We Belong Here podcast

#Society #News #Government #Frank Nam #Civic Commons

33:58

In this episode, we delve into the concept of being "qualified" in the workplace, examining who gets labeled as such, who doesn't, and the underlying reasons. We explore "competency checking"—the practice of scrutinizing individuals' abilities—and how it disproportionately affects underrepresented groups, often going unnoticed or unchallenged. Our discussion aims to redefine qualifications in a fair, equitable, and actionable manner. Our guest, Shari Dunn , is an accomplished journalist, former attorney, news anchor, CEO, university professor, and sought-after speaker. She has been recognized as Executive of the Year and a Woman of Influence, with her work appearing in Fortune Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Ad Age, and more. Her new book, Qualified: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work , unpacks what it truly means to be deserving and capable—and why systemic barriers, not personal deficits, are often the real problem. Her insights challenge the narratives that hold so many of us back and offer practical solutions for building a more equitable future. Together, we can build workplaces and communities that don’t just reflect the world we live in, but the one we want to create. A world where being qualified is about recognizing the talent and potential that’s been overlooked for far too long. It’s not just about getting a seat at the table—it’s about building an entirely new table, one designed with space for all of us. Connect with Our Guest Shari Dunn Website& Book - Qualified: https://thesharidunn.com LI: https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/sharidunn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thesharidunn Related Podcast Episodes: How To Build Emotionally Mature Leaders with Dr. Christie Smith | 272 Holding It Together: Women As America's Safety Net with Jessica Calarco | 215 How To Defy Expectations with Dr. Sunita Sah | 271 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music…

We Belong Here

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What is belonging? Can it help us counter the anxiety and polarization of our modern world? Join Civic Commons’ Frank Nam as he interviews community stewards about how we can work together differently to build a thriving greater Seattle region.

28 episoade

We Belong Here

updated acum un an

Distribuie

Pagina seriei•Feed

28 episoade

#Society #News #Government #Frank Nam #Civic Commons

Tous les épisodes

1
S4 EP5: Just Action 52:37

acum 1 year52:37

52:37

One of the 4 Practices of Belonging is Advocacy. In the latest edition of the We Belong Here podcast, we are gracious to explore this topic in detail In 2017, Richard Rothstein published The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America. It clearly spelled out the non-accidental history of racial segregation in the United States. Upon finishing the book, Richard's daughter Leah Rothstein wondered what to do with this information. The answer? A new book published this past June called Just Action: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law. Listen to their origin stories, discussions about how change can happen more at the local level than the federal, the importance of Belonging in starting this advocacy work, and clear examples of communities who have already started to advocate for the removal and change of segregation-building laws and policies through relationships. Both authors confessed that they felt more hopeful about collective change upon finishing the research for this book. That should give us all hope that WE can create impactful changes to create the equitable and just world we want for all. To follow this issue more closely, please subscribe to the Just Action substack! Thank you again to the Big Phony, a Korean-American singer/songwriter living in Seoul, South Korea for allowing us to use his music in our intro and outro, all royalty-free!…

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S4 EP4: Arts & Culture & Belonging 57:28

acum 1 year57:28

57:28

"Center community. And center the synthesizing of multiple viewpoints to create a better outcome. It's all sort of an act of civic and cultural deejaying. Like you're trying to take two sources and bring them together to create a better outcome." - Randy Engstrom This episode explores the intersection of Arts & Culture & Belonging. The US Surgeon General has deemed social isolation and loneliness as a public health epidemic that impacts all of us. He provides 6 pillars to combat this (link here) and the sixth one is Cultivating a Culture of Connection. So how can Arts & Culture provide an antidote to the loss of Belonging and the growing epidemic of isolation? To discuss this topic, we've brought together an amazing trio of guests: Joël Barraquiel Tan, Executive Director of Wing Luke Museum. Leilani Lewis, Associate Director for Diversity Communications & Outreach at the University of Washington Randy Engstrom, Co-Founder & Principal, Third Way Creative They share their origin stories which span across Manila, Hawaii, Detroit, and Chicago. They discussed their previous roles at places like Northwest African-American Museum, Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, and Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team Health Centers. They range on topics from anti-fragility, community, and reimaging a new city for all of us. Thank you again to the Big Phony, a Korean-American singer/songwriter living in Seoul, South Korea for allowing us to use his music in our intro and outro, all royalty-free!…

