I should just write a book...

I saw that because here I what I've written so far, at the time of this post, in reply to things written in this one Burning Man group. The instigating post was this:

How can the burning man community become more inclusive in light of everything that's happening? It's been frequently called "The White Privilege Olympics". How do we shift from accepting our norm and shrugging off the fact that it's a predominantly white community and invite and make it accessible to everyone even those who do not have the financial means to attend?

My first one was actually a copy and paste from a similar comment on another post on the Burning Man page:

I know this comment is well intended, but unconscious bias is much more of a barrier to Black Rock City being more diverse than the cost.

Yes, there are correlations to wealth and race, but that has to do more with class and income, which also relates to unconscious bias that is internalized in cultures, institutions, and systems [as others have also addressed in other comments].

But throwing up the cost as a barrier actually reinforces stereotypes (albeit based in reality) of "poor black people". Like I know your statement isn't meant to be racist, but the impact of it is reinforcing a racist stereotype, even unintentionally.

Please note: I'm NOT calling you racist. Just from the spirit of your comment, you seem like a good person who obviously wants Burning Man to be more diverse than it is.

Like yes, Black and African-American people are more likely to live in poverty (20.8% as of 2018 according to stats here: https://talkpoverty.org/basics/) but the overall majority do not.

So, yes, let's talk about price as a barrier for ANYONE to attend. But let's also talk about the other things that still keep those Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) who can afford to from coming as well. Because I think the former is where can dig into barriers to diversity as they relate to class, and the latter is where we have an opportunity to dig into the roots of barriers to Burning Man being more diverse when it comes to race and ethnicity.

Does the Venn diagram of these two overlap? Absolutely. But there are also poor people who aren't BIPOCs and BIPOCs who aren't poor who are left out of the conversation when we treat race and class as synonymous. Hope that all makes sense.

The original poster received it well, understand and wish they had worded the original post differently, and now knows for the future.

Other comments I wrote including the following.

In response to this:

Stop playing so much EDM! More hip hop/R&B/funk!Stop playing so much EDM! More hip hop/R&B/funk!

I wrote this:

So...I know this is well intentioned, but similar to another comment the initial one is landing as racist.

Not saying YOU, [Name], are a racist person, but here's how and why that initial comment is landing in a way I'm sure you didn't intend:

1) It's reinforcing a stereotype and treating Black people like a monolith in terms of what it means to be "Black", as if only Black people listen to hip-hop, R&B, and Funk, and there's an inference that if there are Black people who listen to anything else that they are somehow less Black. Again, not anywhere near your intention, I know, but it's the unintended consequences of things that land as microagressions and are informed by and also reinforce unconscious bias.

And just speaking from personal experience, as someone who is Black and Filipino-American. Like people don't mean it, but when a white friend is surprised when (because of my identity), I haven't heard of a hip-hop, funk, or r&b artist and they have, as if to "tsk, tsk" that I don't know something "Black" which I should...that's actually a microagression.

2) It actually completely erases the Black origins of house music for example, as relates to what Aaron mentioned, and its Black queer origin if we want to be really specific (which, being Pride month, seems particularly important to note).

And while the following exchange begins to unpack that a bit (so thank you), just to make it more explicit, the initial comment still whitewashed EDM generally, and house music specifically, especially as there is plenty of house music STILL being produced that is very much still created by Black queer people.

https://www.outfrontmagazine.com/inthemag/the-queer-history-of-house-music/

So, hope that made sense, especially parsing intent from impact. And [Name], you and [Name] actually begin to get to the nuanced part of the issue so if I can follow y'alls lead, I just want to dig into it a bit more, in that let's talk about how this relates to WHO'S bringing the music.

Similar to how other people have indirectly and directly talked about unconscious bias and gatekeeping, and how prejudices in people's blindspots can counteract attempts at Radical Inclusion, this relates to how DJ's are selected and curated by soundcamps. Like yes, it'd be great to have more diverse music represented, but unless that also means having more diverse DJ's curated and booked, that will only go so far.

And if soundcamps aren't doing it yet, a simple exercise would be to simply put together and look at profile pictures of their DJs. Are there any patterns and trends in the identities of your lineups and any glaring omissions? Do DJs tend to be selected from first-degree friendships and familiarity? Which I think would naturally be the case for many soundcamps as they're often started by groups of friends. But then this and other factors are at the root of the same problem across the community, in terms of a lack of diversity.

Anyway, all this is to say "both and" in terms of talking about Black people and Burners specifically! Let's definitely have more hip-hop, r&b, and funk on the Playa, so that anyone who loves those genres may find a slice of home on the playa. Let's also have more house music produced by Black people, as well as just more Black DJ's.

Hope that all makes sense.

And on that note, even though I don't go to church and wasn't raised in a Black church, wanted to share a playlist of some of my favorite Gospel House tracks, for anyone else who might want to listen, especially if you like house music and have never heard it as a subgenre before. Long term goals are to throw a party here in DC and on Playa, called Gospel House Brunch (or GHB). I know, the acronym is unfortunate. Maybe the tagline can be "GHB! Without the GHB".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZJKm-NbzC8&list=PLCiQ_zeX-ldh2qNt1BEE6kXAsdvCuPdms 

In response to this and following replies:

Do you fundamentally believe the burn is racist? I have never seen this. interested to hear from those that perceive it 

I wrote this:

unless it is actively anti-racist, then yes. And it's not perception, it's a fact.

Because Burning Man still exists in the context of a culture, and institutions and system that are racist and center whiteness.

I think just believe the people who say it is, because their experience is actually proof enough.

But also...related to what [Name] wrote, being racist in impact and being racist in intent are two different things. I also don't think it's racist in intent...that doesn't mean it's not racist in impact.

And this:

guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. Unless your "are we doing it wrong" question wasn't rhetorical, because the short answer is: yes.

Also being anti-racist is very specific and intentional. Radical inclusion as a value in and of itself isn't enough, if people don't also acknowledge that there are things they are doing unintentionally that are excluding people.

I've left leadership groups in the Burner community because I 1) experienced microaggressions and 2) was not believed by the mostly white people in the room.

