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
My achchi passed away last weekend at 87 years old. She and I were 50 years and a couple weeks apart. Mourning a loved one in the age of coronavirus gives me a sense of how it must have felt before planes or trains existed. That said, I was lucky
working
It’s been an unbelievably long seven weeks working the COVID-19 response. I’ve spent a lot of time working with my part of an interconnected network of partners across the state. Our response changes at least once or twice each week. We make plans, we communicate those plans, and
working
I see professional advancement as the incremental development of skills. I identify a task or role, then compare it to my existing accomplishments. The more I learn, the more I can apply to the next challenge. I approach employee advancement the same way. I give guidance on new challenges and
working
I recently listened to an episode of a podcast called Activist Class, where they interviewed one of my heroes, Nikkita Oliver. Nikkita talks about the new youth jail in Seattle. They point out that “it was designed to be the nicest public building that kids of color might access.” What
personal
I started my career in public health. In school I wanted to be a doctor, but I hated memorization and preferred working to studying. My first public health job was in disease intervention. I spent my days tracking down people exposed to HIV and syphilis. At the health department, I
![a graphic of a matrix titled "Just use [blank] straws!" with a list of alternatives to single-use plastic straws. Each altern](/content/images/size/w600/wordpress/2020/08/straws.jpg)
essay
ableism is invisible if you are not disabled transphobia is invisible if you are not transgender homophobia is invisible if you are not homosexual white supremacy is invisible if you are white oppression is invisible if you are the oppressor I used to think it was okay to ban straws
walkthroughs
This series documents my experimentation with the use of Targeted Universalism (TU). I used the Othering and Belonging Institute‘s primer on the subject. There are five steps: * Exploring TU * Step 1: set a universal goal * Step 2: assess general performance * Step 3: identify groups * Step 4: understand the structures
working
I was recently interviewed by a student taking a class on effective management. Here’s a reprint of our interview. Please describe a typical day at work. What do you do all day? I’m in a lot of meetings! I am one of three directors in my department, and
walkthroughs
I first learned about the advice process less than a year ago. I like the advice process for many reasons. The biggest is that it pushes back on the dominant-culture notion that there’s only one solution to a given problem. In truth, there can be many solutions to a
working
I have a stable job that pays me well. I live in a nice apartment with my husband. We can afford to buy the things we need. My job pays me to provide social services to others, but it’s not likely that I will ever need those services myself.
working
I’ve filled out a lot of questionnaires in my life. The question I hate the most is the one asking me my race or ethnicity. Nobody standardizes these questions. Sometimes I have to choose one; sometimes I can “check all that apply.” Sometimes questions about race and ethnicity combine
working
Two to three years is the ideal amount of time for working in the same job. This is mostly true, for most industries. Some exceptions for if you’re in an executive level position or work at an extremely small company. It’s rare nowadays for someone to work at
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