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S4 EP3: Tacoma, the City of Destiny: A Conversation with Mayor Victoria Woodards 37:02

acum 2 years37:02

37:02

Creating Belonging in an organization is far easier when leadership is onboard. In this episode, Mayor Victoria Woodards exemplifies this throughout her work, background, and her hope for the City of Destiny. (Also, the City of Destiny has got to be one of the coolest nicknames out there) Listen to learn more about the leadership journey that brought her honor to where she is today. The 39th Mayor of Tacoma speaks about her childhood, the military, community organizations, and politics. She also shares what she loves about Tacoma and how to create Belonging in the city. Mayor Woodards finishes the podcast with some shout-outs to events and activities coming up soon. Here's a list with pertinent links: Summer Teen Late Nights - From now till September 1st, middle and high school students have access to places with free food and activities Monday through Friday from 5 to 10pm. Click the link to find one of the locations throughout the city! The City of Tacoma will be kicking-off a community safety strategy conversation this fall. While the date is TBD you can check here to find the latest information. Tacoma Reads - Later this Fall, the city and library will host an author event with David Ambroz. His book, A Place Called Home was selected as the annual book for the city to read together. The author recounts his experience with foster care, homelessness, and sexual identity. Thanks, as always, to Bobby Choy (aka Big Phony) for allowing us to use his music in our intros and outros!…

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S4 EP2: The Future of Downtown Seattle 1:09:03

acum 2 years1:09:03

1:09:03

A topic that has dominated the news cycle in the COVID-19 aftermath is the future of downtowns. A simple google search on this topic will unleash a barrage of news articles about cities big and small across the country. Seattle is no exception. Many of the folks who worked downtown have yet to return to their offices. Many commercial spaces are vacant and retail has been hit hard due to the decrease in foot traffic. So how do we revitalize our downtown corridor? How do we make sure it's a space that welcomes and benefits everyone? To discuss this topic, we've brought together an amazing trio of guests: Yoon Kang O'Higgins, Director of Public Programs at Friends of the Waterfront Seattle Rico Quirindongo, Acting Director of the Office of Planning and Community Development at the City of Seattle Jon Scholes, President & CEO of the Downtown Seattle Association They share their origin stories which span across the Central District, University Place, the Guggenheim Museum, Pike Place Market, St. Louis, New York City, and Oakland. They discussed their favorite aspects of Seattle's downtown (can you guess what they picked?) and then really dug into the future of Downtown Seattle. This discussion ranged from the future impact of the Waterfront, transforming commercial space into residential space, attracting visitors through arts & cultural attractions, and reimaging street-level retail. And throughout the conversation, they held to the ideal of creating a space of Belonging and equity. Join our discussion on the future of downtown Seattle with some of the folks who are most poised to impact it. Thank you again to the Big Phony, a Korean-American singer/songwriter living in Seoul, South Korea for allowing us to use his music in our intro and outro, all royalty-free!…

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S4 EP1: Belonging Gathering Live Event 51:25

acum 2 years51:25

51:25

On October 27th, 2022, Civic Commons held an event at the Gates Discovery Center to introduce the Greater Seattle Compact for Belonging to the general public. To celebrate, we invited four guests to talk about Belonging with the audience. Listen as Priya Frank (Seattle Art Museum), Donna Moodie (Marjorie Restaurant), Rozella "Rozie" Kennedy (Camber Collective and the Brave Sis Project) and Commissioner Sam Cho (Port of Seattle) tell some of their origin stories and how Belonging fits into small businesses, the arts, government, consulting, restaurants, and nonprofits! Both Priya and Rozie have published books recently. You can find them here if interested: From Small Wins to Sweeping Change - Working Together to Foster Equity, Inclusion, and Antiracism in Museums - Edited by Priya Frank and Theresa Sotto Our Brave Foremothers - Celebrating 100 Black, Brown, Asian, and Indigenous Women Who Changed the Course of History - by Rozella Kennedy…

