Why We Chose the Tree of Life (with a heart!) to Represent Joyful Inclusion

At Joyful Inclusion, we believe your logo should do more than just look pretty on a sticker or sit quietly in the corner of your website. It should speak. It should whisper your values, shout your purpose - maybe even do a little happy dance in your inbox when someone new discovers it. Ours does just that.

Let’s take a moment to unpack the beauty, boldness, and deep roots of our logo: the Tree of Life with a bright red heart at its center.

Spoiler alert: Every part of this tree tells the story of our mission, our joy, and our unwavering belief that inclusion isn’t just possible - it’s essential.

We start underground, right where the real magic happens

The roots of our tree represent the deep values that ground everything we do: belonging, connection, and purpose. These roots honor every teacher who entered this profession not just to “cover content,” but to change lives.

You know the type. Maybe it’s you.

⭐ The teacher who sees potential when others see problems.
⭐ The teacher who stays after the bell rings, going beyond her job description.
⭐ The teacher whose classroom hums with laughter, struggles, growth, and grace.

Those roots remind us why we started. They keep us steady, even in the storm.

A tree is only as strong as its trunk, and ours stands firm with a powerful message:

All members of the school community are valued.

All can learn, grow, and succeed.

That’s our stand. We’re not whispering it. We’re saying it loud enough that the cafeteria staff, the bus driver, the second-grade paraprofessional, and every student in the hallway hears it.

The trunk is our promise to keep inclusion from being an afterthought. It’s our declaration that schools thrive when every member of the community is seen, supported, and celebrated.

From that strong center our work branches out.

These branches represent the different packages, tools, and services we offer schools:

🌿 Coaching for visionary leaders.
🌿 Online videos that transform mindset and practice.
🌿 Support for building strong family partnerships.
🌿 Professional development that gets results and hugs.

Each branch is crafted with care, built sturdily of evidence-based fiber, designed to reach a need and stretch toward possibility. No cookie-cutter approaches here - just rooted wisdom and joyful problem-solving.

Ah, the leaves.

They flutter, they shine, and they grow.

Just like the results we’ve helped schools create.

🍃 Increased student progress.
🍃 Teachers who love teaching again.
🍃 Parents who finally feel like partners.
🍃 Students who walk taller because someone believed in them.

The leaves are our favorite part, because they remind us that when we root deeply, stand strong, and stretch wide, the outcomes take care of themselves.

And the heart?

Right at the center of the tree, nestled in the trunk, is a bright, red heart.

It’s not there for decoration - it’s there because love is the center of everything we do.

❤ Love for the work.
❤ Love for the kids who don’t always get the easy path.
❤ Love for the adults trying every day to do better, even when the system makes it hard.

Our heart keeps us honest, humble, and hopeful.

So the next time you see our logo - whether it’s on a handout, social media, a Zoom call, or your favorite mug - know this:

It’s not just a tree. It’s a living symbol of the movement we’re building:
rooted in love, branching with purpose, and growing joyfully… one inclusive school at a time.

Let’s grow something beautiful together.