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The Monet Richardson Community Foundation is a non-profit founded in 2021 by Pat Richardson for her daughter, Kristian “Krissy” Monet Richardson, who passed away in May 2021.
Even from a young age, Krissy had a strong passion for children, social justice and activism, and she was determined to help the students in her community. In 2018, Krissy partnered with the Carrboro-Chapel Hill YMCA Y Learning program to create a backpack program to help provide resources for students in underserved communities. Over a 100 backpacks were filled with school supplies and distributed to students in Orange County schools.
Krissy’s dedication and love for helping others did not stop there. She went on to pursue her Bachelor of Science in Social Work at East Carolina University, and later her Master of Science in Social Work at North Carolina Central University. In addition, Krissy was also involved in numerous clubs and organizations at ECU. She was the Vice President of Diamonds Productions, the Co-Founder and Dance Coach of the Prima Donnas, a member of the Delicate Divas, the Black Student Union and was a part of the girls’ intramural basketball team. Krissy was also a successful entrepreneur, as the creator and owner of the Rich Sets brand, which encompasses nails, hair, makeup, fashion and modeling.
Today, the Monet Richardson Community Foundation hopes to be able to continue Krissy’s legacy and to help support the underserved communities with an emphasis on education, social justice, youth engagement and empowerment through the backpack program and educational scholarships we offer.
We come into this world
like brides in ivory veils
life lifts them one by one
until the whole face opens beckoning us to the possibilities of a new world.
We follow like the Nile fisherman
who followed morning rain
we follow like the ones before us followed
the ones with cracked palms
tired feet following and reaching like the stillborn ghost
of a child with new eyes.
We follow like
the mothers of sculptors followed
armless but complete
caught in a storm of birth.
Krissy came into this world like a bride
carrying her own veil
made from strong happy loving stitches.
Love lifted her veil
and God showed us
her grace
her patience
the music of her talk
the joy of her generous tender embrace.
We were allowed to know her heart
and even now as angels are helping her to lift new veils
our hearts are opened even wider.
Krissy lifted her veil
asked the ancestors
about the secrets and the magic of love and life
she will always be here flowing
with the natural rhythm of love
like generations of women before her.
Krissy flowed directly into a map
a continent a river named family
a map of unconditional support
we all come into this world
like brides in ivory veils.
Krissy showed us how to wait
for the storms and joys of life.
she showed us how to lift our veils
so we might show and know
our true faces.
We all come with the hunger
of finding our life’s story
and carrying it neatly folded
starched like fine linen.
Only this life
is easily scorched
this life of love does not fold easily.
Krissy taught us
that this life of love and love of life
does not behave
it is too large for wicker baskets.
Krissy folded her fears
put them away
inside a love so large
that her wings kiss all of us today.
This day that is so soft and delicious
this day that is so easy
to open and be a part of.
This day… a day for Krissy
a day full of kissing mouths
and arms and legs that dance with the wind of her wings.
Sweet daughter granddaughter sister niece cousin
friend confidant truth-teller woman of kindred noble service
Sweet Krissy
your light outshines
and pales the sun today.
Our thoughts
our songs
our prayers
are radiant for you and only you today
as we unravel our heart beats
that connect us to you forever.
We become your hands and your heart
determined to carry out your devotion to charitable service
we become your golden instrument
that begs to be played.
We become your symphonies
carrying your life’s story
forever listening with our hearts.
