A simple Google search for fundraising opportunities launched Natalie Porias into an unexpected career path that would span two decades and take her from corporate offices to earthquake-devastated cities. Today, she serves as Chief Executive Officer of Red Noses International, overseeing professional clowns who bring moments of lightness to some of humanity's darkest places.
The organization deploys trained clowning artists to work in earthquake zones, hospices, and other crisis environments where traditional relief efforts focus solely on physical needs. Porias never envisioned leading such an unconventional humanitarian effort when she initially applied for an internship in the fundraising department twenty years ago.
Among the leadership lessons Porias has gathered during her tenure, one linguistic shift stands out as particularly transformative. She advocates replacing the word 'but' with 'and' in conversation and thought, a simple grammatical change she believes fundamentally alters how people perceive challenges and possibilities.
The practical application of this philosophy became vivid during a 2023 deployment to Turkey following a devastating earthquake. Porias found herself sleeping on a bunk bed separated only by a curtain from three colleagues representing Slovakia, Croatia, and Palestine. The cramped quarters and snoring roommates provided an intimate glimpse into the international nature of the organization's mission.
Amid the rubble and destruction, Porias observed one of the organization's clowns playing ukulele alongside a kebab vendor. A small crowd materialized in the ruins, drawn not by any structured program or commercial exchange, but by the spontaneous moment of connection. The scene embodied the organization's approach: no agenda, no transaction, simply human presence.
The impact of this work revealed itself in individual encounters. One woman who had endured catastrophic loss—first her son in a motorcycle accident, then her entire family in the earthquake—spent forty-five minutes engaging with a clowning artist whose performance consisted largely of dropping objects repeatedly. The interaction required no words to communicate its purpose.
Describing the organization's mission, Porias explained to DailyGood | News That Inspires that the goal involves introducing brightness into overwhelming darkness. The intention centers on ensuring that individuals experiencing profound trauma can still access moments that feel less than entirely bleak.
Through years of observation, Porias has developed a clear understanding of what distinguishes effective clowning in crisis environments. The essential skill involves entering any space while perceiving only the humanity of those present. This approach demands sustained curiosity, complete presence in the moment, and an absolute absence of judgment.
The work of Red Noses International operates on principles that diverge sharply from conventional disaster response. Where most humanitarian organizations prioritize efficiency, measurable outcomes, and systematic interventions, the clowning artists focus on unmeasurable moments of human connection. Their presence acknowledges that survival requires more than physical reconstruction.
For Porias, the journey from intern to organizational leader has reinforced a fundamental truth about human resilience. Even in circumstances of unimaginable loss and destruction, people retain the capacity to experience lightness. The role of the clowning artist involves creating space for that capacity to emerge, however briefly, without forcing or manufacturing artificial joy.