They live among us: people going about their daily lives, raising families, holding jobs, being good neighbors and then taking that extra leap by investing whatever spare time they have to volunteer in their community. Alana Hardison is an inspiring example of seemingly being able to do it all, with finesse. We met a few years ago at a backyard fundraiser for Democratic candidates for various offices. At the time, she was running for a place on the Bensalem School Board.
What were the reasons you decided to run, even though the outcome wasn’t what you had desired?
Running for Bensalem Township School District was a step outside of my comfort zone. I became more interested in public service after the George Floyd murder. I never say “incident” when referring to Floyd’s death. It feels disrespectful to a man that had no idea he wouldn’t make it home on May 20, 2020. I had an internal motivation to do more for my community. Leave the world better for my children. I began to seek outlets for this new energy. I joined the Bucks County NAACP, Lower Bucks For Change, and Bucks Tenant Solidarity. A couple friends reached out to me to see if I would run for school board. After speaking with my family, I decided to take the leap! I wanted to enact policies that would protect all children through the lens of equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
The outcome of the election was not what I wanted, but so many doors opened for me. I met my current boss and started a new career. I made connections with people all over Bucks County and I learned that politics isn’t the only way to make progress.
Now your time is invested in a number of other organizations. Let’s start with No Longer Bound. Please share what the focus is and your role in it.
No Longer Bound Prevention and Training Services is a non-profit organization that works to empower the community by providing educational programming and training to address drug and alcohol abuse, increase positive social development, and improve overall well-being. I am a prevention specialist and program facilitator with No Longer Bound. I facilitate an evidence-based prevention program for students in the Bristol Township School District. Prevention is all about making sure our children experience protective factors that will work to counteract any risk factors they may have in their lives. For example, if a child is experiencing poverty as a risk factor; access to mental health services, coordination of resources and services among community agencies, community support and connectedness are all protective factors for that child. Each risk factor will directly correlate to protective factors that will positively impact the child.
What is the Bristol Cares Coalition? How are you involved?
Bristol Cares Coalition is focused on our youth. We are members of the community, local organizations, and community shareholders that are here to support our children and create pathways to the future by exposing our youth to new opportunities. We are creating a thriving community by empowering youth and creating healthy behaviors. I am the vice president of Bristol Cares Coalition. We partnered with the Bristol Borough Police Department to host National Night Out for the past three years. We have hosted Back to School drives and Family Fun Nights at Bristol Township Elementary schools. We are a collection of people that put children first and work together to positively impact our community.
Despite intensive education, there is still an opioid crisis. As a member of the Bucks County Opioid Advisory Committee, what are recommendations for slaying that dragon?
The Opioid Advisory Committee is appointed by Commissioner Harvey and led by Diane Rosati from Bucks County Drug and Alcohol. It is an honor to bring the prevention perspective to that board.
Speaking for myself, I don’t know if I see the opioid crisis as a dragon that needs slaying. We will not win with punitive responses and keeping the strong hold that stigma has on people. The lack of real education upholds outdated ideas on what is best for people in the throes of a substance use disorder. Love, empathy, and harm reduction strategies are the way through. Have you watched “How To Train A Dragon?” The entire town was afraid of dragons until one brave soul dared to trust. In the end, they protected one another. Community connectedness is always the key.
What do you do as a member of the Linconia/Concord Park Historical Association?
The area of Linconia and Concord Park has a rich history. The neighborhood has an Underground Railroad stop, was the first integrated neighborhood in Bucks County, and is where my family’s Bucks County journey begins. My 96-year-old grandmother still lives there! A group of people that grew up in the neighborhood realized that people only gathered together at funerals. That is how the organization began. Folks were ready to start building community while fellowshipping with one another. The Linconia/Concord Park Historical Association will be having its 4th annual reunion dance this October. In the past, we held a Community Day at the local park and a basketball tournament. The group is committed to giving opportunities to people from the neighborhood to get together for happy occasions.
Two other roles are mom and wife. Please tell us about your family and how you and your husband juggle it all together with your various work, volunteer, school, and kids’ activities schedules.
I am blessed to have a wonderful support system. My husband understands that giving is an integral part of who I am. My extended family is always there to take a child to dance/basketball practice or drop off a meal if I am unable to cook. My husband, Kevin, and I are high school sweethearts. We were teen parents and understood immediately that our child was our priority. We both graduated from college and made sure we gave our kids opportunities that we did not have. It is such a blessing to watch our eldest son go to college this week. Our younger children are kind and inquisitive. I’ve really won the family lottery. Again, community is the key to our success. We were not able to thrive alone. Kevin and I are very grateful for our village.
We can’t give from an empty cup. What is your self-care routine?
Still working on pouring into myself so that I can pour into others. I am an artist at heart. I teach dance at Dance Action and choreograph for Bensalem High School musicals. Being able to create through movement feeds my soul. I love the process of developing talent and making students see past their limitations. I may need to invest in a massage membership or something though.
What is your hope for the future and the world your children will inherit?
My hope for the future is a world that is kinder. A world where people are willing to learn from one another. A world where community well-being is more important than individual wealth. A world where all children are protected and feel a sense of belonging. A world where being your authentic self is enough. All of this is possible. Prevention is all about laying the groundwork for progress that will be seen generations down the line. We must all begin to lay the foundation with love for one another.
