Jessica Brauer
I believe volunteering is a reciprocal exchange that supports my well-being while also allowing the good humans behind the nonprofits and service organizations to benefit from the support of extra hands, brain power, and perspective.
Volunteering allows me to leave my mark on the place where I live, offers spaces for me to use my creativity and share my voice, and connects me to the many incredible people in our town. I would encourage folks of all ages, walks of life, and backgrounds to find an organization they align with and offer support in a meaningful way. These valuable offerings to the community, whether picking up trash or serving on a board, allow for personal growth, unexpected connections, and an incredibly rewarding feeling that can come from carving time out of your week for service.
Laramie Main Street Alliance was the first organization to make me feel welcome and valuable to my community, and the invitation to support their work was pivotal to how my life has unfolded since. Their work is rooted in bringing many voices to the table, creatively problem solving, and collaboratively identifying how to move the needle on making Downtown Laramie a vibrant place for all. Through this work, they foster local, regional, and national connections while asking the hard questions about what the heart of a community must consider to truly care for its people.
It is my hope, firstly, that my work with Main Street has been a helping hand to the small but mighty staff who do the hard work with grace, joy, and an inspiring, resilient connection to the spirit of the job. Whether pouring beers, hauling tables, designing posters, soliciting donations, or reviewing spreadsheets, the many ways I have supported LMSA over the years were rooted in cultivating a neighborhood that feels safe, supportive, and enriching for myself and my fellow Laramie neighbors. My volunteer work in all its forms has been a thread in a tapestry of important people working on events, projects, and initiatives inviting Laramie to gather in the streets joyfully, witness the thoughtful preservation of our town's history, opt to keep their dollars in our community, capture and share diverse stories, and grow to fit the evolving needs of our incredible community.
Jessica was nominated by Laramie Main Street and Sponsored by Range Community Insurance
Jessica's fierce dedication to our community is matched only by the power of her written word. She is a storyteller, entrepreneur, community builder and healer. Jessica's journey to becoming a Main Street champion started with baking and the opening of Sweet Cakes and Pastry in 2012. Bringing joy through wedding cakes and celebratory sweets, Jessica established herself as a creative collaborator, outstanding communicator and lover of all things local. When she wasn't baking, she was volunteering with Laramie Main Street and Laramie Young Professionals. After selling her business, Jessica joined the Main Street team as our Communications Coordinator. Her design and digital marketing skills told the story of our vibrant downtown through shop local campaign and business highlights.
Fast forward, Jessica continues to grow as a leader. She is an alumnus of the Local Crowd, Wyoming Women's Business Center and Leadership Wyoming. Jessica is currently using her skills as the vice chair of Laramie Main Streets Board and, as the Director of Laramie Plains Civic Center, is re-imagining the center as a vibrant, inclusive space for people to gather, connect, and grow. In these roles, she advocates for scrappy entrepreneurship and marginalized members of our community.
This nomination is to honor Jessica's decade-plus with Main Street and to celebrate her lasting contributions to the people, welcoming spaces and creativity of Laradise.