Was I radically included to join initially? Sure! Did that radical inclusion last when I challenged their own whiteness? Nope.

You asked a fair question. I, and [Name], gave fair answers. Sure others have pointed out the community is pretty good at welcoming everyone intentionally. But others have also pointed out that the community is pretty bad in how it unintentionally favors and centers some identities over others.

 AND this:

Thank you. So fortunately, and I say this without snark and all seriousness, being "more inclusive" is not a uniquely Burning Man and Burner community challenge.

I'd recommend searching online using the terms "inclusion", "diversity", "equity", and "access" or IDEA (although I've seen other anagrams of the acronym), if you or anyone else interested hasn't yet.

And I agree that it's not enough to tell people they're doing it wrong. But I also don't think it's acceptable to simply wait to be told how to do it right. Fortunately, with online search engines it's fairly easy to do the work and self-educate.

And I get it, for some, there's a fear of not wanting to do it wrong again. At the same time, and I think it's part of Burner culture, I love that we generally are okay with f'ing up and trying things again until we get it right. And we've gotta be okay making mistakes even with this kinda work.

Like, I love that some of my white Burner friends and colleagues know if/when they say something problematic when it came to race, in this particular instance, I'll let them know and we have a discussion about it. Because they stopped worrying about messing up and just accepted the fact that they would and that was also okay, as long as they were willing to learn without the defensiveness (although that took a while to work through).

Ironically, in some ways, we've got a lot to learn from the default world, when it comes to Radical Inclusion. And one video I've LOVED sharing is this one:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1385355681479063

Someone wrote this:

Some alternative perspective...Maybe it’s privileged to assume POC want to attend more than they do? Or that finances are the cause? Most I’ve spoken with about it, don’t see the value of a quasi survival event, when their lives are often a survival event. Camping and Roughing it isn’t often an appealing form of entertainment to them. Want more people there? Invite them to camp with you, create a theme camp, get DGS tickets, otherwise there are far better ways to help POC in the real world than equalizing the attendance at burning man.

And I responded with this:

So...talking about POCs as a monolith, using "they/them/theirs" to refer to a whole slew of individuals who share a single identity (and a pretty general one at that), is problematic. I hope you understand that.

And this:

Definitely game, [Name], especially for learning conversations like this, and thank you for your curiosity as well as allowing me an opportunity to consent to the exchange. 

And while I'd actually like to ask you to explain more about the sentiment you intended, I can at least let you know how it landed in terms of its impact. 

So I think we can agree on a premise that some People of Color do want to go and some don't, and that often, to your own point has less to do with their identity as People of Color and more to do just with their own interests and priorities in life. 

I think where I had trouble reading your sentiment was that it implied that a majority of POC people don't want to go and (without saying it) that a majority of white people do. 

But not even having to speak to white people, statistically (and this is pretty crude), one could even argue that generally white people don't want to attend more than they do either, given that the number of white people at Burning Man was ~54,000 as of the 2018 BRC Census, and there are about 35,684,800 white people in America. So possibly only .15% of white people any given year actually go to Burning Man? 

And so then this metric of using POC's you've talked to who don't want to go, when I could also do the same for most of the white people I've talked to, feels like a double standard in terms of how one's race and/or ethnicity informs whether or not individual people want to go. 

So let me stop there, see if that all makes sense so far? If not, let me know what doesn't. And if it does, does that help you in expressing the sentiment you wanted to share better

 And this:

And likewise. If I could then add one more thing for your consideration, having had similar conversations. And apologies if you already know and think about any of the below; then it's for anyone who doesn't and/or hasn't. 

So the additional thing to consider, in the spirit of deeper understanding, is that when you hear from friends who are black who make "black people don't" statements, to think about how much of that is descriptive as much as it is (if not more) prescriptive. Like I don't doubt any statement like that isn't based on something very real, particular their own individual/personal experiences 

But in asking whether it's descriptive or prescriptive, how much of that is actually just describing a general and historical lack of access and opportunity (among other factors) to things like skiing and camping, which are absolutely related to inequity at the intersection of race and class, rather than something that is intrinsic to being a Black person, if that makes sense. 

Put another way, just because it's been Black people's past doesn't mean it's our future. Or, that might be because they're Black, but it's not what makes them Black. 

Like, it does a disservice for us to talk about Black people not camping if we don't also talk about how some National Parks actually enforced segregation according to state laws. 

That simple statement taken alone "black people don't...", even when hearing it from Black individuals, reinforces stereotypes, until one unpacks the complexity of factors that lead to the foundation these stereotypes are based on. 

So I think next time, take those statements as a red flag pointing out inequity, and if/when you have the time and energy, explore what the roots of that inequity are rather than simply filing it away as a "Black people don't..." thing. 

Just in case it helps, several links to check out: 

https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2019/08/how-national-park-service-grappled-segregation-during-20th-century 

https://www.resourcesmag.org/common-resources/diversity-in-the-great-outdoors-is-everyone-welcome-in-americas-parks-and-public-lands/ 

https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/07/12/421533481/outdoor-afro-busting-stereotypes-that-blacks-dont-hike-or-camp 

https://www.youtube.com/user/BlackFolkDont/videos

AND this:

Ack, one more thing and that's IT for now, I promise. 

If you're referring to conversations with Black people, be okay with simply using Black rather than POC to refer to your friends. 

Unfortunately, although well-intentioned to use something that is more inclusive of all POC identities, it also erases Blackness from the conversation. Which is to say, try not to use them synonymously, if Black would actually be an accurate and appropriate descriptor. Because while some Black people do use POC as a personal identifier, there are some Black people that don't. 

Hope that makes sense. 

https://medium.com/@cvonhassett/dont-call-me-a-person-of-color-i-m-black-5359a03bc35b 

 OMG...I wrote a lot...

"Subsistence is a way of life"

In Toksook Bay, subsistence is a way of life that has been passed on across generations over thousands of years. In the winter months, ice fishers often venture out to crack open the frozen bay to catch smelt.

NPR's 'We Are Part Of The United States': The 1st People Counted For The 2020 Census photo story captures a number of snapshots of life in Toksook Bay Alaska.

