the oppressor loves civility
by “Being civil” is a hard concept to square up against. It’s like professionalism: who could argue against that in a workplace? But while both concepts may appear benign at first, …
Tag: predominately white institutions
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 …
get out and rise
this is a collaborative post: concepts and words by Christina Chan and josh martinez. My friend Christina and I are no stranger to complicated workplaces. We worked together for a …
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 …
blow up the dam
Out near Port Angeles, Washington, the Elwha river winds through the Olympic peninsula. The river meets the ocean where the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe has lived since time immemorial. More …
affinity groups and caucuses
Many of us spend our entire lives simmering in white dominant culture. These days, so many people are working to change the balance of society. We want a just, inclusive …
white supremacy is free
What is a sunk cost? In the business world, a sunk cost is an expense that you have already paid for. You can’t recover the money you spent. You may …
new mistakes
I have a philosophy that I often share with the teams I work with. Mistakes are a natural part of life. I make mistakes all the time. But I try …
the water we breathe
There is a photo near the desk where I worked full-time before the pandemic. I used to look at it every time I walked past. It’s a photo from the …
the andon cord
I heard a story years ago about a strange partnership struck between Toyota and GM. In 1984 they came together to create a factory called NUMMI. This factory ran under …