Katy Nelson | YWCA Women of Excellence Honoree
What inspires you to get up and do the work?
I love that I get to help Topeka be a better place to live, work, and play! I get to help people! I can help people with their living conditions, find employment, and help create things that are fun to do! I like to help others understand the importance of keeping things local.
What have you learned about yourself through the challenges you have overcome?
That I can not always do it on my own. If we want Topeka to be better we all have to help each other. I am stronger than I ever thought.
How do you take care of yourself?
I like to travel, camp, Kayak, spend time with our family when possible and love on the Grandbabies.
What is the best advice you've ever been given? Or what advice do you have for others?
Given to me--You can do whatever you put your mind to. Without change there can be no growth.
Given to others-- If you want to see a change, Help/Be the change.
What is your vision for our community? Has it changed through the pandemic and racial justice reckoning of recent years?
Make Topeka the Best place to work, live, and play. I have not really changed my vision, maybe the actions to make it happen have change a little. I feel that we need to take the good and the bad and use them both to grow within our community.
The other part of my vision is to Keep it all local as much as possible, we have the things that a bigger city has; so work here there are so many places hiring, Live here, and play here we have some Amazing shops and places to eat right here. If you can not find something to do in Topeka you have not looked there is something every week.
The mission of YWCA is to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. What does YWCA's mission mean to you?
I feel that the mission reminds be to Be kind, lift each other up, Help when ever possible. We do not know what the person next to us has going on so do not tear them down...Instead...Hold out you hand and help!
