Caregiving 

I once read this unattributed quote: “there are four kinds of people: those who have been caregivers, those who currently are caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.” 

Like many, I didn’t give much thought to the universe of caregiving until I had my first child. Since then, it’s become unflinchingly clear to me that the practice of caregiving is the backbone of a healthy society, and in the modern U.S. is not only still deeply undervalued, but is a source of discrimination directly connected to issues of gender equity and racial justice. The healthiest organizational cultures I’ve observed embrace the power of community care, a practice with origins in BIPOC communities, working toward an ecosystem in which everyone’s well being is interconnected and interdependent. 

I commit to supporting caregivers in my work – as colleagues, as participants, and as valuable contributors in professional spaces – and to modeling the importance of community care. 

Read my HowlRound article on creating more family-friendly work environments in the theatre here. 

Read more about my inspiration and resources around this practice and core value here.

Personal Growth

Naming this value as part of my professional practice may seem counterintuitive, but I believe in rigorous and continuous self-evaluation. I believe that all people are capable of growth and change. I believe that systems of oppression operate in part on the presumption that most people (especially those of us who hold the most societal privilege) do not engage in deep self-reflection, and that the process of doing so regularly is one form of protest, and one way to begin dismantling those systems. 

I also believe that personal development is as important as “professional development” in our organizations, our workplaces, and our careers. Organizations that are committed to the personal growth of their employees are the leaders of the 21st century with whom I most want to work.

I commit to creating a virtuous circle in my work, reflecting on and evaluating myself, my projects, and my communication in feedback loops with my closest collaborators.

Read more about my inspiration and resources around this practice and core value here.

Sustainability and Climate Resilience

I became directly involved in climate action following the dismal 2018 IPCC report on climate change and global warming. That year was my wake-up call. This makes me still but an infant in the world of climate activism, which has been well-represented for decades by climate warriors, who have in turn been building off centuries of work and care from Native and indigenous people as original stewards of the land.

I was ushered into this landscape tenderly by a group of climate artist-activists I worked with in 2019, and through their wisdom grew to understand the link between environmental and racial justice, and the importance of decolonization and fighting for a just transition.

I commit to minimizing the footprint of my work itself, but more significantly to lifting up the role of climate in conversations of justice and vice versa, and to amplifying the leadership of BIPOC people and frontline communities in this fight.

Read more about my inspiration and resources around this practice and core value here.

Read my climate story here.