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S3 EP6: Essential Workers 40:25

acum 2 years40:25

40:25

Today's episode is in collaboration with our partners at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center. You can find out more about our guests, Lois Martin and Shawn Thurman, in their online exhibit Facing Forward - Essential Workers, Essential Stories. Lois is the director of the Community Day Center for Children in the Central District and Shaw is a registered nurse at the Seattle Indian Health Board working out of the Chief Sealth Club in Pioneer Square. In this episode, our guests tell their stories and have a great discussion about essential workers, the pandemic, and belonging. Listen as Lois talks about how she went from a career at IBM to taking over her mother's early education center and as Shawn talks about growing up in the Sac & Fox nation in Oklahoma and how he and his wife sought out careers in the healthcare field. If you have little ones that need a vaccination, please check out the Community Day Center for Children's vaccination program. The next date will be on October 13th for children ages 6 months to 4 years old. Thanks again to Bobby Choy (aka Big Phony) for letting us use his music for our intros and outros!…

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S3 EP5: AANHPI Heritage 47:33

acum 3 years47:33

47:33

In today’s episode, we honor the stories, achievements, and influences of the AANHPI (Asian-American, Native-Hawaiian, Pacific-Islander) by speaking with two local leaders. We are delighted to have Julie Pham, Phd – CEO of CuriosityBased and Maya Mendoza-Exstrom – COO of Seattle Sounders FC on the podcast. The stories shared wove a tapestry of traumatic experiences like fleeing from Vietnam and entering the United States as refugees, the loss of family members, and feeling excluded. However, there are also stories of joy and pride like demonstrating successful leadership in organizations where AANHPI women are not well-represented, researching and rediscovering the cultural roots that connect us back to the countries we are from, and feeling pride in our cultural heritage. As per our custom, we would like to highlight the projects and successes of each of our guests. Julie Pham, PhD just self-published an Amazon best-selling book called 7 Forms of Respect. You can purchase it for kindle or as a paperback. Dig into Julie’s research and advice on how to transform your relationships at work! Maya Mendoza-Exstrom is one of the co-founders of the Our Stories are Your Stories campaign that we highlighted a year ago. They have added new stories this year from amazing locals like Laura Clise of Intentionalist, Uyen Nguyen of Viets for Afghans and Moni Tep who is both a talented musician and the Director of Education for Creative Justice. Thanks again to Bobby Choy (aka Big Phony) for letting us use his music for our intros and outros!…

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S3 EP4: Creating An Accessible World 31:03

acum 3 years31:03

31:03

Today's episode is in collaboration with our partners at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center. You can check out their article about our guest, Elizabeth Ralston on their website. Elizabeth is an Independent Accessibility Consultant and the founder of the Seattle Cultural Accessibility Consortium. In this episode, Frank and Elizabeth discuss their own lived experience with hearing disabilities, coping with internal ableism, and how the lack of accessibility is an obstacle to building belonging. Listen as Elizabeth tells listeners about how she became involved in this work, how to think about building accessible spaces, and how to foster belonging for all. If you're interested in Elizabeth's work as an independent consultant you can reach her at her website at http://www.elizabethralston.com/. Lastly, we are still accepting registrations up till May 9th for the 2022 Belonging Gathering. Please click here to register and to see more detailed information and agenda. Thanks again to Bobby Choy (aka Big Phony) for letting us use his music for our intros and outros!…

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S3 EP3: Storytellers of Change 25:34

acum 3 years25:34

25:34

Today our guest is returning to the podcast for his second visit. Luis Ortega, Director, and Founder of Storytellers for Change. Luis and Frank talk about the upcoming 2022 Belonging Gathering which will be held on May 12th and 13th at AXIS Pioneer Square. In this episode, we talk about the practices that build belonging: Conversations & Storytelling Advocacy Building Community Personal Growth Please listen to get a better idea what we will cover in mid-May and hear more about the work Luis and his colleagues are doing. You can hear more from Luis on this episode of the Adelante Leadership podcast (hosted by Peter Bloch Garcia and Tania Alheli Hino Gonzalez). If the craft of storytelling is something you are interested in diving into, please consider joining a cohort of changemakers and social impact storytellers here! Lastly, please consider joining us in May. We are accepting registrations up till May 9th so please click here to register for the 2022 Belonging Gathering. Thanks again to Bobby Choy (aka Big Phony) for letting us use him music for our intro and outro music!…