Reflections on Racism, first one for 2020

So the Vox article I'm sharing is from February 25, 2019. But I wanted to add some personal context, as I continue to have conversations with friends who doubt when me and other people of color and black people specifically talk about behavior being racist, in the way we are talked to and treated.

The knitting community is reckoning with racism
Fiber artists of color are taking to Instagram stories to call out instances of prejudice — and to try to shape a more inclusive future. Read the article

And the biggest and most frustrating conversation piece that seems to repeat itself is simply getting some white friends and colleagues to just believe and trust me when I say that something impacted me in a racist way.

Often times I'm asked to "prove it" or provide context or details that are missing so that they can make up their own mind or don't even do that and simply give the benefit of the doubt to the intent of the white person that they didn't mean it, instead of giving me the benefit of the doubt that maybe when I say something has reinforced something that I've experienced my entire life.

But I digress. I guess my only request/tip/whatever to white friends that might push back when talking about race about whether a particular incident in and of itself is racist is that is the opposite of at least what I am thinking of when I describe something as racist.

By that I mean to say when I describe racist actions and behaviors, it is part of and in line with a PATTERN of actions and behaviors which reinforce white supremacy and elements of systemic racism. And because (a bit of a broken record here) it is about impact, at the end of the day the intent of white people doesn't matter because the stuff that is happening is often occurring on a level other than conscious, intentional thought, unless that intent is to actively be anti-racist.

Anyway, I know it's NOT the same kind of personal, emotional, physical violence as sexual assault (although we can certainly talk about how racism and sexual assault intersect) BUT in terms of believing survivors when they say they experienced something, I think that same could/should be true when black people, indigenous people, and other people of color say they experience racism in a particular situation.

Because chances are we as groups of identities aren't even talking about it with white people as often as some people that hold those identities lie about or weaponize it. And that's a whole other issue I'll probably post about another time. In the meantime, check out the article above and/or engage with me on Facebook about it:

Regarding Diversity Nonprofit Boards

When talking about diversity and nonprofit boards, if you reference and/or share nothing else, here are 4 quotes and sources I recommend anchor any conversation you have.

Having a board with diverse perspectives is critically important. Each person will bring his or her own personal and professional contacts and life experiences to their service on a nonprofit board. With a diversity of experience, expertise, and perspectives, a nonprofit is in a stronger position to plan for the future, manage risk, make prudent decisions, and take full advantage of opportunities. A diverse board that is also sensitive to cultural differences is usually one that has a stronger capacity to attract and retain talented board members - as well as to be in touch with community needs. 

 - Diversity on Nonprofit Boards, National Council of Nonprofits

---

As stewards of the public good, all social sector organizations, regardless of mission, are called on to embrace and celebrate our common humanity, and the inherent worth of all people. In doing so, we must also acknowledge that a climate of growing intolerance and inequity is a challenge to our democratic values and ideals. Divisions along economic, racial, religious, and political lines have created an increasingly polarized society in need of healing. And the complex issues and dynamics at the intersection of race, class, gender, and sexuality call for deeper thinking as we seek to understand each other. 

 - Diversity, Inclusion, & Equity, BoardSource

---

Although nonprofit board members are aware of the importance of diversity and inclusion, they lack the knowledge, skills, resources, and commitment needed to turn that awareness into action, a report from executive recruiting firm Koya Leadership Partners argues. Based on an online survey of board or executive committee members at more than a hundred nonprofits, the report, The Governance Gap: Examining Diversity and Equity in Nonprofit Boards of Directors (42 pages, PDF), found a significant gap between respondents' intention to increase diversity and the actions they've taken to do so. 

 - Report Urges Nonprofit Boards to Turn Diversity Awareness Into Action, Philanthropy News Digest 

---

Whether we like it or not, nonprofit and foundation boards wield a tremendous amount of influence on this work. And whether we intend to or not, the lack of board diversity trickles down and has some wide-ranging consequences...Because of the self-reinforcing cycle, mostly-white boards are likelier to hire white EDs/CEOs, who then are likelier to hire white staff, so now there’s lack of staff diversity in the sector as well. 

 - 7 Things You Can Do to Improve the Sad, Pathetic State of Board Diversity, Nonprofit AF

A notification meditation in three breaths

Definitely not claiming this to necessarily be original, but I also haven't read this specific thing anywhere. More likely it's a way I've synthesized general readings and understandings of how we interact with mobile tech, and thought I'd share.

So upon feeling, hearing, and/or seeing a notification on your phone.

Breath 1 - Simply think about the thing you felt, heard, and/or saw. How many beeps did you hear? How long did it vibrate? The important thing is to just focus on the experience of the thing and not the meaning of it.

Breath 2 - Think about how the notification makes you feel. Are you feeling anxious, excited, uninterested, etc?

Breath 3 - Think about if you want or need to check it in this moment. But make sure not to conflate the two. Were you expecting an urgent message/text?  If you don't "need" to check it, why do you "want" to? Think about NOT checking the phone in this moment, especially if you're in the middle of something and/or with other people.

After those three breaths, even if you want to based on how you feel because of the thing you felt, heard, or saw, make a choice to check your phone as an intentional action rather than a reaction.

And if you don't have enough time to breathe because of how many notifications you get, consider dialing back the notifications.

So...what do you think?

Gone to Burning Man

A Talk about Centering - A Case Study in Irony

About a week or so ago, I was having a conversation with someone where I mentioned centering someone else's perspective, and then was asked to unpack what that meant, what "centering" meant in this context, because they were unfamiliar with it.

I unpacked it by example, and mentioned how, when I'm walking down a street to work or whatever, and I am behind a white female presenting person, I center their experience in things I need to do as a black male to minimize their surprise and/or any perceived threat to their personal safety.

I was about to unpack some of the things I do, i.e. pulling out a phone, sneezing, making myself smaller, walking faster to indicate that I have somewhere to go, moving to the other side of the sidewalk if possible to put as much space between me and them as I pass, so that realizing that I'm a black man is as least threatening as possible (especially because of any unconscious bias more than anything), etc. when this person (who was a white lady themselves) interrupted me.

