start the future
let’s build a cooperative, step 2: discuss needs and vision; coordinate organizing and business research
try before you buy in
josh martinez
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.
personal
pride and liberation
I still remember the afternoon of the day I came out as gay. There were rumors floating around my family. A few of my friends had guessed the truth before that night, but I denied it was true. That afternoon I felt terrified. I spent years hiding who I was.
essay
escape the spreadsheet
June is LGBTQIA+ Pride month in most of the united states. This is great news for people who want to sell things to us! I’ll back up. There’s a joke in some parts of the queer community. People wake up on June 1 to see which brands have
essay
visions of safety
Last year I joined a coalition of small-business owners whose members are LGBTQIA+. They recently advertised a forum on community safety. Safety is a high-priority topic in most major cities these days. Lots of people live in cities; local media loves covering things that scare people. The forum
links
things to read: june
Happy Pride! Life is definitely happening this week. No post today, but here are a few things I’ve read recently that I wanted to share. “Queer” by Finn Mackay The aim of reclaiming terms like queer is to remove their power as slurs, and in so doing weaken the
essay
gentlemen's disagreements
Throughout his term, Barack Obama had a call for the activists agitating for change. He recalled what Franklin Roosevelt told his activists pushing for their own reforms. FDR said, “I agree with you, I want to do it, now make me do it.” Then-President Obama met with members of
walkthroughs
your facets will shine
Last week I spent a few hours a day attending AORTA’s Facilitation Skill-Up Intensive! course. I’m a huge fan of everything AORTA (Anti-Oppression Resource + Training Alliance) does. I love their approach to facilitation and the insightful trainings they offer. Even their cooperative organization structure is something
working
beyond tinkerbell
Think about some of the ways we want to change the world. Some of my dreams are audacious reimaginings of the unjust systems that surround me. Many people in the social justice arena want to make the world a better place even while it’s a terrible one. We need
essay
the destructive nature of self-preservation
Everything in the universe is in a constant state of change. The change can be imperceptible like the flowing water of a river. Or it may be more like the sudden eruption of a volcano changing the world around it. Change is inevitable. Yet when change comes, most organizations act
essay
the platinum rule
The Golden Rule is a central Christian tenet for most practitioners. For the unfamiliar the saying means (roughly), “treat others how you yourself want them to treat you.” Professor Leonard Swidler writes that similar sayings sprung up in at least four places in 6th century B.C. He also describes
walkthroughs
a task force with oomph
I’ve written about the advice process many times since I started this blog. It’s one of the most thrilling discoveries I made after I entered senior leadership. The advice process upended everything I hated about hierarchy and top-down decision making. In most companies major decisions fall to
working
lost behind the windshield
In community health, circumstances are everything. We can’t improve health at a population level until we understand those circumstances. One way community health practitioners do this is with a windshield survey. A windshield survey is a quick way to survey an area, usually a neighborhood or part of a
Except where otherwise noted, the essays on this site are licensed under a