Who Do You Serve?

"What you do is the promise you make to the people you serve." I think this is a quote from Seth Godin. It's meaningful because so often we focus on the thing we make--a gadget, an app, a class--rather than the people that the thing aims to serve. What we need to be more clear … Continue reading Who Do You Serve?

How Might We Bring People Closer to the Social Justice Movement?

I’m a Democrat concerned about the future of the Republican Party.A problem that I observe in my own friend-and-colleague-circles is that Democrats can lump Trump-voters into one group. This causes harm.Why? Because Republicans aren’t monolithic. Many that I know are fiscally conservative, but socially moderate, which makes them have qualities and beliefs that even Dems … Continue reading How Might We Bring People Closer to the Social Justice Movement?

The Big Picture

I'm trying really hard to count my blessings as we wind down this terrible year. But that exercise feels a little off when there is so much to be sad and angry about. And while I don't want to linger in the sadness, I want to give it the respect and thoughtfulness that it deserves. … Continue reading The Big Picture

Being Right vs Being Effective

With the polarized political environment we are in, there's a lot of advice out there on how to have effective arguments. An effective argument is one in which both parties remain open and not feel shut down. When we talk to each other in a way that allows us to remain open, then there is … Continue reading Being Right vs Being Effective

HOLIDAY GIFTS – WOMEN MAKERS – ITHACA NY

from left to right: Julia E. Dean; FlipBooKit; Robin Tilling For the holidays, I love to buy gifts from makers that I know. Below is a short list products made by women makers. There are some great gifts in here for adults and kids. While I encourage you to check out their work, you might … Continue reading HOLIDAY GIFTS – WOMEN MAKERS – ITHACA NY

Looking to Theater for Inspiration

Business, design, and engineering cultures have a record of looking to theater for inspiration. At any hip conference you will find at least one activity that draws on the art of improv. Improv encourages us to suspend disbelief and instead say, "Yes, and" to build on the ideas of others. Now that we find ourselves … Continue reading Looking to Theater for Inspiration

Small & Meaningful

I used to think that in order to make meaningful change that we had to make changes at the systems level--make changes that affect hundreds or thousands of people. And while there's something to that, meaningful change can happen at a smaller scale as well. At that smaller scale, change is more focused and tailored. … Continue reading Small & Meaningful

What if Tech Giants Gave Back

Like, really gave back. Not in a trickle down economics kind of way with Jeff Bezos on track to become the world's first trillionaire by 2026. But in direct giving back kind of way, paying back the goverment that funded the tehnologies these companies are built on so that the government can use that return … Continue reading What if Tech Giants Gave Back

Segregated Schools

image from EDBuild.org I grew up in Suffolk County on Long Island in the 1970s and 1980s. For most of my K-12 education I attended a small, well funded, mostly White school district. School district budgets are connected to property taxes which has a racist history of its own. A result of that connection is … Continue reading Segregated Schools

Representation Matters

I appreciate seeing and hearing interviews with Black Lives Matter protesters from cities across the country. There seems to be a shared feeling that something has changed. A lot of times in these interviews the protesters remark on how diverse the group is. That diversity is important. But what may be even more important is … Continue reading Representation Matters