The nugget of what they shared was something like, well any man really.

And so here's why that's ironic. In sharing an experience centered on my own perspective not just as a man or a black person, but as a black man, she "But All Men"ed it, as if to say a woman's reaction would be the same for any man.

She colorbind'ed my own perspective and, whether explicitly or not, centered it on her own, as if to imply that she and/or women in general, would react to all men more or less the same way.

I wish she had read this article, particularly the first point: Pause Before Contributing to the Conversation.

Unfortunately, the insight and reflection I shared above was something that wouldn't come to conscious thought until a day or two later. In the moment of the conversation, I followed her lead and minimized my own intersectional identity, to in the moment agree with her that she was right, as a woman, that she and other women would react to all men the same way, and that my race had nothing to do with it.

When in fact, by stating how I walk through the world as a black man, in this situation, I wasn't saying that a woman or femme-presenting person wouldn't also react to a white presenting man at all or just assume they were safe. And in fact, a lot of times when people of color are sharing experiences like this, it's not that we're saying we're the only ones who go through things like this.

But often times, our intersectional marginalized identities compound the degree to which...to oversimplify it, bad things happen when things go south, the swiftness in which judgments are made in which they go south, etc.

Anyway, I digress. Just wanted to share. Happy Pride!!

P.S. Here's the article I linked, "4 Ways White People Can Process Their Emotions Without Bringing the White Tears".

P.P.S. Here's the Facebook post:

Racial Justice Resources

Hey friends,

So I just wanted to share several Racial Justice resources that I've learned about over the past couple of weeks and thought others may find them useful.

Sea Change: Navigating Oppression from The Icarus Project on Vimeo.

"Seeing White Fragility" from RISE District

"Expanding the Table for Racial Equity #3: White Privilege - Dr. Robin DiAngelo"

from Washington Grantmakers

Would suggest for any people of color who are preparing for any mediation with a white person, that unless that person has done the kind of consistent and thorough work Robin DiAngelo has done, this be required viewing to prepare for any conflict resolution process, regardless of whether anything explicitly racist was said or done. Because the lack of explicit and verbal racism doesn't mean that an interaction isn't informed and affected by structural racism and white supremacy

Also, for funsies, check out White Nonsense Roundup:

White Nonsense Roundup (WNR) was created by white people, for white people, to address our inherently racist society. We believe it is our responsibility to call out white friends, relatives, contacts, speakers, and authors who are contributing to structural racism and harming our friends of color. We are a resource for anti-racist images, links, videos, artwork, essays, and voices. These can be used by anyone for a DIY white nonsense roundup, or by the WNR team to support people of color upon their request.

Any other resources folx would recommend, particularly those for white people to do the work themselves and not really on colleagues and/or friends of color to take on any unnecessary additional emotional labor beyond that which simply being a person of color walking through a white-centered world warrants.

I think that's it for now.

Nexus aka JR

Funemployment 2018 - Week 4 Report

So...here's what's happened since my Week 3 Report.

Job Hunting

Since last week, I had two interviews and I applied for two more jobs.

One is the Digital Communications and Marketing Manager at Step Afrika! I can't even express how excited about I am about pursuing this opportunity. Something I realized is that for my next step (no pun intended), I definitely want to be back "on the ground" so to speak, and an organization provide direct services, rather than at a support organization. And that's all I'm going to say, because I don't want to jinx it.

The other is the Deputy Director for Operations at HumanitiesDC. This is definitely an interesting organization, that is separate from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, which is really more of the former than equal parts former and latter. And my last job definitely felt a bit like a Deputy Director position at times.

Also, I decided to not pursue Beacon House opportunity. I knew with the other opportunities I was considering, I was not comfortable in my ability to be able to balance any future obligations with it, if I got the position. BUT I did say that I wanted to still be involved somehow, either as a donor and/or volunteer. They sent me a volunteer form back, and I've already made a $10 donation and made it monthly. And maybe it's a weird way to approach this job search, but the organizations I'm interested in are doing work I want to support in general. So if the job I was considering isn't it, and there are other ways to plug in, then yeah.

I mean I think it's kinda like meeting someone and going on a date but realizing you want to be friends rather than be in a more intimate relationship. Because the organization isn't the one that has the power in the situation, it is both the organization and the applicant.

Two opportunities I'll be applying for next are a Communications Associate position at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center and a Marketing and Social Media Manager one at Ford's Theatre.

Work from Home

Speaking of work, I hosted a Work from Home session at my place.

It was pretty great. I had two friends come over, one of whom brought cookies. We were able to dig into projects they were making space for. And I even got to help one of them with their website as well as their Mailchimp.

So going to not only host at least one each week until I'm employed again, but I think I'm going to see if I can continue to do so at least every other week when I do have another job.

CreativeMornings/DC

With the theme of Restart, December's speaker was Ari Baser. And as I am wont to do, here is a blurb about from the link:

Ari Beser is a Getty Images contributing photographer, producer and author based in Washington, DC. Since 2011, he has researched the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to publish his book and documentary, ‘The Nuclear Family.’ His aim? To connect stories of both sides of the atomic bombing though a family coincidence. One of his grandfather’s befriended a survivor from Hiroshima after the war, and another grandfather was the only man in the world to fly aboard both atomic bomb carrying planes. The messages of his grandfather and family friend had long been silent by the time Ari graduated college, but his renewed interest became a catalyst for a years long journey around the world that would bring new life to their mission. He has been active in the world of disarmament since and in 2017 helped successfully lobby member states at the United Nations to adopt the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. That same year he and his colleagues in the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons were awarded the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts.

It was a pretty great talk, with some stellar images. And always great to see different ways storytelling manifests itself in various works. If you couldn't make it, the next Creative Mornings/DC is December 19 (a WEDNESDAY) at Studio Theatre. The month's theme is "Tradition" and DC's speaker is Angela Davis. Registration starts at 10:30 on Thursday, December 13!

New Cover and Profile Photos for December

So this is a thing I try to do for personal brand consistency across several digital media platforms: new profile and cover photos. I don't mean to be lazy, but I will just share what I wrote for each one on Facebook.

