Elaine MacDonald has been a member of STL Mutual Aid since 2020. She values mutual aid as a concept very different from charity, as it emphasizes the interconnectedness of community.

To her, mutual aid is more about what we can all offer each other and is built on relationships above all, rather than an external force coming in, attempting to “fix” things, and leaving. 

From her time working with other members of STLMA, Elaine says that mutual aid has been a valuable way for her to instill a better understanding of the world in her son and raise him to have compassion for others.

As a Buddhist, Elaine emphasizes the concept of interconnectedness in her spiritual and daily practice. She uses calligraphy to express this part of her world-view.