Why “a big eyed fish”? I believe in iterative processes, and find myself continually applying one set of learnings to the next set of circumstances. This can leave me feeling like a goldfish exploring new parts of their bowl, eyes wide. And so I navigate the waters of the world propelled by curiosity, wonder, and a love of learning. I hope to always be discovering, reflecting, changing, and growing.
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Dear My Fellow White People
Given the appropriate outpouring of condemnation that’s overflowed my social media newsfeeds since White Nationalists, Nazis, Far Right, and other all-White racist hate groups converged on Charlottesville, VA last weekend, I wanted to highlight two maneuvers of mental gymnastics which help White people protect themselves. Racists are Evil I saw this image on FaceBook a… Read more
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How to become the Americans we’d always been deep within our heARTs
By their actions, they did not dream the American Dream, they willed it into being by a definition of their own choosing. They did not ask to be accepted but declared themselves the Americans that perhaps few others recognized but that they had always been deep within their hearts. Minutes ago I finished the wonderful… Read more
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Speaking of things that aren’t easy: defining, exercising, and building values
Before I started writing this blog post, I did the following: Read the newspaper Check Facebook Check Twitter Think about the other blog post I had to write Check personal email account Text Start writing the other blog post Check Facebook Text Read a few online articles Make a cup of tea Text Have a… Read more
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Go Set a Watchman in Your Home
Looking back, it was hardly coincidental that I picked up Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman shortly after DJT was elected to office. It was clearly the catalyst for my first steps of in-the-home activism. Watchman takes place in the 1950s, 20 years after To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout—now called Jean Louise—returns to her hometown… Read more
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Curses!: The Arctic is Saved but Unconscious Biases are Reinforced
By age three or four, children in America across all racial groups understand, implicitly, that it is better to be White. This research-backed statement, shared by Dr. Robin DiAngelo during a public lecture I attended last week floored me. I hope it hits you similarly, if you haven’t encountered it before. How or where could… Read more
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Getting into the experimental state of mind
I approach my work with an experimental state of mind and tend to forget, as we all do, that not everyone shares my world view. In a session with one of my academy fellows, I was reminded how intimidating the word “experiment” can be. That word alone was holding her it back. It was her… Read more
Rachel Grossman - A Big Eyed Fish 