working
you lost me there
pushing the envelope through discomfort
power
working
relocate the discomfort
I’ve participated in many structured conversations about race and equity. In these spaces, “the agreements” come up a lot. These are short statements that set ground rules for the conversations to come. Most DEI circles talk about agreements right after introductions. The exact number of agreements, usually 5-10, will
essay
anything but your wallet
No matter the activist circle you’re in, everyone wants to bring about change. How do we create the conditions for the world we want to see? Most groups try to court people where they are. If our change includes something the public wants, and we make it somewhat easy
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ruining it for everyone
I went for a walk last week. I wasn’t having a particularly good day and needed to go out into the world to help clear my head. I bought a paper from a local vendor. The sun was shining. It’s been cooler than usual here, but I like
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finding the right size
Today marks the beginning of a new year for any organization on a July-June fiscal calendar. The months leading up to a new fiscal year can be exciting or terrifying. Some people are on the side of the business that feels new or innovative to senior leadership. July for them
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terms and conditions
American society consists of people with deep disagreements about pretty much everything. But I know there’s one thing we can all agree on: nobody is reading the terms of service that pop up everywhere we go! These are the lengthy blocks of legalese that appear on websites, software, and
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moving the unmovable
[Hi everyone, quick note from me here. I recently wrote this blog post alongside a training I led for the Washington Society of Association Executives and their learning series, ‘Shop Talk.’ I was able to go into a bit more detail in some parts of that presentation. I also made
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no more caretakers
The time is now. If you’re looking for a sign, this is it. I don’t know what we’re careening towards, but the future is heading our way. Racists and transphobes are trying to legislate us out of existence. People decrying inflation ignore the record profits these companies
walkthroughs
easy as ABCD(E), part 2
This is the second in a 2-part series on Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD). View both entries for the complete walkthrough. * ABCD introduction + steps 1-3 * ABCD steps 4-7 + closing thoughts Last week, I started to explore the concept of Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD). ABCD also goes by Asset-Based Community Engagement (ABCE)
walkthroughs
easy as ABCD(E), part 1
This is the first in a 2-part series on Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD). View both entries for the complete walkthrough. * ABCD introduction + steps 1-3 * ABCD steps 4-7 + closing thoughts Last week I wrote about my time working in public health during the covid pandemic. My team uses a place-based approach
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we are what's next
Think back to a time about six years ago. Hillary Clinton was in Minnesota. While campaigning for president, she spoke with a voter in a Minneapolis coffeeshop. The voter, Stacey Rosana, spoke with a quiet voice that mingled with the sounds of the coffeeshop. Rosana started by reminding Clinton of
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being in space
I’m pretty quiet the first time you meet me. It’s not that I don’t have anything to say (a fact you’ll figure out after we meet a few more times). I enjoy speaking in public as much as I do talking one-on-one about a subject that
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