Arnel Casabar
Building belongingSome people build businesses. Some build careers.Arnel Is trying to build something much harder.He is trying to build belonging.After experiencing hardship, loss, addiction and periods of rebuilding in his own life, he became fascinated by a simple question: What happens when people stop walking past one another and start walking with one another?That question became Raft(Up) a social enterprise using art, storytelling and human connection to help alleviate homelessness. But Raft(Up) is not simply a magazine, a book, a boat or a collection of ideas. It is an invitation to remember that no one reaches shore alone.Arnel is an unusual mixture of dreamer and builder. He thinks in decades, yet obsesses over the smallest of details. He sees projects not as products, but as vessels capable of carrying hope.He is relentlessly optimistic without pretending life is easy. His own story includes failure, grief, uncertainty, addictions, unfortunate series of events and rebuilding from the ground up. Rather than hiding those experiences, he has chosen to let them become part of the compass he offers others.His ambition is to create something that continues to help people long after he is gone.He believes that communities are stronger than individuals, conversations are more powerful than assumptions, and kindness is rarely wasted.Above all, Arnel believes every person deserves to be seen.Whether through a conversation, a publication, a restored boat, a film, or simply listening without judgement, he hopes to leave every place and every person a little better than he found them.Keep Crossing