity, and reliability. “Sharing” is something that is two-sided, so I know ultimately I will be learning just as much from everyone here as they will from me. Each person I have met seems to have their own unique interests, talents and way of working. I am excited to see how rewarding it can be to collaborate with such a diverse set of individuals.