The time is always right...

Let's find the racist! And then let's shame the racist!

by Jen Chau

This is - I think - our favorite game to play when it comes to race. Locate the racist, focus on the racist, blog and tweet the crap out of that racist, and shame that racist as much as possible. The racist shouldn't be able to carry on life as he knew it. I too hope for change in the person who took a misstep, but I think we are missing the bigger picture. We use magnifying glasses to focus on individual events rather than seeing the connections and the patterns that point to larger societal problems.

The problem in perfection

by Jen Chau

Perfection was cute when we were little. Sure...it was all about being perfect when the task was laid out for us and all we had to do was it. Perfectly. I remember...

managerial marginalia - 1

by Jen Chau

If I currently worked for my 24-year old self, I would not be happy. Talk about a terrible manager. I did it all. I expected my direct reports to read my mind, I waited for problems to bubble up instead of confronting them proactively, I wanted my team members to "bother me" as little as possible so I could do my job, and I tried first and foremost to make my staff members my friends. I must have subscribed to: "it's better to be loved than feared." Ay, I made a mess. But I'm glad I did (Apologies of course, to those of you out there who I managed earlier on in my career - can we all just chalk it up to lessons learned?). Ok, I wasn't a monster - I like to paint vivid pictures because drama reads better in a blog. It wasn't all bad. I did some things right - I modeled the way, I always worked as hard or harder than I expected everyone else to work, and I celebrated my team members' accomplishments. Sure, I got some things right. But what I have learned about being the leader of a team is that people management is probably the most important thing I can do well, every day.

pieces of me: Fuzzy

by Jen Chau

We are all pieces of other people, things, experiences. Less like a puzzle, but more like a delicious recipe -- a dish that gets more and more rich as you drop additional ingredients in. In cooking, it's very hard to separate out the ingredients once you put them in, and I have found the same to be true in thinking about how I got to be the person I am today. It's hard to think about where I got my love of storytelling, my appreciation of brutal honesty and achievement, my commitment to family. But when I sit down to consider all of my influences, it is very clear to me that there are pieces of me that look very much like people who have been so meaningful to me and my life. I am going to write about these people -- not only to recognize the great things that they have given to me, but also because I think it's an important exercise. Very rarely do we feel that we have the power to impact others. Well, we definitely do, and sometimes, even unknowingly, we do. I want those who have impacted me to know it. Also, we don't emphasize the true beauty of people nearly enough (too often we hone in on the ugliness -- just turn on the 10 o'clock news).

Recalibrating...

by Jen Chau
 

He sat at the front of the classroom on a rolling office chair with wheels, screen behind him, lights dimmed. This lighting was dangerous, I thought, as I looked at the semicircle of us.  We looked tired and heads were sure to start nodding. He had a nonchalant expression on his face, detailing all of the research, outlining, and further outlining we would need to do to complete our final paper. From time to time he would turn to his powerpoint (dark blue background with maroon headings) to illustrate his points. He could have been talking in slow motion - it seemed the end would never come. But week after week, we all got closer to the end. Our final sentence. Our fancy binding. Our ten minute presentations.

I love fake radio interviews: about Obama and race

 
by Jen Chau

Over the last couple of months, I have begun to expect that every un-identified number that pops up on my cell phone is probably connected to a well-intentioned (most of the time) reporter wondering if I could offer my thoughts on Obama‘s mixed race identity. Asking me to comment because of my work with Swirl, they have all wondered how hot of a topic Obama has been amongst other mixed race people. Was everyone excited about it? Were people taking offense to the fact that he was identifying as an African-American man? And what does he mean for the future of mixed race people everywhere? These are just some of the questions that came up during the interviews in which I have taken part (I guess though, that I should at least mention my favorite of all, “What if Obama identified as a white man? What would people think of that?” The best rhetorical question I have heard in a while. If nothing else, these conversations surely have been entertaining).

It hasn't really sunken in yet...

...but, I am absolutely ecstatic about Obama winning the Democratic nomination! I'm sure that others would easily join me in saying that I never thought I would see a candidate of Obama's caliber in my time. He talks about the world in a way I have rarely heard anyone talk about, let alone a presidential candidate. He puts forth strong messages about the need for our diverse nation to come together, he inspires a wide range of citizens to care about our country, he motivates our youth to pay attention. He is amazing and genuine, and and I am absolutely inspired by him -- I think a lot of people are. I am excited to see how people will now become galvanized in order to ensure his win. Obama winning the nomination inspires hope in me -- I inherited a bit of cynacism after the painful Kerry-Bush loss, but I must say, I am shocked and pleased. I might even try to be a little less cynical about our government and its processes. ;) But only maybe.

Obama has the potential to create substantial change in the US. I wholeheartedly believe it and hope that many of you out there -- those who care about a healthy future for our country -- will work to support Barack as he fights for his seat in the White House.

Idealist and I are on the same page! ;)

 

Idealist was nice enough to feature one of my posts on their blog -- a round-up of three articles talking about the importance of activists taking care of themselves while working toward change. I wrote the article in May 2007, but I think it's always a good time to revisit the topic!

All at the same time, Jen Chau was running her own nonprofit, working 45 hours a week at another organization, starting a small business, and taking three classes. And a lot of activists and nonprofit professionals find themselves with similar lifestyles: by following their passion to make change in the world, they often over-commit their time and resources. Is it healthy?

Chau recently changed her approach and was inspired to write "Activism—now for the sane and healthy too!"  on her blog, The Time is Always Right—because, she believes, "Activism needs a serious make-over. I am living proof." She recounts how she came to realize that while she does need to work (and work hard) for change in order to lead a happy and healthy life, she also needs to balance that work with more time spent with her family and friends; more purely fun activities, like allowing herself to read novels instead of only reading books about the issue she's working on; and getting eight hours of sleep a night.

The best present an activist could receive

by Jen Chau

Someone who I hardly know gave me a present last month. It is one that I will never forget.

We give presents for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, wedding showers, just-born-babies, and new homes. We even leave money under pillows for little ones for their lost teeth. But very rarely do we give gifts to thank those who really dedicate their lives to bringing about positive change for our world. Maybe we don't because we wouldn't know what to give them...I mean, what do activists need? Great cardstock for making signage at the next protest? Sharp business suits for networking meetings? Books and books on revolution? Blog space? :) Donations to their favorite organization?

This is silly to even think about because activists are probably not doing the work they do for presents. :) I surely don't do the work that I do to get thanks or praise. I do what I do out of a feeling of responsibility and a passion for the issues. I envision a world that looks very different than the one in which we are currently living, and that inspires me to work for change. That said, sometimes it gets tough. Just like the work of teachers and other social service workers, the work of activists is mostly thankless. But that's what makes the kind words of one person that much more impactful. I was recently given the best present an activist could ever hope to receive.

Take it from me...live an a-ha rich life!

by Jen Chau

I was never one for shoving things down people's throats. Nor do I presume to be wiser than my years. You know what I've done (and if you don't, you can look here), and those experiences are the things from which I draw my understandings of the world. I don't know any more or any less at the moment. But I always...I always hope to know and work to know more tomorrow than I did today. With that in mind, I like to think that other people also arrange their lives in such a fashion -- with a commitment to self-improvement and ongoing learning. If so, I will ask you to "take it from me" from time to time, when I feel strongly enough that I want to offer a learning that I have had. As I said before, I don't aim to convince anyone to change based on any of what I say. BUT I highly value the idea of people offering others tools and resources so that they may be empowered to live richer and fuller lives. If I can somehow spark/inspire learning for anyone else (the way that others have done for me), then I will be satisfied with my modest efforts.