Rooted & Rising…

Written By Josalyn Ford

Rooted & Rising: Where It Began, and Where We're Going

Every season of growth starts underground.

Before anything rises, something has to take root. Quietly and unseen, often in the dark, roots do the hard work of reaching down, holding on, and drawing in what's needed to grow. By the time you see the bloom, the real work has already happened.

That's where Rooted & Rising was born.

Where it came from

Rooted & Rising started as something just for me. The name came to me in a quiet moment, somewhere between who I had been and who I was becoming. I realized I had spent years rising for everyone else without ever tending to my own roots. Rooted & Rising was God's reminder that I could do both: stay grounded in who I am and still grow into all I'm called to be.

I realized that is the kind of leader, and the kind of woman, I want to be. Not one who never faces a storm, but one who is rooted deeply enough to keep rising through it.

What "rooted" means to me

To be rooted is to know who you are and whose you are. It's the village that raised me, the values that guide me and the faith that holds me. My roots are the reason I can stretch without breaking.

What "rising" means to me

Rising isn't about climbing over anyone. It's about growing into who you're called to be, and bringing others with you. It's stepping out on faith when the path isn't fully clear. Just this week, I did exactly that by launching Be Social. Do Good. That's what rising looks like for me right now: humble, excited and a little bit scared, but moving forward anyway.

What this space will be

Rooted & Rising is where I'll share the lessons behind the work. You'll find reflections on:

  • Leadership: what it really takes to lead with heart and hold the line on your values

  • Community: stories from the rooms I've sat in and the tables I've helped set

  • Faith: how I stay grounded when the work gets heavy

  • Becoming: the courage it takes to bet on yourself and keep going

Some posts will be practical, with ideas you can take into your own organization or team. Some will be personal. All of them will be honest.

An invitation

Wherever you are in your journey, whether you're putting down roots or ready to rise, I hope you find something here that meets you right where you are.

Pull up a chair. You belong here.

Rooted in who I am. Rising into who I'm becoming.

With gratitude,
Josalyn

Josalyn Ford

Josalyn P. Ford, MPA is a mission-driven advancement leader deeply committed to advancing equity, opportunity, and community power. Grounded in the belief that leadership is both a responsibility and a form of stewardship, Josalyn views her work as a way to pay forward the collective investment her village has made in her life and career.

With a career spanning fund development, events management, communications, and external relations, Josalyn has successfully led high-performing teams and spearheaded strategies that have collectively generated tens of millions of dollars in philanthropic revenue — enabling organizations to expand impact, innovate programming, and respond to evolving community needs.

An active civic and nonprofit leader, Josalyn serves on boards and committees supporting strategic planning, fundraising, and mission-aligned growth. She currently serves as Co-President of AFP Advancement Northwest, championing professional development and ethical fundraising practice across the Pacific Northwest.

Josalyn holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Clark Atlanta University and a Master of Public Administration from Seattle University. She is certified in establishing socially transformative platforms, a 2025 Fellow of the Black Leadership Institute through the Institute for Nonprofit Practice, and a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

Known for her warmth, strategic insight, and willingness to roll up her sleeves, Josalyn is passionate about creating spaces where people feel seen, valued, and inspired to act.

https://besocialdogood.com
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