The 2018 Election, Daniel's Visit, & Finding Your Voice

Gapminder

If you’re standing on top of one of the tallest buildings in the city, every other one will look short. There’s a pretty big difference between a 16-story building and an 8-story building, but if you’re on the 200th floor, it won’t look that way to you.

That’s the analogy Hans Rosling uses in Factfinder to talk about how people in developed nations tend to view poorer countries. There’s a much broader spectrum of lifestyles out there. There’s a big difference between dollar-a-day living in Central Africa and earning $90 each week by driving a taxi moped around Delhi.

I recently started poking around his Gapminder website a bit. Gapminder.org/dollar-street has the coolest visual matrix of the way families live at different income levels in various different countries. This sort of thing never fails to capture my curiosity. There’s so much more to the world than our daily experiences might lead us to believe.

The 2018 Election

Voting is easily the coolest way to get a sticker that I can think of– and also, it can be an act of love.

As a US citizen, my vote has an impact that’s felt around the world. A vote in a US election just might be the most impactful around the world. It’ll impact people in hospital beds. It’ll impact people who have lost everything due to war. It’ll impact those in hospital beds, in unemployment lines, or in need of mental health care. It’ll impact the environment, soil, and our ability to grow enough food. It’ll impact the kids who live down the block from somebody who really shouldn’t own a gun. It’ll impact the kids who witness what happens to adults who abuse, assault, or bully.

How did I get such a privilege? It was hard earned by people who came before me. It’s a privilege I might not have had for about 80% of the country’s history. I was born in the right place and right time to have this sort of privilege.

Voting isn’t always easy. Some issues are complicated and tricky, others are a little more plain. But I believe that I’m blessed with what I have so I can give it away- and that includes my vote. I believe that it would be terrible stewardship to not use it.

Vote as a responsibility. Vote as a prayer. Vote as an act of love.

Remembering Roy Halladay

A year ago today, one of my all time favorite ballplayers was killed in a plane crash. Roy Halladay gave me some of the most exciting moments cheering for the Phillies— and you know you can’t always take those for granted.

Halladay had the best work ethic I’ve seen in an athlete. Here’s a sketch I made as tribute.

#wowradhumans

Steady Progress

One of my most steadily growing beliefs is this: Lasting change happens through long-term, committed, sustainable actions.

I’m not a believer in overnight fixes.

While seeing the election results come in, I was bummed to see how many candidates I was cheering for come so close to winning while falling short. I was also thrilled by a lot of other races, surprise wins, and that sort of a thing. What a mixed bag.

Ultimately, I’m happy to see all the firsts. The increase in women represented. The turnout from the under 30 crowd nearly tripling from 2014. I think these might be better indicators of long term change than any one candidate’s victory.

Elections are extremely important, but I think they simply take a snapshot of attitudes and values that are always evolving. This one reminds me that there is a lot to celebrate, and a lot more that needs to be done to encourage empathy.

Keep at it, friends.

We Must Be Concerned

Sadly, the shooting in Thousand Oaks wasn’t the first time one of these hit pretty close to home.

The line dancing community on the Central Coast is a surprisingly vibrant one. I couldn’t go a week without getting invited to go out line dancing. I never fell head over heels for it the way a lot of friends did, but I loved the way everyone at bars just like Borderline were always welcoming, warm, and happy to share the steps.

It feels like we’ve been trapped in a stalemate where nothing happens to prevent the next one, but I still believe that it doesn’t have to be this way and that it won’t be this way forever.

When that change comes, I will be unbelievably happy. But the road to get there isn’t an easy one. I’m with MLK on this one, it’ll take big picture thinking, concern, and looking beyond ourselves.

Daniel’s Coming

We’re having a sleepover this weekend and it’s gonna be dope!

Finding Your Voice

A long post about finding your creative voice:

As a maker, once you find your voice, so many things fall in place. People know what you’re about and can meet your enthusiasm with their own.

I’m still a work in progress as far as that goes, but I think this year I’ve taken some good steps.

Without finding your own voice, the temptation is to just mimic the stuff you admire. But if you push further into that, it might actually help you develop your voice. You just have to dissect the things you admire and figure out why you like them.

