6 minute read
Dawne Gee
Dawne Gee: An Inspirational Light
Inspiration greets us in different ways. Maybe you’ve felt an inner push encouraging you to grab that goal. Or what about experiencing a “lightbulb moment” giving you the confidence to move to a new project? These are only a few ways inner inspiration can manifest, and it matters. Inspiration gives us the energetic boost we need to accomplish tasks and move through difficult events. So, if your inspirational lightbulb is feeling a little dim, let WAVE News anchor and personality, Dawne Gee, help you turn up your light by sharing hers.
For over 17 years, Dawne Gee has reported on local happenings, people in the community, and current events at WAVE in Louisville, Kentucky. Dawne says she doesn’t have to look far for inspiration because “It happens every day.” Sharing the stories that shape her hometown, Dawne is moved by the people she meets and the truths she reports. She says she witnesses the best and the worst in our city, but it’s through her experience that we the viewer are able to step into our own inspiration. Dawne explains, “There’s almost never been a time when I’ve said, ‘Here’s the problem,’ and my city hasn’t answered with, ‘Alright, it’s solved.’ They solve it, and they solve it 10 fold.”
Whether it’s watching an entire town make positive changes or observing one person take brave steps to a new beginning, “becoming the change” is something that resonates. Dawne says she grew up when things were tough, and as an African American girl, she saw her mom, Joanna, inspire awareness where none previously existed. “My mother taught me how to kick doors in and stand strong once you got into the room,” Dawne says. Joanna was elegant in her activism, and Dawne keeps the example she set with her today.
When Dawne talks about her parents and the life lessons she gleaned from them, she includes gratitude. Growing up, Dawne’s father, Walter, projected an endless willingness to help and a forgiveness that runs deep. “He’s so peaceful, and he’s sweet,” she says. Dawne goes on to recall many events that gave her a greater perspective like these: “My mom generally took my sister and me to march for civil rights, or if she was fighting for an ordinance, or when she was going to speak at church for something that wasn’t going right in the city. And I remember all that. All that ended up inside of me.”
Continuing in the same inspiring spirit as her mom, Dawne uses her television segments to broaden our viewpoints. “I love making sure people understand what’s going on in the city, how it affects them, and what comes next,” she begins, “it’s all so important to me.” She explains how much she loves her job, and if you are wondering which part she loves the most, the answer would be telling the story. It’s this element that keeps her work fresh. “I’ve never called my job a ‘job,’” she says. But Dawne mentions she’d like to retire when she feels ready.
Dawne’s future retirement goals look a lot like her current goals, which include focusing on her health and the hobbies she loves. “My illnesses are on my heart and mind every day,” she says. Dawne goes on to reveal that some days functioning through her maladies can be difficult. “I think people would be amazed at what my day is like just to keep going because I’m so ill,” she says. However, Dawne’s courage is unfaltering when facing her health challenges. She is determined to move forward into a healthy space so she can continue reveling in all that inspires her. And when it comes to finding that inspiration outside of the workplace, there’s no shortage of hobbies that feed her soul. “I love horror movies, and I go to conventions,” Dawne reveals — adding that they’re so much fun. She loves to garden and can sometimes be found tending to her vegetables and flowers in the wee hours of the morning. “There’s always room for flowers,” she says.
Another way Dawne keeps her inspiration flowing is by spending time with her three children. “I love my family beyond measure.” And cooking their favorite meals, having movie nights in the backyard, and taking family vacations are all ways they stay connected. “I can’t explain the love I have for them,” she says. Spending time with family is a positive way to deal with the stress life brings and engaging in the hobbies you love, well…it makes you feel better. All of these factors combine to create a healthy space for you to nurture your daily goals and future dreams.
If you’re looking for a little inspired wisdom to start your day, Dawne has some fabulous tips. Her first suggestion is, “Don’t forget to breathe.” We hold our breath so often in life and deep breathing has been shown to stabilize blood pressure and lower stress. Dawne tells herself this all the time and reminds us that the tension we carry can be released in our exhale. Another adage Dawne has adopted is: Never be less than who you are. “I had somebody who said I needed to dim my light, and what we don’t understand is if everyone could be the best they could be — it only makes us better.” Dawne goes on to say that two candles in a room don’t make the other less bright, so why not offer support to friends or family members instead of anger or jealousy?
Inspiration is an unseen force guiding us to our next project, goal, or stage in life. It provides a hopeful jumping-off point for a new set of ideas to come to fruition. “Everyone makes fun of me because I cry, but I don’t know how you don’t cry when you see that we can solve problems, be kind, and work together,” Dawne reveals. It’s Dawne Gee’s belief in her community that’s clearly contagious and her caring outlook inspires that same loving care in us.
By Tonilyn Hornung | Photo by Melissa Donald
Today's Transitions | Spring 2023
