cruelty always leaves a mark
by I’m traveling this week and I spent most of my writing time on my public testimony against the discriminatory SOAP and SODA zones. These are unfortunately not spaces for bathing …
Tag: equity
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 …
constructive arguing amid crisis
This is a weird time to be alive. A while back I learned about an approach to conflict called arguing constructively. Author Liam Rosen compares this strategy to the destructive …
written in blood
“Every regulation is written in blood.” I’ve heard this saying in several contexts and it applies to every one. Most rules aren’t written until something bad happens. We require seatbelts in cars because thousands of people died without them. OSHA exists because of the millions of people killed or…
the power of Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles
by this is a collaborative post: concepts and words by Jamie Martinez and josh martinez. I’m so excited to unveil my 200th post for be the future. It’s wild that I’ve …
belonging in oakland and beyond
“Equity is the driving force. Culture is the frame. Belonging is the goal.” Last week I attended the 2024 Othering and Belonging Conference in Oakland, California. Roberto Bedoya shared these words by Vanessa Whang…
the injustice of workarounds
“Kluge” is originally a german word that means “clever one”—or a scottish word that means “toilet.” To most english speakers, a kluge is not usually a good thing. It’s something …
noticing injustice
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 …
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 …