Full Name: Kristen Elizabeth Rice
Hometown: Prairie Lea and Lolita, Texas
Present City: Dallas
Education: BFA, Baylor, 2002; MEd, University of Houston–Victoria, 2014
Profession: Founder and executive director of Color Me Empowered
Tell us about your family.
I’m a preacher’s kid. My parents, Gene and Margaret Rice, are retired and joined Wilshire a few years ago. I have one brother who is four years younger than me. He and his wife, both architects, live in Los Angeles. I have two boys, Eric and Elliott, ages 11 and 10.
How about your work or volunteer life?
I taught art for 10 years at Polk Elementary, in DISD. While there, in 2008, I formed Color Me Empowered. We started by doing public art projects with kids and soon began providing visual arts education during out-of-school time. We now have our own studio in north Oak Cliff. We focus on providing equitable access to the arts.
Any favorite hobbies?
My job is my hobby. But I also love live music, dancing and experiencing new things.
What brought you to Wilshire and when?
I joined Wilshire in 2002.
Where are you engaged at Wilshire?
I teach third and fourth grade Sunday School and help with Children’s Choir.
What has surprised you most about Wilshire?
I think the thing that has surprised me the most has also given me the most pride: how we tackle the issue of ongoing social justice. We don’t shy away from the work that is necessary to reconcile our faith and actions.
What do you think God is up to in your life right now?
I’m learning that God has been working through me even when I thought I was doing a bad job. Watching my students grow into resilient and talented humans is a new level of joy for me. When I resigned my teaching position to be a full-time ED, I sometimes questioned my sanity for believing that it was what God called me to do. It is assuring to know that even when I feel inadequate, God continues to work through me to make a positive difference.
Tell us about your faith journey.
Like most preacher’s kids, I recognize how important my faith has been to the person I am, but I also don’t shy away from criticism of religion, church and faith. I’m thankful for parents who allowed me to question things. My faith will always be how I ground myself in times of grief and joy.
What’s something interesting most people would not know about you?
I’m a large-scale metal sculptor. I don’t talk a lot about the art I create because I’m sensitive about it, which is trite but true.