Let’s talk about the difference between decency and generosity in our work as designers in the food system. People who act with decency meet baseline moral expectations. They behave in an ethical way. Simply put, they treat others with respect and dignity. Some examples of decency: Now let’s look at generosity. People who give generously are giving beyond basic decency. Generosity might look like While […]

“What’s the worst that can happen?” In the movies, this is usually said by a supporting character whose fate isn’t all that great. And that’s because this character is NOT actually considering the worst possible scenarios. Sometimes, as the viewer, you know what’s up. “It’s hiding in the basement!” you scream at the screen. And sometimes, you don’t actually know what’s going to happen—you just […]

Don’t discount the power of planting seeds. When we face barriers to implementing equity-driven mindsets and practices, we often focus on identifying immediate solutions. We also tend to celebrate folks and teams that facilitate change in real-time. Because it’s observable and we can bear witness to the roles they played. But what about change that happens slowly […]

You know that feeling when someone talks to you using unfamiliar or intimidating jargon? For me, it usually doesn’t feel all that great. It can be confusing. Or frustrating. And at times, it can make me doubt myself and my intelligence. Sometimes I ask them to pause so I can get clarification. Sometimes I focus […]

There is no such thing as a neutral designer in the food system. As humans, outside of work, we’ve been connected to food since day one. We cannot fully separate the ways we’ve experienced food as individuals from how we show up to design programs, products, services, or other experiences in the food system. The […]

Learning isn’t just about gaining new knowledge or skills that you didn’t previously have. Sometimes it’s about un-learning. About letting go of what you previously knew, believed, or held on to. And sometimes it’s about evolving your perspective. It’s okay to change your mind when presented with new information and experiences. That’s a part of growing. So if you ever think, “I wish I had known this before,” or “I wish I had done […]

Listening—or giving your full attention to someone else sharing through any form of communication—is an essential skill in life and design. It’s core to us being in relationship with others. And we’re all great listeners, right? Eh, not always. We’re human and sometimes we get in our own way as we seek to connect with […]

Let’s talk about transparency. As a parent of young kiddos, I’ve had the joy of returning to a personal childhood favorite—Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood—and the many lessons shared by Fred Rodgers. And with the re-airing of every episode, I find myself thinking about two things: This happened most recently when Fred Rodgers discussed the importance of telling children what to expect. […]

“I’m supportive of equitable practices, but the process will take too long.” I’ve heard this concern. Many times. In our work, we often feel pressure to get things done as quickly as possible. So we go with a process that we believe will produce results fast. A process that’s familiar. A process that appears to […]

We spend a lot of time, energy, and money on designing for a specific set of outcomes. We align on those outcomes. We identify metrics of success to evaluate whether we’ve achieved them. We report out on them. Now there’s nothing wrong with maintaining that focus when collaborators agree it’s the right opportunity to solve […]