It’s mid-afternoon and I am moderating a panel discussion as part of a one-day conference. As I walk into the large, rectangular meeting room, I notice half the room’s filled already with people waiting for our session to start. The panelists arrive and I take my seat with them in front, facing the audience. For … Continue reading On Belonging
Attending to Negative Space
I have been meditating for a while on the concept of negative space. In art, positive space represents the center, and the area around is considered negative space. Negative space isn't bad. Rather, it's necessary for a balanced composition. Positive space can't exist without negative space. But what's interesting to me is negative space goes … Continue reading Attending to Negative Space
Whose Turn Is It Anyway?
I believe there's a shift happening in the U.S. Where white supremacy and patriarchy remain thick, people are grateful to see the usual suspects in charge. But in other places, where the air is less smoggy, people are downright fed up with the old guard (OG). People are ready for someone else to lead. … Continue reading Whose Turn Is It Anyway?
The Missing Voice
Everyone remembers a layoff. This Michelangelo poster is my last gift from my co-workers at AltaVista when we all got laid off. I remember the layoff happened a week after the 9/11 terrorist attack. The HR people couldn't catch a flight early enough, hence the week delay in delivering our parting papers. In hindsight, the … Continue reading The Missing Voice
Jess Talks
I've decided to try a new medium. I don't know what to call it. A lot longer than a blog post. Not quite an eBook. Really it's more like a manuscript. In it, you'll find four of the talks I've given over the last four years. You'll read common themes but also discover some new … Continue reading Jess Talks
Shalom and False Peace
It's a typical Saturday morning. I'm at a local coffee shop, sipping my espresso and enjoying some peace and quiet. I take out my books and my laptop, preparing to read and write. But someone doesn't get the memo. A few minutes into my peace and quiet, I hear a voice behind me say, … Continue reading Shalom and False Peace
The Stories We Tell
I believe we are, and we become, the stories we tell ourselves. The stories we tell ourselves are the sum of stories from God, our ancestors, environment, and our own life experience. I have believed since I was young that I was not athletic, not physically strong. I had scoliosis as a kid and later … Continue reading The Stories We Tell
Dinner with the Professor
"Do you speak Spanish?" The Latino professor asks, in between bites of deliciously fresh tacos. We are at an outdoor wedding reception in Santa Ana, California. He and his wife happen to be sharing a table with me and a white couple. The professor and I are in the middle of a lively conversation with … Continue reading Dinner with the Professor
The Welcome We Give
In our part of the United States, the world has come to work here at various tech companies and startups. Whether their transition is across the country, across the pond, or across the globe, each newcomer wonders, 'Will there be a home for me here? Will I belong?' Seattle does not have a good track … Continue reading The Welcome We Give
Lunch with the ‘Bros’
Sometimes, I feel like I'm on the show "Silicon Valley," the fictional HBO show about "bro" life at a startup. To be honest, I haven't watched the show. I feel like it would just be too painful and traumatic for me. A little too real. Like this lunch. I like to keep in touch with … Continue reading Lunch with the ‘Bros’
