Puttering day. At 4, we’re hosting about 50 people for a faculty union BBQ. After going to the leadership conference this summer, one of the things Kev and I talked about with our union organizer was how to build community within the union members, and build a sense of shared goals, as we fight for …
The strategic planning session at the library was fascinating, and focused in large part on the Harwood method for community knowledge and engagement, which our library has bought into pretty whole-heartedly; it has transformed their planning and practice over the last few years. I like it. I am tempted to seek out a three-day training …
Very civic-minded day. I dropped off Kavya for a day at Camp Congress, and then headed off to the annual library board strategic planning meeting. “Camp Congress for Girls Chicago 2017 is a leadership program that introduces girls ages 8 to 15 to politics. Camp begins with a lesson on the structure of our political …
Library board meeting was awesome — so interesting, thinking through all these issues. I do have to say, I think I kind of got lobbed a softball in terms of elected office — our library is staffed with fabulous librarians, our executive director is confidently and competently steering things in what I think is absolutely …
Thanks to Jed for coming along to my library board investiture last week and taking pics! Let us pause to admire my jacket — it is the only jacket I own, and I’d never actually worn it before; I picked it up secondhand a year or so ago, even though I never wear jackets (and …
“These people are members of a community that care about where they live, so what I hear when I’m being yelled at, is people caring loudly at me.” — Leslie Knope, Parks and Rec, episode one (I’m getting ready to be invested as a library board trustee next week by starting a summer re-watch of …
Our local Democratic Party has been bringing the governor candidates to Oak Park, which I really appreciate. I was out of town for the last pair (Kennedy and Biss) — need to watch the recorded video. And I was coaching Kavi’s game while Ameya Pawar was speaking, sadly — I had really hoped to make …
One thing I didn’t include in last night’s politics post, that I perhaps should have, is that in considering moving for a chance at higher office, there is a real conflict between: a) where I could do the most good b) where I could have a real chance of being elected c) where I am …
Okay, I’m just going to talk this out a little, and this is a little more frank than I think one normally is about running for office, but it’s also all completely obvious to anyone who actually pays attention to these things, so I think it’s fine. Transparency is how I work, regardless, and hopefully …
