Women Are Inspiring
2019 was a big year for Emily Poplawski. She got married, started a new job at Modern Fertility, and lost her mother to cancer. In the midst of all those transitions, she and her husband Justin Wickett also became valuable members of our BJM donor community, in large part because of the influence her mom had on her life.
Terry (left) celebrates her daughter’s wedding, Emily on the right.
“My mom, Terry Poplawski, was fearless, independent, and an advocate for justice,” says Emily. “She believed in strong love—the kind of love that wants you to be better and live out your dreams. If she saw something in her community that she didn’t feel was right, she’d take a stance. Once, she even saw an elderly man held up at gunpoint and intervened! She was spunky and courageously stood up for others throughout her life, including her family and complete strangers.”
Those who knew Emily’s mother have taken to calling her “Artist Terry” because she left behind hundreds of paintings, all using ethically sourced, non-toxic paints and oils.
“In the last decade of her life,” says Emily, “her artwork reached another level. She touched so many people with her art. After she died, all these people came out of the woodwork and told me what an impact she’d had on them. People would talk about how she helped them not only with their painting, but with their divorce, with their bills, and with their faith. She gave generously of her time and designed prayer cards that she donated to thousands of churches in North America.” You can see more of her artwork here.
A devout Catholic, Terry financially supported many organizations that embodied her values. Emily does the same in memory of her mother. “I choose BJM because of their long-term vision,” says Emily. “They’re committed to doing wholesome, hard work for decades to come. I’m also establishing roots in the Bay, and I see that my community needs to be nourished. I love that BJM does that through relationships, feeding our human need to connect.”
Want to join Emily by giving to BJM in celebration of a woman in your life? Click here to become a monthly donor! We’d love to have you partner with us in celebrating and empowering women.