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.
essay
How do organizations change? Why is it that most organizations can set goals for racial justice and then never achieve them? What’s so difficult about doing things in different ways? Equity filters can be clunky. They can be hard to integrate into an existing decision-making process. I want action
working
Last week I was in Yakima for the annual Washington Food Coalition conference. I spent three very full days learning, talking, laughing, and (of course) eating well. On the last day, I ran into a friend/former coworker of mine. I think of him like a little brother in the
essay
So many people want to do the right thing. With enough awareness, we start to see the world of injustices embedded around us. We might think, “all I need to do is get a bunch of friends together and we can change the system!” Lots of people, including me at
working
It’s not easy being among the workers angry about the decisions people at the top are making every day. Some leaders think that decision-making at a nonprofit can be hard to understand. Often the people protesting their decisions do understand. In fact, they are often protesting because they understand.
essay
In 2003, the TV miniseries Battlestar Galactica premiered in the united states. Battlestar Galactica is a gritty science fiction series set in a politically complicated universe. The concept of the show comes from the 1978 TV series of the same name. Here’s a quick summary: billions of humans live
essay
Another heatwave hit Seattle last week. It was mild compared to so many places in the world. I complained as the heat and smoke descended, a regular marker now for the end of summer. But we were fine. Around the united states, people felt temperatures well into the 100s (+37℃
essay
Last week, wildfires swept the region of Maui known as Lahaina. This is a place of great significance to kama’aina, or Native Hawaiians, everywhere. Before the u.s. government conquered and colonized the Kingdom of Hawai’i, Lahaina was their capital. Hurricane winds fed by climate change gave strength
walkthroughs
My husband and I have a joke we tell each other before parties. “How long before we make the conversation about oppression?” It’s kind of a joke (we’re really fun at parties!) but there’s still some truth to it. Once you start to notice the racial injustices
working
This post is narrated! Listen below… Every month I join an affinity group for BIPOC folks that’s hosted by my faves SeattleWorks. My pal Clara told me about them a couple years ago. This year, with my business secure and time less frantic, I started attending more often. They’
links
Hi folks! I’m taking July off to wrap up a few work-work projects and relax a bit. Since I usually share articles, I thought I’d share a few podcasts that I’ve enjoyed lately. Each link has a transcript or summary of the conversation. Enjoy, and see you
start the future
try before you buy in
personal
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.
Except where otherwise noted, the essays on this site are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. That means you can share it, remix it, or build on it by attributing the original work to me.