i have always loved trying to understand systems, and the systems that built those systems. i spend a lot of time thinking about how to get there from here. I own/consult at futureemergent.com.
working
The time is now. If you’re looking for a sign, this is it. I don’t know what we’re careening towards, but the future is heading our way. Racists and transphobes are trying to legislate us out of existence. People decrying inflation ignore the record profits these companies
working
this post is narrated! listen below… When my sister was young, our Seeya (grandfather) made her a promise. When she turned sixteen, he said, he would buy her a Ford Mustang for her birthday. My sister loved cars when she was a kid, especially hot rods and muscle cars. Her
walkthroughs
This is the second in a 2-part series on Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD). View both entries for the complete walkthrough. * ABCD introduction + steps 1-3 * ABCD steps 4-7 + closing thoughts Last week, I started to explore the concept of Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD). ABCD also goes by Asset-Based Community Engagement (ABCE)
walkthroughs
This is the first in a 2-part series on Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD). View both entries for the complete walkthrough. * ABCD introduction + steps 1-3 * ABCD steps 4-7 + closing thoughts Last week I wrote about my time working in public health during the covid pandemic. My team uses a place-based approach
essay
For the last year I worked on the local health department’s COVID-19 vaccine strategy. This is the third pandemic I’ve worked at a public health agency, and I’m grateful to have taken part in the effort. I’m very proud of the work that my colleagues and
start the future
I started be the future more than 2 years ago, on October 7, 2019. When I began, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do with it. I had all these ideas and nowhere to put them. I was chafing against the walls and boxes I found myself
working
this is a collaborative post: concepts and words by Christina Chan and josh martinez. My friend Christina and I are no stranger to complicated workplaces. We worked together for a while before we both moved on to better pastures. We collaborated on this post, as people who’ve been there,
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Think back to a time about six years ago. Hillary Clinton was in Minnesota. While campaigning for president, she spoke with a voter in a Minneapolis coffeeshop. The voter, Stacey Rosana, spoke with a quiet voice that mingled with the sounds of the coffeeshop. Rosana started by reminding Clinton of
essay
Every day we come across stories about how the ultra-wealthy are different from us. Their private jets take them at a moment’s notice to any place they desire. Their mansions and estates sit on acres of lush terrain and a security detail. The same can be true no matter
personal
I don’t remember a sudden shift in how I felt. I had hardened into a cynic when I was in high school. Those feelings threatened to stay with me into adulthood. I knew racism and bigotry existed. I tried to call attention to them. I tried to internalize them.
working
In 1926, Dr. Carter G. Woodson created what we now know of as Black History Month. It began as a weeklong celebration of the legacy and contributions of Black people in america. In the 1950s, the week expanded to a month of education. In 1976, Gerald Ford recognized Black History
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“These aren’t people. These are animals.” Four years and a lifetime ago, Donald Trump made these racist comments about members of the gang MS-13. The way he spoke, it was easy to believe he was talking about all immigrants from Mexico. Given what we know about the man, it’