When it comes to visual art, I’ve always been fond of blues folk art, a bit like this painting at Prince’s. I also like a little bit of propaganda print style pieces (think Shepard Fairey) or the types of murals you might find on storefronts and walls in Mexico or South Africa.

Those styles are pretty different, but they have some aesthetics in common. Thicker lines, lots of human subjects, focused colors. In popular use, these styles reflect community, fighting injustice, and preserving marginalized culture. Because of that, bold lines, selective color schemes, and drawn portraits get associated with that style.

The work I enjoy doing most is work that reminds us of the value of human lives and culture, and the importance of fighting for justice joyfully. And so I like to adopt those visual styles that match.

This approach isn’t limited to visual art. It can work for music, writing, cooking, costuming, or any sort of craft. Once you find the way to speak to the world that’s unique to you, good things happen.

Sahle Work Zewde, Cantina Mayahuel, & the Strongest Person I Know

The Trip

About a quarter of the podcasts I listen to are food related. The Sporkful and Gastropod are consistent favorites. I love Dave Chang’s too, but his is so multifaceted that I’m not sure it’s best described as a food show. Good storytelling and good food have the power to connect people.

I’ve been dreaming up some new creative projects for next year and while a food podcast isn’t exactly one of them, the ones I listen to have my creative juices flowing. The best ones make me feel connected to others, grateful to live on this planet, and all the more curious. That’s the effect I want my work to have.

In the meantime, since I have no food podcast, Instagram will have to do! Here were two of my favorite dining spots in Vancouver: Juke Chicken in Chinatown and Bodega over by the train station.

Sahle-Work Zewde

“When there’s no peace in a country, mothers will be frustrated. Therefore we need to work on peace for the sake of our mothers.”

–Sahle Work Zewde

Over the summer, Ethiopia ended its longstanding war with Eritrea. Then last week, they named Sahle Work Zewde to be their first female president.

Then- they announced a gender balanced cabinet where women hold half the seats. Just a couple days later, the same thing happened in Rwanda.

Change isn’t linear and change doesn’t happen overnight. Even these changes are the result of things boiling under the surface for a long time. But when things like these all happen in succession, it’s still really exciting.

Cantina Mayahuel

Last week, a friend introduced me to Cantina Mayahuel- a sweet Mexican spot where the old time Oaxaca’s vibes are absolutely doing it for me. Not to mention their impressive mezcal collection that’s gonna require some return trips.

Last week was kind of a rough one for me, but that made the simple gesture of an invitation to lunch and a plate of braised steak tacos so much brighter. The simple acts of good always matter.

What I love about Mexican countryside cuisine is the feeling of welcome most dishes bring. It’s like the eater’s presence is being celebrated. And sometimes, that’s just what the eater needed in the moment.

Keys to Great Branding

Last week, I got to lead a little training on what branding is anyways. Sometimes the word “branding” is one of those buzzwords that everybody uses but nobody understands. It’s so much more than just logos.

Logos themselves are more like empty vessels that gain meaning when the story you tell connects with people. My session highlighted four key actions brands can take to be meaningful.

One of my favorite things about my role is getting to dive deep into how storytelling can help nonprofits and purpose-led organizations move people.

I’m hoping to do more with this material. Maybe flesh it out into a mini-course or something. Know anyone who might find it useful?

Voter’s Homework

Honestly, I find voting really fun! I took about an hour to hole up in one of my favorite coffee shops and dig into some of the issues going on in this year’s ballots.

This election, like every election, has an impact. On people inside the country and outside of it, on kids and kids yet to be born, on the poor, on struggling families, on the sick and elderly. What we do during an election has an effect, even deciding to stay home. But with all that at stake, why would you want to do that?

We don’t get to choose the moment in history we’ll be born into but we do get to choose how we’ll show up for it. Vote for accountability. Vote for empathy. Vote for others.

The Strongest Person I Know

Easily the strongest person that I know ❤️ @deanna.suzanna

Make it Personal

Why does it really matter?

I know and I get to work with so many people who are all about creating change. Almost all of them face the same struggle. How do you get other people to care? You can’t do it alone, and sometimes apathy is worse than opposition.

