We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Annika Hinton a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Annika thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is The Village Effect. It was born out of one of the hardest seasons of my life; walking through postpartum depression and anxiety while trying to keep up with the demands of motherhood, marriage, and work. I remember feeling completely lost, like I had disappeared inside of the title of “mom”. I loved my boys more than anything, but I also felt like I was drowning in silence, pretending I was okay because I thought that’s just what a mom did.

Eventually, I realized that what I needed the most wasn’t perfection, it was people. I needed a village and if I needed one, I knew other moms did too. So, I started creating small spaces where moms could show up as they are and find community, hope, and themselves again.

Now, The Village Effect has grown into a movement that helps moms feel seen and supported through every stage of motherhood. It’s meaningful to me because it turned my pain into purpose. Every message I get from a mom saying she finally feels less alone reminds me why I started, because motherhood was never meant to be done in isolation.

Annika, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m Annika, a wife, a mom of two little boys, a preschool director at Lionheart Children’s Academy, and the founder of The Village Effect. My journey into this work began after experiencing first hand the power that postpartum depression can hold. I was trying to be everything for everyone; a present mom, a supportive wife, and a strong leader; but inside, I felt completely alone.

Through my work at Lionheart, a faith-based academy, I started to notice the same quiet struggle in so many of the parents I met. There were endless resources for children’s growth and development, but so few actually knew they existed and many did not pour into the hearts of parents. That’s when it hit me, families don’t just need childcare; they need community. I wanted to bridge that gap and create something that made moms feel seen, supported, and connected again.

That’s when The Village Effect was born; a community built on authenticity, encouragement, and belonging. We offer monthly activity ideas, devotionals for parents and children, resources and information on programs available to them, and both local and virtual gatherings that remind moms they were never meant to do this alone. What sets The Village Effect apart is that it’s real. We talk about the good, the hard, and everything in between; because motherhood isn’t perfect. I’m most proud that something born out of my own struggle has become a source of hope for others. It’s living proof that even in our brokenness, God can build something Beautiful.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

One story that reflects my resilience is the moment that brought me back to my faith and ultimately, to my purpose.
I grew up in a religious household, but like so many, life got busy and faith became something I quietly set aside. It wasn’t that I stopped believing; it just stopped being a priority. After my son, I was overwhelmed; battling postpartum depression and anxiety while trying to keep up the look of a “perfect” mom, wife, leader, etc.. One night, I found myself sitting on the bathroom floor, crying uncontrollably. I hadn’t prayed in a long time, but in that moment, I whispered the only words I could: “God, I can’t do this alone. Help.” It wasn’t a polished prayer, just raw, broken honesty. But it gave me enough peace to finally fall asleep right there on the floor.

The next morning was Sunday. My husband and I hadn’t even talked about the night before, but for the first time in our marriage, he looked at me and said, “Do you want to go to church this morning?” It felt like God was answering before I even knew what to ask for. I don’t remember the sermon that day, I just cried through every worship song. That was my turning point. That’s when I started to feel whole again.

From that day forward, The Village Effect began to take shape, a movement built from my own moment of surrender. It’s proof that resilience isn’t about never breaking; it’s about finding faith in the middle of your brokenness and letting God rebuild you into something stronger.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Something I had to unlearn was that being a “good mom” or a “good leader” meant being perfect all the time. For a long time, I believed that if I could just get everything “right”; the spotless house, the organized office, the color-coded schedule; then maybe I’d finally feel like I was enough. But perfection is a moving target, and chasing it left me exhausted, anxious, and disconnected from the moments that actually mattered.

The turning point came when I realized that my kids didn’t need a perfect mom, they needed a present and happy one. They didn’t care if the laundry was folded, they cared that I was on the floor playing with them. My teachers didn’t need me to have every answer and solve every problem, they needed me to listen and lead with them with heart.

Learning to be present, not perfect, has changed everything. It’s the heartbeat behind The Village Effect. Because the truth is, motherhood, and life, aren’t about doing it all flawlessly; they’re about showing up fully, with love and grace, right where you are.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thevillageeffect.kit.com/58c3d28df5
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annika,key