Curiosity, discernment, and seafoam green

👋 Hello! Jacq, Francesca, Pablo, and Colton. Click reply. Say hi. Let me know how we can work together.

I'm putting together a piece on relational infrastructure in nonprofit work. I'm also looking at hosting a community call to talk about some of this. Is that of interest? Would you like to be part of the conversation? Click reply and let me know. For now, here are a few of many pieces shaping this:

• Moved to Act: Why People Really Join Movements
• We Built a School Inside a Black Bookstore. Here's What Happened.
• How to Build a Post-"Nobody Nobody Sent" Chicago Politics
• Communities Are Not Fungible
• Welcome to the Era of Relational Intelligence

Distraction and discernment

Most of us are sitting in front a computer on a desk, holding a computer in our hands, getting notifications and slack pings. Meanwhile we're seeking answers, often by following odd paths through web pages, news stories, research, survey responses, and YouTube videos.

Three hours later have we crossed anything off the to do list?

This might sound familiar if you're a remote worker and/or a solo practitioner. In The hypercurious mind, Anne-Laure Le Cunff talks about their work in the ADHD Research Lab at Kings College London.

Many minds, it seems, have a high need for novelty. We could call it hypercuriosity. Our 9 to 5 days and highly regimented view of time and work (still based in Henry Ford-esque notions of productivity) aren't well designed for the curious.

Rather than focusing on how to regulate hypercuriosity, we might ask how to design environments that work with it.

There's not much about the "solo" work experience that really rewards a hyper-curious or ADHD mind. I've found that when working in groups and teams one can pass curiosity and exploration onto other people. And in return receive some social pressure and reward that support focus.

If you're a solo worker, the work world (now more than ever) may not be designed for you. There is no person or thing (except you) there to exert discernment.

I find that some element of team accountability and support is helpful. But I'm not always good at setting it up. Look for collaborative cohorts, accountability partners, people you can check in with weekly or even daily.

This is one reason small online (and in person) communities seem to be thriving. So many of us are working independently now. Or almost independently. Independent work is precarious. Not just because of the demands on attention, of course. Collaborators and community can be a lifesaver.

Bright Ideas

• In A generation homesick for a world they never knew, Abbey Lunney of The Harris Poll writes about that Gen Z doesn't mourn social media, the always on always hyper visualized platforms foisted on them. They mourn social texture–the slow, hard, fraught, in person stuff. Consider this: perhaps social (and email) are not destinations for engagement. They're simply doors to places where experiences, solutions, emotions can happen.
• What fighting forest fires taught me about nonprofit operations. Adapt in real time. Triage is not a strategy. And, the best lesson: the leaders who move are the ones who accept the constraints and ask better questions. [by Erik Rubadeau via Clint O'Brien]
• I'm enchanted by the growing set of online community tools, widgets, and code samples put together by the Relational Tech Studio. It's clever, useful, and aims to be useful by the regular, busy people who are the crux of local community.
• Want more on IRL community tools? See John Nesbit's A week of building a neighborhood walking guide.
• We often use the image of "following a thread" to describe curiosity. Maybe curiosity is not so much an individual thread, it's about creating social fabric. The collectivity of curiosity is the subject of Curiosity is no solo act. [Perry Zurn and Dani S. Bassett / The MIT Press Reader]
• Color theory is no accident and you may be alive because of it: Why so many control rooms were seafoam green. [by Beth Mathews via Shannon Mattern]
• Forty consultants later is a must read for anyone who is (or is considering becoming) an independent consultant. Sam Landenwitsch talks with Sasha Rosen of The Outreach Team about Sasha's experience hiring and working with dozens of consultants in six years.

Events

• If you're curious about (or working on) the intersection of surveillance and AI you'll want to consider participating in the Refugees and AI event organized by Distributed AI Research Institute on April 17th. [Online]

Future Community Jobs

Don't forget the full job list. It is always fresh and somewhat squeezable. 🍋

Audience, content, journalism and news roles

• Deputy Director of Social and Brand, National : Courier Newsroom [Remote in the US]
• Climate Reporter (contract) : The 19th [Remote in the US] ⏱️ April 15
• Investigative Reporter : The Examination [Remote, Global] ⏱️ April 17

Communications

• Communications Director : National Institute for Reproductive Health [Remote in the US]
• Global Digital Communications Manager : Madre Brava [Remote in Germany, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, or the UK] ⏱️ April 20
• Chief Policy and Communications Officer : Asian Law Caucus [San Francisco] ⏱️ April 24
• Sr. Public Affairs and Communications Research Analyst : Earthjustice [Washington, DC]
• Director of Marketing & Communications : Active Minds [Washington, DC] ⏱️ April 17
• Communications Manager : Oceana [Washington, DC] ⏱️ April 17
• Communications Associate : Montana Environmental Information Center [Helena, Missoula, or Remote in Montana]

Nonprofit organizations

• Research Associate : More in Common [Washington, DC preferred / Remote in the US]
• Wilding Manager, Wisconsin : Mad Agriculture [Southwest Wisconsin] ⏱️ April 24
• Senior Organiser - Worker-led Transition (parental leave cover) : NEON [London] ⏱️ May 10
• Digital Strategy Manager : Asian Law Caucus [San Francisco]
• Director of Operations and Special Projects : Active Minds [Washington D.C] ⏱️ April 20
• Senior Director, Organizing Programs and Advocacy : League of Conservation Voters [Remote in the US] ⏱️ April 16
• Data Engineer : DataKind [Remote in the US]
• Chief Financial Officer : Make a Wish [Phoenix, Arizona/ Remote in the US]
• Manager, Resource & Training : Amnesty International (AIUSA) [Remote in the US]
• Manager, Digital Partnerships : Climate Power [Remote in the US]

Fundraising and Development

• Chief Development Officer : Working Families Party [Remote in the US]
• Development Manager : Movement Labs [Remote in the US] ⏱️ April 13

Foundations and Philanthropy

• Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations : Social Current [Remote in the US]
• Chief of Staff (Maternity Cover) : Clean Air Fund [London, UK]

Agencies, data, politics, products & more

• Senior Designer : Radish Lab [ Remote in the US]

Hey. Ted here. I run Bright+3 where we give changemakers the ideas, inspiration, and tools to create content that builds stronger communities.

I also write this newsletter, Future Community, and run the Future Community Jobs list.