Happy New Year everyone!
I’m back at my desk after a week of family visits and back at my blog after a busy November/December. Some exciting things happened this past month…
My gothic Midwestern flash fiction piece “Women’s Work” is up at Flash Fiction Online. I love the art the editorial team picked to be featured with the story so much! I’d also like to give a shout out to Tanya DePass for consulting on this story. If you are looking for professional manuscript consultation regarding diversity issues (i.e. you’re writing characters backgrounds and identities than you and you really don’t want to fall into tired tropes), I highly recommending working with Tanya.
My article “Interviewing Venture Capital and Private Equity Professionals” made the top five most popular article list on the Helen Brown Group’s The Intelligent Edge. I started reading The Intelligent Edge when I started my first job in prospect research four years ago; reading it helped me dive right into important conversations in the field–so I’m very excited to be included on such a great resource!
On a political note, while I’m frustrated and angry and scared for what the recent U.S. presidential election means for my community, I’ve been impressed by the outpouring of activism and engagement from my professional and social circles. Some highlights (including resources to bookmark!):
- This call script for contacting public officials, including how to tailor your call based on your official’s voting history.
- This action list by the Southern Poverty Law Center on how to combat everyday bias in ourselves and our communities and the creative activism by Showing Up for Racial Justice during Thanksgiving.
- The outpouring of donations to nonprofits that serve and advocate for people likely to be targeted by the Trump administration.
- This call to action and responsibility by Helen Brown for those of us in the information gathering and disseminating profession and a similar call by Barbara Kingsolver.
- The insistence that we remember our history and act accordingly, by Kameron Hurley and Danielle Tanimura.
- Seeing my friends, family members, and colleagues take the opportunity to have tough discussions, fundraise, and do difficult self-reflection during the holiday season. Witnessing my community’s commitment to doing the work needed to build a safer and more just world helps me do the same.
Looking towards the future, I didn’t make any New Year’s resolutions this year, but two phrases have been rolling around in my head during the past month:
Follow the joy.
Do the the work.
I think that sums up my intention for 2017.
Let’s do this.