blog

Plot twist!

Plot twist! Lady zoomed in and stole the parking spot I was signaling to pull into. Gave her "Dude WTF?!" hands; she gave me a shrug. Fumed as I scoured the lot for another spot. Finally parked and started looking for a scrap of paper to leave her a note: ...
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/ Personal philosophy

Sweetness

When I was teeny, sometimes my papa would take us to the candy shop near his house. It was a place of joy and wonder. Rows of shelves stretching out before me, towering overhead, bursting with treats. I loved it so much, I remember wanting to say goodbye at the ...
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/ Personal philosophy

No shame

Deep breath: I was so ashamed. It started when I was 12. I could never, ever tell anyone or they would stop loving me. Everybody would think I was crazy and disgusting if they knew that I couldn't stop pulling my hair out. I've been done with the shame for ...
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Blooming

Today's retreat with my @socalgrantmaker team: our theme was Garden Party because we are blossoming! Much flower-arranging fun was had by all. And much strawberries and fresh whipped cream. Mmm ...
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/ Management philosophy

The Myth of America

It's the fall of 1989. I'm 17 and just arrived at college, fresh from the suburbs with the big hair to prove it. They let us spend the first week auditing different classes. I wander into a literature course called The Myth Of America just in time to hear the ...
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Sharing the empowerment

Big moment today for hardworking LA County families, and for me personally. Today I testified before the County Supervisors in support of creating the Center for Financial Empowerment using County funds to match a $300,000 private grant that I secured. The motion passed 5-0. I've spent the past 20 years working ...
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Not in my backyard

We biked to the Trump rally with our little American flags, because it's our flag too. John pinned my late father's flag-patterned suspenders to his backpack to bring Nurn's patriotic spirit of passionate protest with us. We found crowds of our neighbors screaming and cursing at each other. And news ...
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Spa day

Rose petals, tea lights, wind chimes, tiny battery-powered waterfall, and flannel sheets on the tables and chairs. I had WAY too much fun with spa-themed retreat day for my team. Hopefully they did too ...
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/ Management philosophy
Fred Korematsu 是松 豊三郎

Haven’t we been here before?

We've been here before, America. I need to tell you that I am heartsick at today's rising chorus of howls for expulsions, restrictions, loyalty tests on the basis of race and religion. In 1944, Justice Murphy wrote this blistering dissent from the Supreme Court's shameful decision to allow the internment ...
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Work’s a beach

Yesterday I took my team "to the beach" for our quarterly retreat. No alcohol was harmed in the making of those piña coladas, so after we toasted each other and tossed the beachball for awhile, we went on to have an incredibly productive and fun day. Did I mention I ...
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/ Management philosophy

CurlyGirl: Personal Rules for 2014

Personal Rule #1: Maintain my clearing in the forest. Personal Rule #2 as amended for 2014: Remember what's most important to me. Personal Rule #3 remains unchanged for 2014 after contentious internal debate on several proposed amendments. Amendment to Personal Rule #4: Jump into the uncomfortable. Amendment to Personal Rule #5: ...
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Fundraising from the Heart

Honored to be invited to speak on a panel of development and communications experts at a Southern California Edison convening of fantastic local nonprofits. I believe in Fundraising from the Heart, and I did my best to share everything I could pack into a 10 minute powerpoint about storytelling, challenge ...
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