Who we are

Leadership starts
from the inside out.

Rooted in community and driven by creativity, Try to Imagine Collective develops emotionally aware, relationally effective leaders across every stage of life. When children feel secure, families connect. When families connect, individuals lead. When individuals lead, communities thrive.

"We are not waiting for the world to change. We are in the work."

Est.Georgia

Born from a belief
that everyone leads.

Try to Imagine Collective was founded on a simple but radical premise: that leadership is not a title reserved for a few. It is a capacity that lives in every person, waiting for the right conditions to emerge.


We saw children in under-resourced communities who had never been told they were leaders. We saw families struggling to communicate across generations. We saw individuals with extraordinary potential who simply lacked access to the tools, spaces, and relationships that make growth possible. We existed to change that.


What started as a vision has become a living organization, one that shows up in community centers, schools, and gathering spaces to do the relational work that changes lives from the inside out.


We believe change flows in one direction, from the inside out. When children feel secure, families connect. When families connect, individuals lead. When individuals lead, communities thrive. That is not a slogan. It is the belief that drives every program, every workshop, and every conversation we have.

Try to Imagine Collective strengthens children, families, and leaders through creativity, connection, and compassionate leadership, because healthier relationships create stronger communities. Children are where change begins. Families are where change is nurtured. Leaders are where change multiplies.

Children
Expressive arts & SEL
Families
Workshops & connection
Leaders
Development & life skills

Meet Our Executive Director.

JS

Dr. Janell Skeete, DSW, LCSW

Executive Director & Founder

Attachment-Informed Practice · Expressive Arts-Informed Therapy · Community Engagement

Dr. Janell Skeete, DSW, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker, behavioral health leader, and founder of Try to Imagine Collective. She has experience supporting military members and families through deployments, reunifications, and the unique challenges associated with military life. Through her private practice, she works with individuals, leaders, and community members using attachment-informed approaches that foster self-awareness, strengthen relationships, and support personal growth.

As an expressive arts-informed therapist, Dr. Skeete incorporates creativity, storytelling, and reflective practices to help individuals and families explore emotions, communicate experiences, and discover new pathways toward healing and connection. She believes that art can provide a safe and meaningful way for people to express feelings that are often difficult to put into words.

As a proud wife and boy mom, Dr. Skeete understands that some of life's greatest lessons in resilience, imagination, and connection happen within the family. Through her work, she is committed to creating spaces where children heal, families connect, and communities thrive.

"We are not waiting for the world to change. We are in the work."

The values that guide everything.

01

Leadership begins with emotional awareness, not a title, not a credential. We develop the inner capacity first.

02

Creativity and art are pathways to healing, confidence, and connection, not extras, but essentials.

03

Communities thrive when individuals feel seen, supported, and empowered to lead where they stand.

04

Strong relationships are the foundation of strong individuals, families, and communities. Everything else is built on top of that.

05

Education and leadership development should be accessible to everyone, not just those with resources.

06

Every person carries untapped potential. Our job is to create the conditions where that potential can emerge.

How we do the work.

01

Expressive arts & creativity-based learning

Using art as a vehicle for emotional exploration, self-expression, and community building.

02

Social-emotional learning & relational development

Building the emotional vocabulary and relational skills that underpin healthy leadership.

03

Community-centered workshops & engagement

Meeting communities where they are, not asking them to come to us.

04

Culturally responsive & trauma-informed programming

Designing every experience with the full humanity of participants in mind.

05

Leadership & life-skills-based education

Practical tools participants apply immediately in their homes, schools, and workplaces.

"At Try to Imagine Collective, we are not only imagining healthier individuals, families, and communities. We are actively helping build them."

Organizational Statement

Our programs are designed to be accessible, inclusive, and deeply rooted in community. We don't deliver services to people. We develop capacity with them. Every workshop, every session, every conversation is guided by the belief that the people we serve already hold the seeds of their own leadership.


See our programs →
Join the Collective

Ready to be part of the work?

Whether you're looking to volunteer, partner, donate, or bring our programs to your community, we'd love to connect.

Get Involved Contact Us