In less than a week I depart with a team of photographers, filmmakers, and writers to Ethiopia for ten days to make media databases for five tireless nonprofits. The organizations' work spans from providing education and healthcare in remote villages to caring for orphans and trafficked children.

Thinking about shooting alongside gifted creatives (and learning from them!) and contributing to storytelling that hopefully will help the organizations raise awareness of and funds for their causes gives me good goosebumps.

My mind is whirling from all the little things that need to be accomplished prior to departure, but I'm willing myself to pause for a moment to be grateful for the opportunity and for the incredible support I've received morally and financially from my community. Below are the images featured in one of the thank you calendars I made for the generous folks who contributed to my trip fundraiser. Through them, you'll encounter a peek of everyday life in DC!