You need to always remind yourself why it matters and keep making that clear to matters. Don’t take it for granted that you have a great solution to a problem. Talk about how that problem affects people, how it affects you. What makes you angry? What’s at stake? What does the world look like if the problem gets solved?

If you can stay close and connected to your own reason for being on the path that your on, the more attractive that path will be for others.

Eugene Peterson, Gala 2018, & a Creative Rut

Eugene Peterson

Eugene Peterson passed away earlier this week. If you don’t know who he was, he was a pastor who believed that pastors pretty much spend their whole lives preaching one sermon. He thought that great writers like Hemingway and Faulkner spent their whole life writing the same book, retold many different ways, and that it wasn’t so different for preachers.

If that’s the case, Eugene preached his sermon well. He delivered countless sermons, translated the Bible, wrote a great memoir, and gave amazing interviews, all of which preached the same thing- staying in awe and wonder. If you want a taste, Google his chat with Bono or look up his @onbeing interview.

Photos of him suggest he spent his whole life smiling ear-to-ear. If I’m ever as visible on Google Images as he is, I hope I look as joyful as he does. I think his quote is a behind-the-scenes peek at how to be a joyful person. The biggest, most sacred things in life- people, God, Scripture- these weren’t problems to solve. Just sweet mysteries.

A Creative Rut

Some days the inspiration just flows and other days it just makes grunting noises while you try to crank the lever harder and harder. I’ve been in a bit of a creative rut lately, and that’s no fun.

These dry spells don’t scare me the way they used to, though. They just run their course. The thing about ruts is that they expire, but they don’t have marked expiration dates. That would be so helpful, but you just have to keep going. Hopefully this week turns some things around. Sooner or later, the groove will be back and it’s so freeing to remember that.

National Book Month 2018

October is #nationalbookmonth - so here are my five favorite books that I’ve read since this time last year. Over the last few months, life happened and I’ve fallen way behind on my reading goals, but I’ve still managed to read through some really good ones.

America Is Not The Heart was a great read featuring a character’s attempt to build a new life after acting as a student revolutionary in the Philippines. Little Fires Everywhere was about the secret lives lived between two families. Both were a big reminder that everyone is going through something.

Factfulness is some of the best storytelling that I’ve seen done with data, and the story it tells us is an encouraging one- the world is getting better. Poverty is way down and opportunities are expanding. It doesn’t dismiss the work that needs to be done and Just Mercy captures how to approach that work with compassion and boldness.

How To Stop Time was a bizarre read about a man who lives a millennium and as a result has to change his identity every four years. In spite of the wild premise, the book is actually about loss, grieving, and not fearing the passing of time.

One Step at a Time

How do things get better? One step at a time.

I’ll be honest, this past week was a rough one for me, and it seems like it went that way for a lot of people. I felt unmotivated for the days at hand and impatient to live in better days.

To get to those better days, you sometimes have to fight through the discouragement and lack of motivation. What helps me is remembering that I don’t need to solve everything all at once. I just need to take the next step for making things right that are in front of me.

Here’s to that next step, whatever that might look like for you!

Not in Montreat

The last time I was in North Carolina, about three years ago, I hiked totally by myself in search of waterfalls and fell in love with what I saw.

I was supposed to be there last weekend, but last week I realized that I needed to be home. So I cancelled the trip, and I’m feeling happy about it being the right move.

It feels totally weird for me to be this happy about a cancelled trip. But, I know where I need to be.

I love to travel. So much. But I’m also learning that it can be a bit of a crutch or an escape for me. I’m working at figuring out when that’s the case. For now, it feels good to have made the right choice this week.

A Mid-Hike Bar

Life has its challenges, but there are also those times when you’re in the middle of a steep hike and right there, surrounded by nothing else but the trail and its cliffs, is a tiny little bar.

Why can’t there be one of these on every hike? Italy is great.

Planting Hope Gala 2018

Gala 2018- this night makes me really proud to be a part of the @plantwpurpose team, getting to celebrate all the trees planted, people helped, and lives changed across seven countries while raising some funds to go out and do even more.

It’s also my rare opportunity to suit up. And, I got to take along a hot date.