This is Christopher Breedlove and myself talking about Burners Without Borders (BWB) at Catharsis on the Mall. He is the Program Manager for BWB and has been phenomenal in helping inform the conversation about starting a chapter here in the District, and for that we've got a Burners Without Borders DC Working Group. If you don't know, BWB's origin story and first effort was doing disaster relief on the gulf coast after Katrina. Want to know more about the work globally, definitely check out their page. And if you want to be a part of the discussion and the work in the District, join our group.

Rachel Roa! I don't think I can say enough about how she inspires me. In addition to participating in the Ten Principles Storytelling Project, her life is one of service and FUN. She works at GlobalGiving, is a Trunk member for Catharsis on the Mall, and camps with Lamplighters, literally helping illuminate our paths in Black Rock City and regionals as things get dark. And while that certainly isn't ALL that she does, I think that gives you a good idea. So I wanted to share this photo of us for my profile photo for December.

Regarding Lamplighters, here's a video:

So yeah. That's it for December. Let's see which photos I pick in January!

Sunrise Vinyasa with Kegan

I love Kegan, my partner, SOOO much, I'm willing to wake-up in time to make their 7am Sunrise Vinyasa class at Dragon's Breath Yoga, in Columbia Heights.

Getting into doing yoga regularly as just been on the...not the bucket list, as those are things you want do to just once in life and be done with, so what's the list of things that you want to do and KEEP doing? Well, whatever it's called, yoga has been on THAT list for a while. Not that I had ever done yoga regularly, but in my contemporary/modern dance education/practice/training, many of my teachers and the choreographers I performed with incorporated yogic techniques in their own work, whether on stage or just in company warm-ups.

Oh yeah, also I've been working with Kegan to re-brand their yoga and health navigation practice. And so I'm really excited about that, as re-branding is something that I have a pretty strong interest and passion for. So if YOU have need for some re-branding guidance, definitely let me know.

John Kevin Boggs Memorial Award

Story District's John Kevin Boggs Memorial Award.

John Kevin Boggs was a master storyteller and dear member of the Story District family. The John Kevin Boggs Memorial Award preserves his memory and legacy. Do you know someone who...
* kicks ass on stage and sets an example for other storytellers
* has told a particularly impactful story
* supports other members of the Story District community?

You may recall Story District from last week's blog (formerly known as SpeakeasyDC). So something I didn't share was not only have I told stories on their stage several days, but I was also a board member of 6 years, up until Fall of 2017.

And John Kevin Boggs is the whole reason I discovered them. A powerhouse of an actor and storyteller, as well as a teacher of both, I met him at Capital Fringe one year. He said that there was this organization which did some work I might be interested in, and I was hooked.

He passed away on Friday, March 13, 2015. I remember the day because I was still working at the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, and my and a coworker who also knew him stepped away from the office to visit him in the hospice in Virginia he had been spending his final days. We returned to the office only to hear he passed away not even 2 or 3 hours after our visit.

And so I was honored and emotional to be asked to join the committee to review nominations for this award, to be presented at Story District's Top Shelf show in January 2019. Can't wait for the recipient to be announced. In the meantime, check out this story of his.

Kevin Boggs tells true story at Born This Way from Story District on Vimeo.

And you can find 8 more stories of his here on Vimeo.

Coming Up in Funemployment Week 5

So those are the highlights from week 4. Here's some of what's coming up in Week 5:

• Creative Moco Grants Committee Meeting
• Step Afrika! Holiday Party
• Any Given Child DC Steering Committee Meeting
• Naughty Snowball Site Visit
• Burners B' Lunchin'
• Work From Home - First Friday Edition
• Barkada Xmas Party
• Catch Up with Tara

And a reminder that I've started a personal email list, to get news and updates from me right in your email inbox!

So please sign-up

Until next time,

Nexus aka JR

Funemployment 2018 - Week 3 Report

Okay, so this one is also backdated. But this one's only several days late rather than one full week. And we'll get into that a bit here. So check out what's happened in the week since my Week 2 Report.

NOT All Fun and Games

So just in case it needed to be said for some people Funemployment is not fun by nature. I mean it's really just "unemployment" with a big ol' "F" in front of it...or a lower case "f", if you are so inclined. The catching up with friends slowed down with the holidays.

In fact I would say that calling it Funemployment to some degree is a bit of a work, and that's on purpose. I've called it that because I do not want my current situation to be defined by what is NOT there, in this case employment. I feel like, reminding myself that it is still possible to have fun and one should still have fun because otherwise I'd just be spiraling in what's a pretty depressing and stressful situation.

So that means gathering with friends and colleagues, getting out to see things that are free or through the generosity of friends and loved ones, it means being okay with stopping the grind to find another job to watch the new She-Ra on Netflix.

At one point during the week, this led me to reach out to Whitman Walker about one of their Peer Support Services, specifically their Individual Peer Support.

Peer counselors meet with peers for 50-minute sessions, once per week, for 10 weeks. Counselors can help peers set goals for success or just provide a listening ear; they are trained to provide objective support...

And I reached out to inquire about this because:

The Next Tuesday is the Anniversary of...

...the darkest day of my life. Here's a video of my story of what happened in 2010.

JR Russ tells true story at SpeakeasyDC - June 2012 from Story District on Vimeo.

So the week before, even weeks before, is a time I always tread carefully during, not just when I'm with others, but even when alone.

Job Hunting

Again, last week I mentioned two jobs that I was interested in and applied for.

One is the Executive Director position at Dance Metro DC. This was a bit of a no-brainer, although it still helped when I shared it on Facebook, that friends thought I'd be a good candidate for it. I mean, a member organization for the local dance community, looking to increase visibility for dance locally, create a sense of community, and provide support and services to help contribute to the economic stability of dance artists and organizations? Yes, please!

