The following is this week’s I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE Honoree; by Erin Gregory
“I love what I do and who I have become.” Natalya Bourne
Natalya Bourne is a single mom, the oldest of eight, a light for children and young adults, a performer at DLO Community Theater, and a volunteer at her church.
Natalya is not originally from the Danville area. Because her parents served in the military while growing up, so her family had moved around a lot. Her dad, however, is from the area, so once both of her parents had served out their contracts they moved back into Vermilion County; Natalya was in high school at the time. After high school, she wanted to go and explore the world and all it had to offer, but when she got pregnant with her son at 26, things changed. As a single mother, she wanted to be closer to her family.
The community that she has made in Danville is like none other, she says, “everyone knows everyone.” She enjoys the small city energy that it brings because, “I am a city girl just not a big city girl.” Her involvement in the church has helped her build her community, especially since her dad the pastor. She has been a Sunday school teacher, on the church board, and she sings in the choir. She is a large part in her church, but she prefers to see everyone else in the spotlight, except for when she is preforming at the DLO Community Theater. She recently performed in Ghost the musical.
Natalya, had not originally known what she wanted to do, so she got a General Studies degree from Western Kentucky University. Years after, she received her bachelor’s and she realized she wanted to help others by listening to and empowering them. She went back to school and obtained her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health from Indiana State University. Natalya is now a therapist at Crosspoint, and she works with adults with intellectual disabilities, children, and young adults from 5-25. Her case load is so full, so Natalya says, “My boss jokes that I am going around telling people to come see me.”
In all honesty, Natalya is a light that draws in people that are in need. She loves to empower, praise, and motivate the children she works with. She says, “If I can plant a seed of success I have done my job.” Her goal in helping young adults and children is to help them find the right path. “I will never tell a child whether a path is right or wrong, but I will guide them around the different paths until they find the right one for them.” She builds bonds with each of the people she helps, so that they trust her with whatever they need to talk about. One child shared that without her, they would not be alive today. This made her emotional because she has always wanted to help people, but this one statement showed her that she does much more than comfort them, she gives them hope and the motivation to keep going even when things are tough.
When asked about her “why”, she spoke about her son and wanting to set the best example for him. She wants to show him that he can do whatever he puts his mind to. Natalya reflects, “He is my reason. I do my best for him.” She is incredibly proud of the young man he is becoming. Being a parent, while it is a reward in and of itself, has helped her with her work as well. Not only is she able to relate to her younger clients, she is able to explain things to their parents as well. Natalya does not help others for the recognition, and she does not think she is better than anyone is. “I am regular folk, and I am with everybody.” She does what she does purely to see others happy. That is all the reward she needs.
When asked about one thing she would leave with everyone she has met, she said, “Don’t be afraid to fall.” This is incredibly inspiring because failure is a mindset and as long as you can keep pushing forward, you will eventually succeed.
If you have someone you would like to share,
visit https://forms.gle/deCPiQ1cxn1pDLhZ9
or contact Ashton Greer, City of Danville agreer@cityofdanville.org or
Nicole Van Hyfte, Vermilion Advantage nvanhyfte@vermilionadvantage.com.
