Field Notes: Rage, Joy, and Doing Our Part

This is my busy season, and it's been a full day, so I'm going to keep this short.

I’m working with good people on exciting projects and to fight important systemic fights, which can feel like a weighty responsibility.

Last week in Calgary, I co-led a fascinating discussion about how to bring life-saving cell and gene therapies to more people with rare disorders. One takeaway that has stuck with me: science opens the door, but infrastructure decides who gets to walk through.
Then last night, I sat in city council chambers as one of the most oppressive encampment bylaws in the province was voted in unanimously despite our efforts to rally opposition. And tonight, I was at our Redwood Community Update Night, filled with possibility and hope. That whiplash is real.
As John Green reminds us, “Life is worrisome and the world is worrisome, especially right now, but that doesn’t tell the full story.” Because it’s always a mixed bag: rage at injustice, joy in small moments, and the reminder that none of us can—or should—do everything, but each of us can do something.
One resource I appreciate returning to when I start to feel stretched thin is Deepa Iyer’s Social Change Map. It’s a reminder that there are many different roles to play in social change work, and each one matters.
You're doing great. Let's go disrupt for good.