And then, for something completely different, a part-time Front Desk Receptionist position at Beacon House. Some of you might ask what would be so appealing about this? First, the organization, which is a DCAYA member org, is less than a 15 minute walk from my house, so commuting would be amazing. But also, being able to be involved in an organization doing GREAT work that's hyper-local and in my neighborhood is certainly a huge draw. Their mission:

to provide children in the Edgewood neighborhood of Northeast Washington, DC with a safe, nurturing, and life-expanding community in which to increase their academic achievement, discover their talents, and to grow into healthy adults who achieve their greatest potential.

Also, I miss being on the ground in a service organization, and interacting with young people and their families. Finally the part time work would allow me to still pursue things during the day and night.

Two other opportunities I'll be applying for over the next week are Digital Marketing and Communications Manager at Step Afrika! and Deputy Director for Operations at HumanitiesDC.

My Monthly Moot

One thing that helped was my monthly (close to the) end of month Moot I host at my place of residence. And with the exception of three times, I've been hosting these regularly since March of 2015.

For the record, "moot" is actually a word that means something like, "a gathering of like-minded people." It was a pretty great way to decompress from Thanksgiving, which I'm not even going to talk about because it was that uneventful.

The Moot was meant to be an opportunity for all my creative friends and colleagues, from Burners to Dancers, Actors and Visual Artists, to gather. But it has turned into mostly my Burner friends, which actually still includes a great mix of artists of many disciplines.

At one point we played Space Team, which included introducing the game to a few newbies. It is self-described (and very succinctly and accurately) as:

A cooperative shouting game for phones and tablets

Watch the trailer.

Anyway, mischief was certainly managed.

This is also the day that She-Ra was started, and I had finished inhaling the entire first season before the weekend was over.

Speaking of Mischief

So...nothing really happened over the weekend. I'm actually looking at my calendar, and each day is completely empty. But then on Monday, I have a bunch of lovely calls related to Mischief DC's tenth annual Naughty Snowball Party: Rated X'Mas.

So fun fact: we had to create a SFW version of our Facebook event page, because we received feedback that people did not feel comfortable responding to the other one. And here they are:

• SFW NSB 10 event page on Facebook
• NSFW Naughty Snowball: Rated X'Mas event page on Facebook

And on Monday, I got to chat with fellow board members and volunteers about Art Grants as well as putting in place some Consent and Conduct guidelines and supports. And if you are interested in helping with the latter, please email me at nexus@dcburners.org.

Coming Up in Funemployment Week 4

That was it for week 3. The next week is definitely a bit more packed with:

• Work From Home - Giving Tuesday Edition
• Morning Vinyasa with Kegan
• CreativeMornings/DC
• John Kevin Boggs Memorial Award Selection

And a reminder that I'm experimenting with email updates specifically targeted to different interests and events.

So please sign-up.

Until next time,

- JR aka Nexus

Funemployment 2018 - Week 2 Report

Okay, not going to lie, this post is backdated because Thanksgiving week just got away from me. I think it being a holiday week...it was just a lot, which I'll touch on a bit in the Week 3 report. In the meantime, here's what happened in the week since my Week 1 Report.

Follow-up from last week

I did not win my write-in campaign for ANC. So Congratulations to Nick Cheolas. Looking forward to supporting him and holding him accountable for representing all of us in ANC 5E01. And I especially look forward to running against him ON the ballot in 2020.

My Unemployment is on hold as they take 21 days to do some fact-finding as far as the manner of my termination. But I'm still submitting things as required for if/when they approve it.

Job Hunting

So, there were two jobs I mentioned last week, which I submitted applications for.

The Project Manager position at Wired Impact is particularly appealing because:

1. As a faithful Wired subscriber, finding out they had a nonprofit website product and service was the best of my worlds colliding, and I'm a huge fan
2. The position is a remote one, so I'd be able to stay in DC
3. I would love helping nonprofits all over get great websites up and running

And then there's the Community Programs Manager at Arena Stage. This one was of interest because:

1. Work would be just a couple of blocks away from my parents house, so I'd probably see them a bit more
2. It would be nice being involved in Direct Service again, after years of respresenting teaching artist, giving grants to artists and orgs, and advocating for youth centered and informed funding, legilsations, and policies. 

Two more places I'm looking at are Executive Director at Dance Metro DC and Front Desk Receptionist at Beacon House.

COFFEE Club

During my time at DCAYA, I rebooted a regular gathering of Communication staff members at member ogs. And then started a group for all employees, friends, colleagues, etc. that might manage Communications, whether or not they were at a DCAYA Member org.

This group was called COFFEE Club for:

Communication Officers Forgathered For Enabling Effectiveness

Now I don't know if DCAYA will continue to convene regular meetings for Communication staff, but I'm glad COFFEE Club will go on, through and with the work of the co-chair, as well as other members, in terms of hosting it.

So, if you are interested and manage communications for your org, consider joining us:

• Join our Facebook group
• Follow us on Twitter

Dance Place Board Meeting

Even in unemployment, there is plenty of work to do. And this meeting was no exception. Beyond our regular board business, we were presented with a mostly final draft of a Strategic Alignment project from Compass Consulting.

I won't go into the details of the actual project presentation. I'll just say that it's a pretty phenomenal suite of pro bono services that Compass provides:

• Board Development
• Funding Strategy
• Partnerships and Collaborations
• Strategic Alignment
• Strategic Marketing &
• Strategic Planning

If you're a nonprofit in DC, and you haven't checked them out yet, you should.

Die Hard

So...nothing says the holidays like Die Hard. And since the original one came out 30 years ago, this year, I thought I'd use my favorite crowdsourcing movie screening platform, Tugg, to make it happen.

If you're not familiar with it, you just request to screen a film in their library, pick a date, and they take care of all the administrative stuff, booking it with the venue, making sure the film gets there, setting upt the ticket page.

All you have to do is make sure that a certain threshold of ticket sales (really, reservations because no cards get charged until that threshold is reached), to make the movie actually happen.

And if you're free and in DC on December 19, I hope you can help us make Die Hard happen:

• Get your ticket(s) on Tugg
• Invite your friends on Facebook

Broadway Singalong

This was definitely a highlight of the week. We had at least 50 people show up, even despite the weather that Thursday.

