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Meet Zara Waters, our Communications Committee Vice Chair who’s passionate about Philadelphia’s food scene, the arts, and advocating for resources and access for the city’s youth.
What’s your favorite part about living in or near Philly?
I love that Philadelphia is the “Mural Capital of the World.” Philadelphia’s public art is truly incomparable and very often blows my mind—seeing these massive, sprawling works of art just walking down the sidewalk in Center City is pretty cool and not an experience I can say I’ve had in many other cities.
Who’s your favorite Philly icon, alive or dead?
One of my favorite’s is definitely Jill Scott.
Your out-of-town friends are here for the weekend. Where in Philly do you take them for a good time?
I personally love food tours when I’m out of town, so I’d definitely take them around to some of my favorite restaurants in Philly starting with Harp & Crown which has the nicest brunch (a “bottomless” one BTW) I’ve ever visited. Then, I’d end the day at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, one of my favorite places.
What’s your go-to coffee shop in Philly? And why?
Elixr Coffee—I love the kabocha squash latte in the fall.
How long have you been involved with the Spruce Foundation? And why did you decide to get involved?
It’s my first year at Spruce and I got involved because of the organization’s commitment to Philadelphia youth and facilitating access to the resources they need to thrive by way of fundraising and grant-making for local nonprofits. Advocating for and supporting youth and education are pretty significant parts of my life. I also love that this organization is spearheaded by young professionals ensuring the next wave of young people are set up for success. I appreciate the “pay it forward” aspect embedded into what we do—I think it’s really important.
What is your committee (or ad-hoc committee) working on right now that you’re most excited about?
I’m excited about the Communications Committee restructuring and organizing our marketing processes. I come from a professional marketing background, so I’m grateful that the rest of the comms team has put up with my checklists, schedules, and follow-up emails. I’m also on the DEI ad-hoc committee which is making some pretty important progress on defining what diversity, equity, inclusion, and also access, mean to Spruce.
What has been your favorite event, initiative, or accomplishment while you’ve been at Spruce?
I love the joint effort between DEI and comms on determining how we can support, align, and partner with other young professional and/or DEI-focused organizations and companies in Philadelphia via our DEI outreach plan. I can’t wait to see what collaborations unfold.
The Spruce Foundation is managed by an all-volunteer group of rising stars in Philadelphia’s professional community who are dedicated to leveraging their skills to build a promising future for local youth. Learn more about the Spruce Foundation and who we are »