Why Every Nonprofit Needs a Visibility Strategy: Core Legacy Founder Airielle Dotson on the Carry the Weight Walk
You can build the most meaningful nonprofit in the world, but if nobody knows it exists, it cannot do its work. That is the thread running through this bonus episode of the Visibility Impact Show, recorded live and on foot during Core Legacy's annual Carry the Weight Walk in Columbus, Ohio.
Crissy Conner walks with Airielle Dotson, founder of Core Legacy, a nonprofit serving young adults ages 18 to 24 who are navigating some of life's heaviest burdens. Airielle shares the deeply personal story behind why she started Core Legacy, growing up with a mother diagnosed with schizophrenia, a father whose drug addiction took his life when Airielle was 17 and a brother diagnosed with schizophrenia at 16. She carried shame and isolation for years because she never talked about it. Core Legacy was born out of that silence.
What started as a dream to create housing for young adults evolved into something smarter. By bringing trauma-informed programming directly to Carroll Stewart Village, a 62-unit renovated motel in Columbus where residents ages 16 to 24 can live for free, Core Legacy met people where they actually were. Not at the top of Maslow's pyramid asking people in survival mode to focus on self-actualization, but right at the foundation, building trust one last Friday of the month at a time.
Airielle and Crissy also get real about something that does not get talked about enough: nonprofits need visibility just as much as businesses do. Airielle has been in Crissy's programs and she talks openly about how building her email list, staying consistent on social media and sending regular touchpoints to supporters is what keeps Core Legacy on the forefront of people's minds. As Crissy puts it, you can build all the nonprofits you want, but if nobody knows they exist, they are invisible. The same principles that grow a personal brand grow a cause.
This episode also covers the real impact of government funding cuts that forced Carroll Stewart Village to reduce staff hours from January through March, leaving residents without after-hours programming for three months. And it ends with a direct call to action: Core Legacy's Carry the Weight Walk is live all of June with a $10,000 goal. Participants walk a mile a day carrying extra weight, physical or invisible, to represent the adverse childhood experiences, known as ACEs, that follow people far into adulthood.
Whether you walk, donate, share or simply find a cause near you to support, Airielle makes it clear: every number matters and every person who shows up counts.
Donate for Carry The Weight Walk https://givebutter.com/helpcarrytheweight2026/hot-girl-walkers/crissyconner
Learn more and donate anytime at CoreLegacy.org
BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS
Airielle founded Core Legacy after years of carrying shame in silence around her family's experiences with mental illness and addiction and realized community and conversation were the antidote
Core Legacy evolved from a housing concept into a consistent monthly workshop model by going to where young adults already were rather than asking people in survival mode to seek out new resources
Carroll Stewart Village is a 62-unit renovated motel in Columbus where residents ages 16 to 24 live for free and Core Legacy runs trauma-informed workshops there every last Friday of the month
Nonprofits need visibility just as much as businesses do and the same strategies apply - email lists, consistent social media touchpoints and showing up so reliably that your community can count on you
Government funding cuts forced Carroll Stewart Village to reduce staff hours from January through March, canceling three months of after-hours programming for residents who were just beginning to trust the consistency
The Carry the Weight Walk is in its sixth year and asks participants to walk a mile a day with extra physical weight to represent the invisible weight of adverse childhood experiences or ACEs
Every donor number matters to Core Legacy not just every dollar because when approaching potential partners, showing national and diverse support is as powerful as the dollar amount raised
Done is better than perfect - Core Legacy launched their first triggered email sequence just two days before this recording and that momentum is what moves nonprofits forward
Connect with Core Legacy
https://www.facebook.com/CoreLegacyColumbus
https://www.instagram.com/corelegacynpo/
FAQs
What is Core Legacy and who does it serve?
Core Legacy is a Columbus, Ohio nonprofit founded by Airielle Dotson that serves young adults ages 18 to 24 through trauma-informed workshops focused on professional and personal development. They partner with Carroll Stewart Village to bring programming directly to residents rather than asking people in survival mode to seek out help on their own.
How does visibility strategy apply to nonprofits?
The same visibility principles that grow a personal brand or business apply directly to nonprofits. Core Legacy uses email list building, consistent social media and regular supporter touchpoints to stay on the forefront of people's minds. If a nonprofit is not actively visible, it is invisible - and an invisible nonprofit cannot fulfill its mission or attract the partners and donors it needs to grow.
What is the Carry the Weight Walk and how can I participate?
The Carry the Weight Walk is Core Legacy's annual June fundraiser now in its sixth year. Participants walk a mile a day carrying extra weight, physical or symbolic, to represent the burden of adverse childhood experiences carried into adulthood. You can sign up to walk and fundraise, donate directly or cheer on walkers through the Core Legacy Facebook group from anywhere in the country. https://givebutter.com/helpcarrytheweight2026/hot-girl-walkers/crissyconner
What are adverse childhood experiences and why does Core Legacy focus on them?
Adverse childhood experiences, known as ACEs, are traumatic events during childhood such as living with a parent with mental illness, experiencing addiction in the home or housing instability. Research shows ACEs have lasting effects well into adulthood and Core Legacy's programming raises awareness around this while creating space for young people to process and move beyond survival mode.