Thrilled to have executed this third event with my singalong partner in crime, Kristin. We were inspired after a couple of magical afternoons at Burning Man, with a camp that did this. And we're really getting the hang of it. It's a true singalong, no karaoke mic, but this time with words on the screen.

It's the second one we've done quarterly, whereas a whole year and a half passed between the first and the second one. And we alternated from Disney to Broadway for the most recent one, so we'll be back to Disney in three months. Now we just need to find a venue with a room for free that is accessible and kid friendly, as requested by some who could not make them so far.

Which I guess I should add to my to-do list this week!

DCAYA Exit Interview

It should have been a red flag that the board chair just wanted to have a conversation and listen, and that I was more prepared in terms of typical exit interview questions and having answers for them.

Regardless, I presented an outline for how I thought the conversation should go, starting with life in general, what I liked about DCAYA, what could've worked better, and what they should look for in hiring a replacement.

Anyway, obviously still processing.

Meeting w/ Arts Management friends and more

I continued to call in the troops and met up with about 10 people over the week.

These ranged from Arts Management colleagues I hadn't seen in a while, including one that just had their first album release party at the 9:30 Club. Others I got to chat with ranged from Burner friends to Youth Development folx I'd met while at DCAYA whose work I still wanted to be involved with and support, which I discuss a bit more later.

Overall, definitely thankful for the literal social net I've had to catch me. Even if these meetings and coffee dates aren't directly resulting in job prospects, I feel like they're all relationships that have informed my life and will continue to do so. If anything, I feel like it's helped me reset my own personal and professional compass when it comes to what's next.

Aida

Even in unemployment, the show must go on. In this case, it meant having a wonderful date night with my partner, and introducing them to Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida, presented by Constellation Theatre.

I forgot how much I loved the soundtrack, and am kinda bummed that none of the soungs from this show made it into the singalong list earlier in the week. But hopefully our next Broadway singalong, that will change.

The love story also reminded me of all the reasons I love Kegan/Compass, my partner. I know, chessy, but whatever, that's part of what makes musicals so great. And it was a good note to remember to see art, especially when it feels like my life is unmoored.

The Community Enrichment Project

This is the organizaiton I mentioned earlier, which I came across and met its founder, Lauren Grimes, during my time at DCAYA. Fun fact, she's also another DC native. And her goal with the organization?

To instill a strong sense of civic awareness and engagement in underserved communities. 

So the work continues, because youth development work in the District is so much more than any one organization. And it being a relatively new and young organization, I just hope to do whatever I can to help her sustain and grow it and its programs.

Coming Up in Funemployment Week 3

That's it for Week 2. I anticipate next week will be a slow week, but I'm sure there will still be plenty to share:

• More Catching Up
• A Thanksgiving Moot

And a reminder that I'm experimenting with email updates specifically targeted to different interests and events.

So please sign-up.

Until next time,

- Nexus aka JR

Funemployment 2018 - Week 1 Report

So I remember trying this the last time I was funemployed 3 years ago, but it didn't last past the first day.

We'll see if a weekly format might work better. As many of you who know me now know, I was terminated from my job a week ago today. It was definitely a shock to me as I'd been there for 3 years, and there'd been no prior incidences, no warnings, no period for corrective action.

But life goes on, and I had no time to wallow. So here's a bit of what I've been up to.

I Called for Backup

When I left the office for the last time, I reached out and my loving partner, who was on their way home to Alexandria, turned around and met me at what was part of my daily route from the bus stop to the office: Buttercreme.

This helped process what was a mostly irrational and surprising morning. From there:

Election Day and my ANC Write-In Campaign

Given that it was Election Day, I went straight home and straight to the polls. There was a bit of a line but not too long of a wait. And while I was in the polling place, my partner was helping my write-in campaign for the ANC 5E01 Commissioner seat by flyering outside. See, our present Commissioner, Ed, was not running for re-election and the ballot was blank.

Greater Greater Washington had a great piece identifying all the empty ANC ballots, encouraging write-in candidates to submit their questionnaire to be considered for endorsement the week before election...and so I did, as well as Nick Cheolas.

And although Nick is one of the write-in candidates who received their endorsement for our race, they still had some pretty nice things to say about me:

Cheolas looks really strong on a lot of our issues. So, too, does Nathaniel Russ, Jr., who also completed our questionnaire and is vying for write-in votes in 5E01. Russ is a strong pedestrian safety advocate, and writes that “roads and vehicles are most valuable when they serve their primary function, that of moving people in between places.” This leads to his support of additional bus and bike infrastructure. 

Russ also discusses a bunch of interesting ideas when it comes to youth empowerment and job creation in his questionnaire. Ultimately, while both candidates here are good, we think Cheolas most clearly will lead the way on urbanist issues, thus he won our endorsement.

So I made sure to tell my friends, including my former neighbors in the Brookland Artspace Lofts. Something that was really interesting about our race, out of the roughly 20 write-in only campaigns, when I checked the DC Board of Elections site for results, our ANC 5E01 race received 299 write-ins. The next closest was 168, and the median was about 103, with some races receiving single digits numbers for write-ins, and one even 0. Which means, that our ANC had the highest participation rate in terms of individual voters. And however the race goes, that's pretty awesome.

Thank You For Being a Friend

So in the past week, I've reached out to about a dozen friends and colleagues. I'm using this Funemployment period to catch up and check in with people whom I've worked with in the past or would like to do some good with in the future. I've already talked to five of them in person or over the phone, and I have about five more on the calendar within the next week.

Reconnecting this inentionally has been a great way to recruit the emotional support I candidly need during this time, as well as some opportunities to course correct in terms of what to do for work, for good, and/or for fun. One conversation I had, with advice that really stuck with me, was to simply create my ideal job description(s) and work towards that, even pitching it to organizations whose work I care for and mission I am passionate about who may not have a position like it yet.

I was also stoked to wrap up a week of these with a phenomenal conversation about Woolly Mammoth's Ambassador program, finding out more about it and what they expect participants to bring to the table.

Job Hunting

Speaking of Woolly Mammoth, one of the several job openings they currently have is particularly exciting for me: Civic Organizer. The job description practically matches what I'd steered my previous job to allowing me to do more of, and even before I saw this opportunity, I had in mind to do more of it in general. Also, I think it's no secret that Woolly Mammoth is my favorite theatre in DC.