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S3 EP2: What Does ‘Home’ Mean? 1:04:23

acum 3 years1:04:23

1:04:23

As Civic Commons prepares to launch a major initiative related to Black homeownership, We Belong Here host Frank Nam sat down with three individuals who are already working toward racial and economic equity here in Seattle. The topic: What does home mean to you? And why is homeownership such an important part of financial stability and intergenerational well-being? Our guests this episode: - Andrea Caupain-Sanderson, CEO of Byrd Barr Place - Michelle Merriweather, president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle - Darryl Smith, executive director of HomeSight Along with discussing their work, Andrea, Michelle and Darryl also shared their families’ history with homeownership and their personal journey toward owning a home in the Seattle area. “Home to me means stability. It means predictability,” said Andrea, who became a homeowner at age 40. “It offers psychological safety and financial security, but also hope and possibility for others who are looking to dream.” The conversation also addressed the work ahead and why this project will initially focus on Black homebuyers. “If we can figure this out for the African American and the Black community, there are side benefits for all of us,” Darryl said. “If you can help those who are having the largest racial wealth gap, you start to close the gap for a lot of other folks as well.” Thank you again to the Big Phony, a Korean-American singer/songwriter living in Seoul, South Korea for allowing us to his music in our intro and outro, all royalty-free!…

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S3 EP1: Lifting Up Health Equity 32:42

acum 3 years32:42

32:42

Today that guest is Paula Houston (she/her), chief equity officer for UW Medicine in the Office of Healthcare Equity. Paula talks with episode host Frank Nam about how her own experience navigating the health care system as a Black woman and three-time breast cancer survivor motivated her to devote her career to health care equity. A world-champion in powerlifting, Paula also discusses personal and professional moments of belonging and why community engagement is essential to the mission of UW Medicine. “We’re dismantling oppressive systems, and it’s going to make it better for everybody,” Paula says. “(At UW Medicine) now we don’t just talk about health equity, but we talk about health justice.” During the pandemic, Paula and her team have worked to improve access to testing and vaccines in Seattle’s south-end communities and communities of color. A big part of that effort: truly listening to what people have to say. “People have their own agency within communities, and we’re there to work with them. They need to lead by telling us what they need, but we really need to listen in a way that we haven’t been listening before,” she says. Learn more about Paula in a virtual exhibit from the Gates Foundation Discovery Center called Enduring COVID-19: Stories from our Transforming World. And don’t miss the opportunity to engage with her and other speakers during the first installation of Facing Forward, a new Discovery Center program series. The event is on Feb. 17, 2022. Thank you again to the Big Phony, a Korean-American singer/songwriter living in Seoul, South Korea for allowing us to his music in our intro and outro, all royalty-free!…

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S2 EP6: How to Help Afghan Refugees 52:29

acum 3 years52:29

52:29

This episode of We Belong Here is guest-hosted by Caitlin Moran, content and communications manager for Civic Commons. Our topic is the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan, and the community leaders who are stepping up to help welcome refugees and advocate for those who have been left behind. A very special thank you to our guests: Aneelah Afzali: Aneelah is an Afghan-American attorney who left her legal career to pursue service. As the Executive Director of the American Muslim Empowerment Network at the Muslim Association of Puget Sound (MAPS-AMEN), she is a well-known community activist, interfaith leader, and justice advocate, who is currently helping coordinate efforts to respond to the incoming Afghan refugees. Will Berkovitz: Rabbi Will Berkovitz is the CEO of Jewish Family Service, a Seattle-based social services agency founded in 1892 that helps vulnerable individuals and families in the Puget Sound Region achieve well-being, health and stability. JFS has a responsibility to meet the particular needs of our Jewish communities as well as serving people of diverse backgrounds and experiences. Thanh Tan: Thanh Tan is an independent journalist and filmmaker and a co-founder of Viets 4 Afghans. She created and hosted "Second Wave," a KUOW and PRX-supported podcast that explores Vietnamese American experiences after the Vietnam War. Our conversation touched on everything from how to be an effective ally to Afghan refugees, to helping new arrivals find belonging and community, to advocating for the people who remain in Afghanistan. Here are links to some of the organizations and resources mentioned by our guests: MAPS Muslim Community Resource Center Joint campaign for Emergency Funds to support Afghan refugees Viets4Afghans tinyurl.com/WAHelpAfghans: A central intake form for Washingtonians to sign up for volunteer efforts, housing and donating goods. Organizers follow up every couple weeks via email with ways to help, and also reach out to people directly based on their interests. tinyurl.com/AfgAdvocacy: A Google doc with petitions to sign, virtual events to attend, and other ways to take action Gift card donations (Costco, WinCo, Safeway, Fred Meyer, Amazon, Target) may be sent in any denomination to Kits For Peace: 15600 NE 8th Street, Suite B1 PMB 453, Bellevue, WA 98008. Thank you again to the Big Phony, a Korean-American singer/songwriter living in Seoul, South Korea for allowing us to his music in our intro and outro, all royalty-free!…

