Joana Arcangel is a mother, writer, and disability rights advocate. She moved from the Philippines to the United States at the age of eight and is a trauma survivor. She is a powerful example of a person who, one step at a time, has turned her story of difficulty into a wise and encouraging recipe for serving others.

Over the years, in both her recovery and career, she has witnessed the transformative power of discovering and sharing gifts. “In a world where productivity and outcomes are valued, Core Gift shifts our focus back on a person's intrinsic value—an essential message needed at the core of healing and growth.”

Her career journey includes leading peer support specialists and managing a peer-run respite home in California. She currently works for a mental health nonprofit organization as an Opportunity Specialist in a transition age youth program.

Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.org

Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.

Music by Benson.