working
transitional leaders and me
on choosing new skills carefully
racism
essay
flinch or fight
I drove to the gym this morning. I turned left onto the main road, taking the turn with cars behind me. A woman nearby was finishing her walk up a steep hill. She was looking down as she walked but raised her gaze to mine as I approached. I steered
essay
how do we learn?
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
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 at parties!) but there’s still some truth to it. Once you start to notice the racial injustices
essay
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
essay
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
essay
finding robert moses
New Yorkers and urban planners will know Robert Moses without thinking. For the rest of us, Robert Moses designed and built public works for decades in the New York metropolitan area. Jason Haber summarizes his impact in the New York area like so: His accomplishments bestride New York: 416 miles
working
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 society. No group of people should hold the choking dominance that white supremacy has over all of us. This work
personal
we have no choice
One day I received an email from a colleague of mine. Someone from the community had reached out to her in search of food. He was living alone, disabled, unable to travel for food or stand in a line. A local church delivered groceries to the apartment where he lived.
working
while everyone's watching
These past few years have brought strong activism and support for marginalized communities. But the change we need isn’t finished. It may not have even started yet⏤sometimes it’s hard to tell. This past week, another police officer murdered Daunte Wright, another unarmed Black man. The murder occurred
personal
the unbearable being of whiteness
In an earlier post, I shared a resource I use by Tema Okun. People suspicious of phrases like “white supremacist culture” will dismiss it immediately. But even for someone who believes we live in an anti-Black racist society, I struggle with it sometimes. “Really??” I ask myself. “Being on time
working
centering people when collecting information
I have a stable job that pays me well. I live in a nice apartment with my husband. We can afford to buy the things we need. My job pays me to provide social services to others, but it’s not likely that I will ever need those services myself.