07/24/2026
At Empira, we are honored and humbled to do the work we are invited to do alongside our member organizations. It is never just about strategies or initiatives—it is always about people, relationships, and the collective impact created when we all come together with a shared purpose.
In a time of uncertainty and unprecedented challenges, member organizations came together to ask an important question: How do we better support our people and create environments where they want to stay? From that question, the OARS (Onboarding and Retention Strategies) program was born.
As we come to the end of the development phase of the OARS Program, we wanted to celebrate by creating an experience that captured not only the work we accomplished, but the relationships, successes, growth, and stories that shaped this journey.
We partnered with artist Karen Caldwell, owner of https://www.instagram.com/oyaarts, to bring our story to life. Karen met with OARS leaders and reflected on their experiences—the challenges, successes, milestones, relationships, and moments that defined OARS. Through those conversations, themes of connection, belonging, gratitude, growth, and the power of people coming together emerged.
Karen used those themes to create a custom mural representing our OARS journey. The roots reflect the strong foundation and relationships built throughout this work. The growth, symbols, and movement throughout the mural represent the evolution of OARS and the many contributions that helped it flourish.
Today, the OARS site leaders and partners who helped shape and support this program came together to complete our story. Karen created the foundation, and each person painted a piece of the mural. Together, those individual pieces became one beautiful, powerful work of art.
The mural is a reflection of OARS itself. Each piece is unique. Each person brought something different. But when combined, the story became stronger and more meaningful because of every individual contribution.
As each participant took home their piece, they took with them a reminder that they were not just part of the OARS story—they helped create it.
Thank you to every organization, leader, and team member who trusted us, partnered with us, and contributed to this journey. OARS is better because of each of you.
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