Seven years ago, I met N.J. Phillips when we both showed up at a dinner in Ann Arbor and ended up at the same table. I had no idea that I was about to be introduced to such a tremendous person or the ways it would change the trajectory of my vocation.
As we sat at that dinner, she mentioned having epilepsy in childhood and I said, “Me too!” I had hardly ever met anyone else with epilepsy, and I had never met anyone who had so many commonalities and particularities that aligned with my own story and experiences.
She invited me to the Metro Detroit Stroll for the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan. Immediately, I had a community around that experience that I had never had before. I had no idea that one year later I would make an entire career change and join the team there.
In N.J. I found kinship and a treasured friend.
And… speaking of treasure… Over the weekend, we joined seven other people in dressing up as pirates for a murder mystery dinner.
That dinner seven years ago in Ann Arbor led to friendship, commonality that I needed, a community, a career shift, and general scalliwaggery.
— Renee Roederer
Smuggling Grace 