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S2 EP5: The Gates Discovery Center's 'Enduring COVID-19' Series 49:01

acum 3 years49:01

49:01

** We apologize that this episode was released later than we hope. A few of our guests mentioned projects that already occurred during the recording of this podcast. We have included links to these events below and we hope that you will look at their websites and their YouTube videos. ** In this podcast we are excited to launch our first episode of our series with The Gates Discovery Center's Enduring COVID-19 events. Each event will highlight the people who are working with our community as we restore ourselves during this pandemic! Today's podcast brings together people who are creating community through food, fashion, and radio. We are grateful to be joined by Roxana Pardo Garcia of LaRoxay Productions, Ming Ming Tung-Edelman of Refugee Artisan Initiative, and Tony Benton of Rainier Avenue Radio. Our guests share stories around the importance of mentors, the power of family and talismans, the changing media landscape, and how we can endure this pandemic together. 0:46 - Roxana Pardo Garcia self-introduction 1:02 - Ming Ming Tung-Edeleman self-introduction 1:17 - Tony Benton self-introduction 2:11 - Roxana's Origin Story - Life growing up in Burien, WA. The power of a strong mentor while in high school. Activism and organizing while at University of Washington. How to usher the collective into a new way of being during the pandemic. Quit her government job in order to serve community full-time with a private business. 7:28 - Ming Ming's Origin Story - First generation Chinese-American who immigrated to join father in the US along with siblings and mother. Brought a chiffon dress that her grandmother made for her when she immigrated. Power of grandparents on children's lives. Grew up in California. After 25 years as a pharmacist, switched to fashion and combined that with a circular economy model with refugee women. Pivoted to PPE during the pandemic. 15:12 - Tony's Origin Story - Being a Black man has shaped him. Being a father to a daughter has shaped him. Long history being engaged in media. 20 years in a major market and saw how the Telecommunications Act of 1996 changed everything. Communities overlooked by the corporatization of massive media companies. Switched gears to Low Power FM Radio Stations and Internet Radio. With the pandemic, people were pushed online more and more. 23:04 - Roxana talks about the projects she's working on through her site LaRoxay Productions. Started two businesses during the pandemic. Launched a fundraiser to raise $1,000,000 for their food bank. Shift from a culture of charity to a culture of justice. Also runs a company that curates events for companies. Lastly, has an apparel/life-style brand that blends the Northwest and Chicana cultures. 30:21 - Ming Ming talks about the Refugee Arts Initiative. They hired six more women during the pandemic. Twelve full-time staff now! Trying to hire even more women to work to make PPE. Also taking the circular economy model towards zero-waste for pet accessories. They upcycle people's clothes to make clothing accessories for pets. Is a finalist for the Northwest Circular Design Contest! Lastly, love for her community of Lake City but are using a donated space that will be torn down in a year or two. Looking to buy a location through a capital campaign to be their permanent home. 39:45 - Tony talks about his projects. Rainier Avenue Radio ran some amazing events such as Asian Voices Initiative around anti-Asian hate crimes. They also broadcasted live from the Juneteenth Festival in mid June and even did a full-day program called Make Music Day in late June. You can listen and view all of these events in the previous links. Thank you again to the Big Phony, a Korean-American singer/songwriter living in Seoul, South Korea for allowing us to his music in our intro and outro, all royalty-free!…

