Chelsea Sunday Kline: Storytelling for good
Written by Charles Noyes
Photos by Kelly Z Photography
Sponsored by Valley Home Improvement
Published in Northampton Living (July 2022)
Few people are as well-known and well-liked in all of Northampton as Chelsea Sunday Kline. Having lived in the area since 2001, she has made her impact in ways such as starting a loving family, advocating for a litany of local causes, writing creatively and professionally for the Gazette, working as a life coach to help people fully inhabit their own stories, and eventually running for state senate in 2018 to represent our district.
If there is a common thread throughout all of these different ventures, it is “storytelling for good,” Chelsea said. “In running for office I used my story as a counterpoint. Having been a single teen mom, I know firsthand how much people struggle just to get by. I realized I was in a place of privilege to be able to run for office and it was my duty to amplify the stories of economic disparity and to advocate for those who couldn’t voice their inequities.”
In her newest role, Chelsea has stepped in as the executive director of Cancer Connection, a local nonprofit where people with cancer and their loved ones can receive education, peer support, integrative therapies, and creative programs to strengthen body and spirit, all free of charge. “Now I’m telling the stories of our participants and our facilitators to tell people about the work we do,” Chelsea began. “Storytelling is such a powerful vehicle for finding common ground and it gets people excited about a mission or campaign.”
Part of that common ground she shares with the people at Cancer Connection is knowing what it’s like to lose a loved one to the disease. Part of what brought her to the Valley in the first place was her mother’s need to be closer to Boston to seek treatments for her illness. From there, Chelsea was accepted to the Ada Comstock program at Smith, fulfilling her dream of pursuing higher education. All of this while she was 19 years old and raising her young daughter, Lulu.
But adversity never stopped her or slowed her down and she now lives in Northampton with her two new kids and her husband, Greg Kline. “I was at a party in Conway,” Chelsea remembered, “and I saw how nice Greg was with kids. I was convinced he must be married, but I happily found out he was not. Funny enough, the people who hosted that fateful party ended up becoming our Matron of Honor and Best Man.” Iggy, the couple’s son, is in a band with Arlo, Chelsea and Greg’s son. “They’re called Big Destiny and though Arlo’s drumming rings out through the house, we support them every step of the way.“
Nowadays, Arlo is 14 and their other son, Reuben, is 8 years old. Chelsea’s oldest, Lulu, is 25 and a Hampshire graduate, which is also where Greg has taught for many years. As a family, they love hiking in the Valley, eating at many of their favorite restaurants, and (for the adults) sampling every local beer they can find. “There’s so much to love about this area,” she began. “But the culture of kindness and compassion and showing up for each other is truly special. Being involved in the non-profit world in this area is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done.”
Her involvement with Cancer Connection marks an interesting new chapter, but one not too unfamiliar from the rest of her story. “It wasn’t even a question,” she laughed. “When I found out about this position I knew this was exactly for me. This organization is in the perfect position being so well-known and so well-loved. Right now I’m listening to everyone connected to the organization and figuring out what’s possible and impossible and what lies beyond the horizon. People have a lot of great ideas and I love being in this position. A lot of my work starts with ‘how can I help?’”
That’s a question that’s been on her mind for years. Part of the conclusion to our conversation involved Chelsea shouting out many of the people and organizations she’s worked closely with over the years. “For years I’ve worked with Collective Power for Reproductive Justice and I recently joined the Northampton human rights commission, which is exciting. Big shoutout to all the volunteers and commission members in Northampton. Part of why I joined was to support the Disableist movement and its organizers, Jeremy Macomber-Dubs and Olivia Marshall. My brother has a major disability so their entire message hit close to home for me. I was able to speak at the rally as a representative of the commission, which was hugely inspirational.”
Where else this inspiration will lead Chelsea remains to be seen, but it is certain that she will go with kindness, empathy, humor, and patience.