One of the other jobs that I came across and submitted my application for is at the National LGBTQ Task Force. They are looking for a Communications Manager. And this position equally excites me but in completely different ways. As oposed to hyper-local, there is an appeal in expanding my advocacy work to the national level. And as a member of the LGBTQ community, the work would obviously be very personal. So, we'll see.

Two other places I'm looking at and plan on submitting this week are for a Project Manager position at Wired Impact and a Community Programs Manager at Arena Stage. And I know what some of you may be thinking, so before you comment, let me just stop you. Someone once said not to post and share opportunities that I'm applying for, implying that I don't want to mess up my chance and have someone else get it. Here's the thing: it's about the work, not me. I mean, yes, if I can get the work that's great. But if someone is more qualified, then they should get it. And it might be a bit of ego or pride thing, but if I'm not that person, I'd rather have it go to someone I know and am connected to than someone I don't.

Termination Homework

Speaking of work, I've definitely had my work cut out for me, in terms of my termination, and making sure that either my old employer did everything legally or that they be held accountable if not. That's meant, in addition to talking to colleagues and friends, checking:

• How to Start my Unemployment Process through DOES and
• Any possible courses of action through OHR

Mischief DC

If it seems like FUNemployment has me just as busy as employment did, it's because I have even more time to work hard and play hard! In case you didn't know, I'm on the Board of Mischief DC and we have an annual Burner holiday party coming up on December 15.

Naughty Snowball

I'm stoked because this will be the second year, this event will be at the DC Eagle. And we thought we'd keep our theme simple for our tenth year, so it's just Naughty Snowball: Rated X'mas. Get it, the roman numeral for ten is- nevermind. You get it.

Planning Call

We had a planning call. I thought I'd have more to say about this, but I don't.

Conduct and Consent Corps (C3)

I did reach out to recruit people for this C3 Project. It's an effort that we haven't done intentionally before, to put systems and protocols in place for participants at our party to feel safe in a consent-orientated environment, and to feel support by clearly identifiable folx should misconduct occur. But I also know it's a heavy lift for people to make that kind of space for the unpredictable. So, I'll keep you updated with how that's going. If you'ed like to know more and/or be involved, definitely email me at nexus@dcburners.org.

Caturday

In addition to our biggest DC event next month, we also had our bi-monthly party, the same night as the weekend of Catharsis. This was a choice the board made and we knew it would be a gamble. Last year we decided we wouldn't throw it, but this year we took a chance. We even unofficially ran it by some Catharsis organizers who thought it was a good idea, especially if it got cold like it normally does, and some people need a place to warm-up but don't want to go home.

I don't think we anticipated just HOW cold it would be. And although we heard of people who intended to come to Zeba Bar from Catharsis, many of them stopped by home for various reasons and ended up not making it out again for the night. And apparently, it wasn't just us. But I always believe the people who show up are the people who shoe up, and it's about each attendee's quality of experience that make it worthwhile, not just the quantity of attendees. And we had about 20 people.

I won't lie, part of me wanted to know the things I couldn't know, in terms of whether it was because of Catharsis or not. But then at home the next day, a housemate of mine told me how empty Flash was, and that there were only about 20 people on the dance floor there. Not that it made me feel better. But it made me wonder, with Catharsis moving to May, if the cold would still be a factor for next November's attendance.

Burning Man DC Regional Contact Phone Interview

Speaking of Burning Man, so on Thursday another round of the Regional Contact selection process took place. If you're not familiar with the position, Regional Contacts help democratize and organize Burning Man's Regional Network around the globe. It was a great talk with a former RC from another region, someone who could be a bit of an objective party in the selection process.

It was a pretty dense conversation, so I'll just highlight the part where we discussed what I'd like to do more of and bring to the table. One big one was the idea of term limits, which really is at the crux of recruitment and transition. Our city iterates itself every year; surely we can use that as an inspiration to iterate not just the systems and structures of leadership but those in leadership positions themselves. Another was being thoughtful about community beyond the party, from civic engagement to simply all ages activities for our Burner families. And then there's the inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility peace.

Anyway, looking forward to whatever next or final steps are for this selection process.

Catharsis on the Mall

It was the senior year for this very singular and unique Burner event in the District. And the theme for Catharsis on the Mall 2018 was "Waking from the American Dream. There was so much going on, and I had committed myself to three different events.

Welcome Home

So even though I was no longer with my former employer, the work to end Youth Homelessness here in the District is more than the work of the organization. And I was happy to plug people into the plan to end youth homelessness by 2022, as I discussed various elements and strategies of the plan, Solid Foundations DC.

Center Camp at Burning MAn

STORY workshop

Although I've done storytelling workshops before, this was the first time I had done it with the new title: Sharing Truth, Openly Revealing You. I had a couple of participants, and we actually turned it into a walking workshop, as many of the structures that had been set up for Catharsis had been blown down and over Saturday morning.

Burners Without Borders (BWB) Meetup and Info Session

And I was thrilled to co-facilitate a Burners Without Borders session with Christopher Breedlove, introducing people to the group, its history, and its mission, as well as the discussion to start a BWB Chapter, here in the District. In fact, if you're interested and are on Facebook, there is a BWB DC Working Group just for this purpose.

Coming Up in Funemployment Week 2

That's it for now. Here's a preview of what's coming up next:

• More catching up with friends and colleagues
• A Dance Place Board Meeting
• A Broadway Singalong at Local 16, literally a Burner adjacent event on Thursday
• Seeing the closing performance of Constellation Theatre's Aida

So that's that. Oh yeah, actually, one final thing.

In an effort to more effectively and intentionally keep folx informed of what I'm up to, not just during Funenmployment, I thought I'd start my own personal Mailchimp Email List. Select the things you're interested in, and know that even if there might be a variety of content, you will ONLY receive emails that have at least one thing related to a topic you selected, if not more.

So please sign-up

And keep an eye out for my Week 2 Report next week!

- JR aka Nexus