Classification speech of Dr. Martha Brown:
Who am I anyway? Am I my resume? - This question comes from a show-tune chorus line. Martha believes there is a show-tune solution for every life situation. Martha is 56 years of age and from Millcreek, Pennsylvania. Martha has four siblings born very close in age from 1953-1957, who had a different experience than Martha, who was born in 1966. Father was a funeral director, and their family lived above the funeral building. Martha recalls high school friends playing hide and seek and having sleepovers in the casket room at times.
Musical talent was identified in Martha by her mother, who also found comfort in singing and playing the piano. Martha's childhood piano music, her safe space, and the one consistent in her life.
After getting her Doctorate roughly six years ago, Martha taught a course in Restorative Justice in Canada. She heard the story of the hummingbird (you tube video story) and the forest fire. The story tells of the hummingbird racing from the fire to a pond and back to drop a single drop of water onto the fire and back again… and again. When asked why the Hummingbird was putting herself at risk with each flight? The Hummingbird answered, "I am doing what I can." This story has since resonated with Martha as she has always tried to advocate for the marginalized throughout her career and personal work. She was born with a strong sense of moral justice while standing up for herself.
The Hummingbird has been so impactful Martha has made it her logo for her consulting business. The Hummingbird describes her values and drive. Yet there is another animal that also describes and provides peril for Martha. The Octopus speaks to how she lives life: It is intelligent and enjoys decorating its den. It is a fierce predator but tender when its trust is earned. It has eight legs that allow it to glide peacefully but change course quickly when needed.
Martha has felt like a headless Octopus, with eight legs representing each of her interests, without a center collective body connecting these interests. For many years Martha would try to embody one of her legs (good) and quickly would move away, knowing it wasn't completing all of herself, all of her legs of interest. It was in 2018, and most recently, while placing this speech together, Martha emphasized her value to society and all her "legs" of value as a collective. Martha feels like she is one in her interest and can dance between all pulls together as she navigates the world.
In closing, bringing the two metaphors together. Martha simply "Do what she can." she has given up on perfectionism, given up the false since she could change the world, and now "I do what I can in my spirit of influence."
Each of these animals (Hummingbird and Octopus) are fiercely territorial and do not show up in groups, as Martha doesn't feel comfortable in groups until trust is earned. This summer Martha and a friend rode on a bucket-list bicycle ride. She did the race to raise $700 for the Community Action Center. Shortly after, she was approached by Dick Huston to join the Rotary. Martha was ready to decline this offer, sighting the history of a club based on white men, although they wanted to change the organization's work to change this image. Once Dr. Houston shared the impact the Faribault Club was making, Martha began to see a group of hummingbirds, a group she could belong to that she could have raised more during the bike ride with the support of this collective. As a group of people with the same Hummingbird mentality, we could make more of a difference together than separately.
