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A new foundation just launched to honor Krystal Anderson, the mother, wife and former Chiefs Cheerleader who passed away earlier this year from maternal sepsis.
Krystal Anderson also held many other titles, including software engineer, yoga instructor and a person who was passionate about healthcare rights.
To honor her legacy, her husband, Clayton Anderson, recently launched the SHINE with Joy Foundation, honoring who Krystal was and her passions.
Clayton Anderson says there are four focus areas the foundation will be shining a light on.
"The first is stem education for black girls and black women. She was often the only person in the room that looked like her, where we worked, and she felt like education was how we change that, so that will be one area," Clayton Anderson said. "Second is material health equity. It’s pretty well known how she passed away and what the statistics are around black and brown momsand when it comes to mortality and morbidity, so we gotta change that. There’s a lot of work to be done there."
He says the third focus area is yoga instruction, education, which can be expensive to get certified so the foundation is looking at opportunities to make that more accessible. The fourth is spreading joy.
"Krystal was about spreading joy in the community and so we want to support people who are doing that as well," Anderson said.
He says this foundation is one that's had a lot of thought put into it from him and loved ones since her passing and is turning that pain into purpose.
"I still struggle every single day with the pain of loss and loneliness," Anderson said. "My angels looking down from above but not with me, and Krystal was a doer and she was always going to make sure we were doing something about it and this is our way of doing something about it, is to take that pain, turn it into purpose, make sure her legacy keeps going, make sure that there’s positive change being created and of course do it with joy," Clayton Anderson said.
He says this is an opportunity to create a network of changemakers.
"I really think there’s an opportunity here to not just grow the foundation, to be able to give out multiple scholarships and grants every year, but to create a ripple effect; a network of change makers and with each time we give out a scholarship or a grant, to create a champion of positive change," Anderson said. "And overtime, grow that network to create a whole army of people that are doing basically what Krystal would do and that’s create positive change and do it with joy."
Anderson says right now, they're working on the next phases of the Foundation, including building out community events, partnerships with other organizations, scholarship details, and looking at a few more program director positions to fill.
He says with this foundation and its focus areas, it allows for conversation about what needs to change.
"I think if we don’t talk about it, change won’t happen, change needs to happen," Anderson said. "Being a spokesperson for this isn’t necessarily what I signed up to do, but someone’s got to do it or else change doesn’t happen. Things don’t get better, so if that’s my cross to bear then let’s do it and let’s again turn that pain into purpose and make some change."
To learn about the latest developments with the SHINE with Joy Foundation, you can subscribe to their latest updates, donate to its mission or follow the foundation on Instagram: shinewithjoyfoundation.
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