sustainable systems & storytelling
My first experience with affirmative action was as a naive 18-year-old first stepping foot into my college dorm building. After a lifetime of high marks in school, scoring in the top percentile on standardized tests, extracurricular activities, and volunteer work, the university had offered me a scholarship to cover the cost of tuition, $5,274 per... Continue Reading →
From a young age, I knew that I could not go to college unless I did well academically. A full decade before submitting college applications, I knew that education came at a cost. When it came time to apply for college, I spent months researching how best to fund the endeavor. I studied vigorously in... Continue Reading →
After over two decades of perfect health, I've spent the last five years navigating a devastatingly broken system. From outlandish insurance premiums and confusing deductible requirements, to lackluster care and unfair loopholes, I am not happy. I've been frustrated but patient as I make strides towards a clear diagnosis and a resolution of symptoms. In... Continue Reading →
I recently had a conversation about the current atmosphere of sensitivity, political correctness, and the pressure to please everyone. People seem to either be walking on eggshells or instigating for the sake of being controversial. Quite frankly, nothing tangible or sustainable is being achieved by these attitudes. What's the controversy all about? Between the tear down... Continue Reading →
Cancer is rampant in the world and in the media. Nearly all of us have been affected, whether personally diagnosed, supporting a loved one, or watching a friend's battle on social media. It's scary and it's disarming. And yet, it's a topic that comes up in the news and conversation. People understand, even to the... Continue Reading →
We all have that one friend, coworker, or family member that gossips incessantly about the dumbest things. Did you hear what you Aunt Carol said? Did you see what Kim Kardashian wore? Did you watch the latest episode of The Bachelor? It's like a disease where they cannot stop talking. Despite, the "no, I haven't,"... Continue Reading →
The news is filled with emotion-driven stories of wrong-doing, finger-pointing, and demands for immediate for change. You flip on Fox News or CNN and catch a glimpse of the latest travesty, which you'll discuss over drinks with your friends the next day. You scroll through Facebook or Twitter and click "like" on the posts and... Continue Reading →
My parents limited my media diet as a child. I was allowed one hour of PBS on weekdays, an hour of cartoons on the weekends, and Disney VHS tapes on occasion. I never had a game console and the only computer games I played were educational in nature—math, science, geography, and art. For the most... Continue Reading →
In seventh grade algebra, my teacher scrawled a string of numbers across the chalkboard: -10, -9, -8. and up through 8, 9, and 10. Mrs. Ernzen’s task for the day was to teach a room of young teens how to add and subtract negative numbers. She stood in front of the chalkboard and through her... Continue Reading →
existential ergonomics 