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S2 EP4: Small Business Recovery in Seattle 47:36

acum 4 years47:36

47:36

In this episode we are excited to partner with our friends at The Evergrey to highlight the stories of three small business owners in Seattle. We had some technical difficulties in the production of this podcast so you will notice that one of our guests does not introduce herself in the beginning. This was due to the fact that we had to re-record some of her answers. This episode allows our guests to talk about the importance of recovery and how it impacts small business owners in the region. We are grateful to be joined by Hallie Kuperman, owner of the restaurant Tin Table and the dance hall Century Ballroom ; Laura Clise, owner of small business focused Intentionalist; and Ren Caldwell, owner of community space for movement and connection Strive & Uplift. Our guests talk about some of their favorite businesses that gave them a sense of belonging and what they need from the government and community as we look towards recovery. Listen to our guests as they offer their perspectives as small business owners. It's a delight to be able to share connections and stories with the people who make our region truly unique. 00:55 - Guests introduce themselves (missing Hallie's response due to technical glitches) 1:15 - Laura Clise's short introduction 1:59 - Ren Caldwell's short introduction 3:10 - Frank introduces the question to start - Talk about a business or store growing up where you felt like you really belonged 3:55 - Laura talks about Perché No - a family-run Italian restaurant that closed in December of 2019. 7:57 - Hallie talks about how she can't think of a specific business but talks about growing up in the world of theater starting in high school 9:40 - Ren talks about a martial art studio that taught the Vietnamese style Cuong Nhu and the master of the style's impact on her development 14:00 - Frank asks his guests about the re-opening of Washington state on June 30 and what that can mean for small businesses 15:12 - Ren talks about her mixed feelings around the re-opening of spaces and places. She talks about how Strive & Uplift had a physical gym space but had to give it up during the pandemic. 16:26 - Found an opportunity to connect virtually that allowed more accessibility to the gym's classes 19:02 - It's going to take awhile and it's going to be weird and there will be step backs but thrilled at the community that was founded this past year 20:36 - Frank asks Ren to tell us about any project that she would like to pitch or amplify 21:05 - Ren noticed that all the gyms that used to offer online classes are shutting them down to move into a physical space. Strive & Uplift is not going to shut down their online classes. Asks that other gyms reconsider shutting down their virtual classes completely. 22:20 - Talks about the different classes they have - yoga, Pilates, and kettle bells to name a few. https://www.striveanduplift.com/ and @striveanduplift on IG 24:49 - Hallie talks about a cabaret show that's coming on at Century Ballroom/Tin Table every Thursday night that includes dinner. They are extending this up through July! 27:45 - Hallie thinks that things will return to normal faster than people think for partner dancing outside 29:00 - Confusing information from CDC about masks off for vaccinated people and then what the WA Health Department says keep your masks on even if vaccinated. Hard as a business to figure out what to uphold and what to ask for. 33:42 - Laura talks about how Strive & Uplift and Century Ballroom are the kind of businesses other people in Seattle would point to as examples of places that give you a sense of belonging 34:43 - Started Intentionalist because many small businesses wondered if they still belonged in our region 36:00 - Laura opines about reopening and recovery. Recovery isn't a date or a moment, it's a process 38:20 - We need empathy as we being to re-engage with our small businesses - we need to see them for more than just the products and services they offer 40:00 - Saw so may examples of people reconnecting with their vibrant and diverse community. Where we spend our money matters. 41:35 - For years, Intentionalist's community has asked what they can do to support the work. They announced the Intentionalist Membership community. Coalesce the community into something powerful for good 43:30 - Laura talks about how to support businesses as we celebrated AAPI Heritage month and now as we celebrate Pride month! Thank you again to the Big Phony, a Korean-American singer/songwriter living in Seoul, South Korea for allowing us to his music in our intro and outro, all royalty-free!…

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S2 EP3: AAPI Heritage Month 56:55

acum 4 years56:55