playing defense
by We were four years in power. Two, for the cynical. A few months, if the shambling coalition can’t agree on things like raising the minimum wage. I live in one …
Category: essay
thought experiments
if it’s not getting better it’s getting worse
Happy (Gregorian calendar) new year! I had a restful and quiet time off. It was exactly what I needed. I hope things are good with you, too. This week’s post …
not my business
I joined the GSBA in 2022, the year I started my company. The GSBA is Washington state’s LGBTQ+ business association. They formed to fight workplace discrimination of LGBTQ+ community members …
beyond self-care
It’s only been 10 days since perhaps the last presidential election of my life. Kidding! Oof, it’s been a rough one. Lots of people are still reeling from last week’s …
frogs in water
I’m writing this in the days after the election, processing it with more dismay than shock. The outcome felt inevitable for months but I held a small hope that voters …
the limits of pragmatism
This post is not about the election. Organizations, for- and nonprofit alike, are averse to risk. Humans have self-preservation on the brain and our organizations are extensions of ourselves. This …
the dehumanization machine
About a month ago, a delivery driver contracted with Amazon shared a post to a drivers’ forum on Reddit. The driver titled the post, “Try to tell me when i …
bouncing back
Social service organizations, like nonprofits and foundations, love resiliency! In their world, resiliency means a person’s ability to bounce back after a crisis. A person might come to them during or after a time of need, like the loss of a job, a family…
talking to statues
Seattle’s most recent citywide election happened in 2023. Kshama Sawant, my beloved rabblerousing socialist council member, resigned after a decade on the dais. Many of the more progressive incumbents lost …
the future of food banks
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? The question may be complicated by surges of fascism and ever-looming climate change. When we’re thinking 5 years ahead, we can be …