M Teresa Lawrence, Award-Winning Philanthropist and Transformational Leader
M. Teresa Lawrence is a creative, visionary leader dedicated to helping others reach their full potential. She is an accomplished attorney, publisher, educator, and entrepreneur living in western Wyoming. A multi-award-winning philanthropist, transformational leader, life coach, and best-selling author, she is a 1988 graduate of Amherst College and a 1991 graduate of the Columbia Law School.
Over the years, she has served the world through volunteer work and non-profit fundraising. As a Cuban immigrant, Teresa knows firsthand the hardships faced by refugees throughout the world, which led her to found The Trueness Project in 2023.
On December 14, 2023, Teresa was honored with a Doctorate in Humane Letters in Leadership Development, Justice, and Advocacy by the Open Christian University USA, in collaboration with Angaza Bible College, Kenya. This award recognized her life-changing philanthropic efforts in Kenya, Nepal, and the world.
You are a renowned transformational leader who strongly subscribes to the idea that authentic living is the highway to a fulfilled life. Share your journey.
I was born in Cuba, grew up in Scarsdale, New York and spent over 20 years living in Bend, Oregon.
When COVID-19 hit and my husband and I realized that we could work remotely from anywhere, we chose to live out our dream of living in a small mountain town. We now live in Daniel, Wyoming which has a thriving population of about 109 people. My office is located in a covered wagon and I will tell anyone who asks that the covered wagon symbolizes the transformational journey that we are all on. I dream of making the world a better place and I am seeking a tribe of like-minded individuals to join me.
I believe that, in various ways, we are all gifted and we have the capability to live fulfilling lives. But authenticity is key. It helps us be true to ourselves, our inner feelings and beliefs, and pursue what we believe will give us fulfillment with courage and joy.
By being authentic, we find the spark, the fun embedded within the confines of life, and we are able to share our Trueness with the world. That is how true impact happens. It’s an inside job.
How has being a Cuban immigrant shaped and strengthened your values?
As a Cuban immigrant, I understand firsthand the hardships faced by refugees throughout the world, which led me to found The Trueness Project—a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization with a purpose-driven mission to help children own their own stories and know that they are the masters of their destiny.
The initial idea was to help children realize their capabilities and pursue their power from a young age, and become reliable leaders. But when I visited Kenya in Sep 2023, I fell in love with the people there and chose to use The Trueness Project as the vehicle to impact them and help them lead more dignified, fulfilling lives.
As a nonprofit, our mission is “To empower individuals and communities to live their truth and make a positive impact in the world.”
For the last one year, we have donated thousands of leadership books to children and young people, thousands of sanitary products to retain girls in school, and fed and clothed thousands of children in children’s homes and orphanages, just to mention a fraction of the things we’ve done so far.
Our impact has been felt in Kenya, Nepal and Costa Rica and we are currently identifying one more country to spread our wings to.
And to help even more people to lead with impact, we will soon be rolling out a Leadership Course where we will mentor more young people on matters of leadership.
We are constantly in sync with our Vision, which is “To actively drive impactful change, empowering individuals and communities to embrace honesty, integrity and authenticity, and build a more compassionate society where everyone is empowered to thrive.”
On December 14, 2023, you were honored with a Doctorate in Humane Letters in Leadership Development, Justice, and Advocacy by the Open Christian University USA, in collaboration with Angaza Bible College, Kenya. What did this mean to you?
That my efforts towards a better world are being recognized. It ignited me to do more. The award reminded me that true impact involves changing people’s lives yet is not pegged on awards only, but on seeing lives transformed. This recognition also positioned me as a thought leader whose intention is to grow more leaders, champion justice for more people across the world, including the idea of dignified living, and actively advocate for a better world, which I have always been doing.
So, in short, it tripled the fire in me to do more.
Tell us about your inspiration for your children’s book Gloriousness.
Gloriousness inspires and teaches children to embrace and honor their own creativity while seamlessly and joyously teaching them to enjoy playing with words.
In it, I tell the story of a young child, Ness, searching and ultimately discovering her inner “Trueness.”
Ness begins her journey into self-awareness in a state of sheer chaos or “messiness” and then slowly discovers that she totally controls and can choose who she really is and wants to share with the world each day.
It majorly focuses on helping children remain true to themselves, discover their power and capabilities, and to take charge and pursue them with grit, despite what might be surrounding them.
Your impact transcends borders, and during your recent visit to Kenya, the Maasai gave you the name “Noonkishu,” which means “many cows.” How have you left your footprint of authenticity with the people of Kenya?
I have had the opportunity to work with several young people from Kenya to impact Kenyans through donations, community work and youth leadership mentorship programs, as part of our mission at The Trueness Project.
The Maasai of Kenya are some of the beneficiaries of our impact, and I have always visited them during my trips to Kenya. What sets us apart as a Trueness Project is that we take our donations to the site, physically interact with our target beneficiaries, understand their problems, and share our donations with them. This has ensured we remain authentic and of goodwill to them.
You recently embarked on your journey to the That Impact book. What have you shared?
I share my thoughts about Perseverance, Mastery, Inspiration, and several other tenets of a happy and fulfilled life.
“When you live in alignment with your deepest truths, you are never lost. A profound peace permeates your mind, body, and life – a state of nirvana that is yours to savor. The past holds no power, for you realize that it is no longer happening: dwelling on it only gives energy to stories that no longer concern you,” I write.
I believe that perseverance is a life-saver because life is full of uncertainties and challenging moments. We need to master our skills and clearly know what sparks us, and pursue it with inspiration. It is the inspiration that will keep us striving for more, more service, more impact, more transformation, and more desire to uplift those around us.
This remains a very important project for me because I was able to share my thoughts about the above tenets of life and remind the world that even when there seems to be no reason to hang on, we must hold true to our vision and work towards it.
What is next?
Ahead of us is The Grand Butterfly Gathering, 2025 Edition. The event will be on June 28th, 2025, with the in-person event happening in Jackson Davey Field, downtown Jackson, Wyoming.
People from all over the world are welcome to join us, dressed like butterflies, as we stand for global peace, share transformational stories about our journeys of impact, and most importantly, attempt to set a new world record for the largest assembly of people dressed as butterflies. The butterfly is our symbol because it signifies transformation.
More and more people are already registering on our website (butterflymarch.com) and you know what? The first 1000 to register and participate in person will get a voucher for a prestigious vacation in the Caribbean or Mexico (wherever they’ll choose), offering 5-day, 6-night Fully paid accommodation and food.
It will be a time to showcase the power of unity towards a common mission-transforming the world by promoting peace and sharing love.
Website: www.truenessproject.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-trueness-project/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/m-teresa-lawrence
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetruenessproject/
