When Bloomington Community Meets Story: Spotlight on Brittany Talissa King
This blog was created by Cordelia Chang in conjunction with the Content Marketing Practicum at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business.
Some people serve their communities with their time. Others use their voice. In Bloomington, one writer is doing both. Brittany Talissa King's approach to community impact goes beyond volunteering, using storytelling as a way to spark awareness of the world around us and lasting change.
A Foundation in Service
Volunteering wasn't something Brittany discovered later in life - it was something she grew up with. Growing up in a family that prioritized giving back, she saw firsthand what it meant to show up for others. Her father, who lived under Jim Crow, carried with him a deep understanding of injustice, one that shaped how Brittany's family approached the concept of community. Volunteering wasn't framed as extraordinary, it was simply normal. As she moved through college and into her career, her understanding of activism expanded. Through research, writing and presentation she found her voice, not just as a writer, but as someone committed to raising awareness. But awareness alone isn't enough. For Brittany, storytelling and volunteering go hand in hand where one shapes understanding and the other meets immediate needs. Her volunteer work reflects that same commitment to the community. She has helped organize food and supply drives, raised funds for crises, and supported initiatives for unhoused individuals in both Bloomington and beyond. Sometimes, her efforts are even more personal. Brittany prepares care bags filled with essentials, money and handwritten notes of encouragement to give directly to unhoused individuals she encounters. Each act, no matter how small, becomes part of something larger - like bees gathering what they can, sustaining the hive piece by piece. From Story to Service
What Volunteering Reveals
Through her years of service, one thing has stood out to Brittany: people want to help - and more than that, they want to belong. This realization is one of the biggest lessons she's taken from volunteering. It's not just about providing support, it's also about recognizing that many people are searching for a sense of community, a place where others prioritize the greater good over individual gain. In her experience, when people find that kind of space, something shifts. Volunteering becomes less about obligation and more about connection - about being a part of something meaningful alongside others who share that same intention. "Volunteering has really restored my hope in humanity, which has also restored my optimism for other things," she says. "Because even though things are pretty hairy and sticky, I know that people can evolve and change." That perspective didn't come from a single moment, but from repeated experiences by seeing people show up, support one another and grow. It reinforced her belief that even small actions can reveal something bigger about who we are as a community.
"A lot of people care, but they don't always know who to help, where to help. More often, people don't think others wanna help, so they don't ask." Stories That Bring Us Together
In the end, community begins with showing up. Volunteering creates the first threads of connection - people coming together, giving their time, and working side by side toward something larger than themselves. In those moments, connection isn't abstract. It's built through shared effort, quiet conversations, and the simple act of being present for one another. Over time, those small interactions begin to form something stronger: trust, belonging and a sense of place within the community.
And while those connections are formed through action, they are deepened through the way they are understood and shared. The stories that come out of these experiences, spoken or written, help carry out that sense of connection beyond a single moment. Like a hive, a community grows through collective effort, each person contributing in their own way. Through both what we do and how we share it, people move from simply helping to truly belonging in the community they help build. For those who are interested in getting involved, Brittany offers simple advice: Getting started doesn't have to be complicated. Whether you're looking to give your time, build connections, or make a difference in your community, there are opportunities waiting. Find out more about local volunteering opportunities with the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, see how you can find your sense of belonging within our community here
"One person trying to save the world is not going to happen. But when one person works with a million people, that can impact the world."
