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I took a little newsletter break over the winter, both because it felt nice to do less in the winter, and also because I have been unsure what is worth saying here in light of <waves hands wildly>. |
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I know I’m not the only one feeling conflicted about work, and especially how to communicate about work right now. I certainly don’t want to be silent about or complicit in the dumpster fire that is the U.S. right now, especially at the federal level. It has been absolutely heartbreaking to see the impacts on the evaluation field and nonprofit ecosystem over the past few months (among other things). Heartbreaking to see funding torn away or in turmoil for very worthy efforts in public health, education and beyond. And it’s heartbreaking to feel certain that we’re far from through the worst of it. |
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I’m constantly seeking ways to keep supporting what matters, resisting obeying in advance and looking for ways to be just a little more ungovernable, while still somehow staying present and functional (this is debatable at times) in this time and place. I also know that a big purpose of the U.S. federal actions is creating chaos and anxiety and fear, and I’m trying REALLY hard to stay above the surface of all that. |
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For me, a lot of that looks like continuing to do the work I have underway and focusing on being in supportive relationships with people I care about. I am deeply fortunate to still have quite a few meaningful, interesting projects underway. They still deserve my care and the folks I’m working with still deserve to celebrate the things that are going well. Maybe that’s even more important now. |
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In hopes it tips the balance of the bad news with the good, here are just a few high points for me since winter: |
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The Camassia Group has not only officially launched but has several wonderful projects underway, including projects with a foundation clients that are (still) trying to do things differently and advance equity in and through evaluation. |
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The Leonard Research & Evaluation website got a little refresh, via the brilliant, kind and very patient Tricia Isham. I learned that I am still very uncomfortable talking about myself and definitely hate looking at photos of myself. But, I also found the process of reflection Tricia took me through really reassuring — I am moving toward doing meaningful things with clients who care. |
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Finally, the winter has been filled with report writing and other ways of sharing learning with others. That includes two reports related to the child care ecosystem in Oregon: |
- Progress at Risk: An Update on Child Care in Rural Oregon. This report, developed by Madeline Brandt and myself, is an update on the recommendations outlined by a report commissioned by The Ford Family Foundation in 2000. It describes both the gains made since then and the many ways in which the health of the child care ecosystem was at risk as of late 2024, much of which feels only more precarious now.
- A Path Forward: Examining and Overcoming Barriers for Oregon’s Early Childhood Workforce. This highly collaborative study was conducted in response to Oregon HB 2991 (2023). I had the honor of working closely with AB Cultural Drivers, the Early Childhood Equity Collaborative on this study, with administrative support from the Coalition of Communities of Color and Fifth Element Community Development & Consulting.
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What are you celebrating? How are you moving toward doing meaningful things right now, whatever that might look like? |
Curious about how I can support you or your organization? Check out my core offerings:
What else is keeping me afloat
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One of the things that is keeping me above the surface this spring is art in all its many forms. I am spending more time enjoying it (and sometimes trying to make it) than I have in a long time. It feels like another way to resist the chaos and hold onto what makes us human. I know it’s a bit unorthodox for a newsletter about applied research and evaluation business, but here are just a few recent favorites, in case you need a little of this kind of joy too:
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I hope you’re finding time for things to keep you afloat too! Please share your favorites too. |