Whiparound 6/24

[Candace Burckhardt]

Hey team!

I hope you all had a fantastic Monday. For this whiparound, I have two questions (both very important) that I ask you to think about. 

1) What are you working for/toward? Why do you do what you do? What is your long-term goal? 

I have been thinking about this question a lot as I recently got two promotions within a month (woot woot), but they have in some ways gotten me further from my goals of spending time with my family, creating a healthy schedule, and finding time to work on outside projects. With my husbands business, we know exactly what we are working toward long-term, but I can't say I know the same about my career, my job, and especially my tikkun project. I'm curious how others feel about this. 

2) What TV shows are you enjoying currently? (Or books if you don't watch TV). I am always looking for new additions to the rotation, and I love hearing about what types of TV shows people like. 

The shows I have been watching the most include Justified (which I learned about at Reality Check in January), new Arrested Development episodes, Mad Men, and Mr. Selfridge. I will also watch episodes of Top Gear for hours. 

Candace

[Jesse Fetbroth]

Hola!

1.)  I imagine at this point you're all tired of hearing about this kind of stuff from me!  Right now, I'm working for one more year (at least that's how I'm viewing this year- you may want to check with me next May) on the Human Assets Team at Teach For America, and working towards getting clarity around what it is I want to do longer-term.  As those of you who were able to join our mini team call Sunday night heard, I'm gaining more understanding around what my bottom line is, and am feeling less pressure to figure out THE path I'm going to take for the next 5, 10, 20 years of my life.  I'm starting to realize my bottom line provides lots of options, and that as I start to feel more settled personally (which brings me to something else I'm working towards- moving to Boston!), my path will hopefully take many interesting twists and turns.  At least that's how I hope my biography reads someday.  Kidding.

2.)  I don't watch a lot of TV, mostly because I don't have cable, but right now I'm watching Mad Men (by purchasing episodes on iTunes) and The Wire (by stealing Zach's uncle's HBO Go).  It's an exciting life I lead.

So excited to see you all in 2.5 weeks!  :)

Jesse

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Jesse Fetbroth

781.696.8402

[Nicole Wellman]

Hello!

As I'm just coming from a relaxing, soul enlightening yoga sesh, I may be a bit floaty with my answers, but come along for the ride...

1) I'm working, long-term, towards a sustainable, meaningful life that's fulfilling because I'm working towards being able to live happy, healthy, and educated lives (for others and myself).
For the past 5 years, I have been go-go-go and putting all of myself into all of my work, and I am just now realizing how exhausted I am. I haven't really had time to think about it because it's always been on to the next step. I can say now that I know that is my tendency, and I need to actively try to be in the moment and the present or I won't. Now, I'm not saying that I want to ease back on working for educational equity or that I want to do less, but I want to be more mindful and intentional about more things than just work to have more of a complete life.

I'm in Day 3 of my first, "real" full-time "job" (quotes are because it's a 10-week fellowship "job"), and wow- I feel like a real human. Working 8:30-5, and being able to have time for myself in the evenings and mornings  ( so far!) has been unreal. Having that said, the days are not as fun, interactive, or fulfilling without students (so far!). That all being said, one of my goals is to figure out how I can balance these desires in my professional life. My goal is to at least take steps towards this in my next position, and ultimately find that I can use my strengths to further educational equity and achieve balance in my own life.

2) Funny that we're all watching Mad Men so far. I'm on Season 1 of Mad Men on NetFlix (way behind!).

   Other shows I record and watch: The Bachelorette (yes, I admit it- yes, I know it's incredibly shallow, but oh boy is it a guilty pleasure). So You Think You Can Dance (such talent. love dance. definitely tried out once- lol), The Daily Show

   Channels I watch if I want something on in the background and am doing something else but can still glance up and see something cool: HGTV, Food Network (love Chopped!), CNN

Love to all...
Nicole

Education Pioneers Graduate Fellow
Bright Star Schools
Human Capital Department
wellman...@gmail.com

c: (602) 377-2910

[Marker, Jessica]

Wonderful questions Candace!  Here are my reflections for our group:

 

1)      I feel like my reflections to this first question are best represented in these quotes:

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?... We are all meant to shine, as children do… And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” – Marianne Williamson

 

2)      As for TV shows- Jon and I just caught up with Game of Thrones, which was an interesting/crazy ride…  We don’t have TV either, but do enjoy getting engrossed in shows and watching crazy character development – sometimes I may enjoy it a little TOO much, but we have fun with it!

 

Can’t wait to see all of your faces sooooon!

Jess J

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[Amy Berkhoudt]

Hi everyone! Can't wait to see you!

1) What are you working for/toward? Why do you do what you do? What is your long-term goal? 

I oscillate between nihilism and optimism

Nothing is possible and everything is possible

I am a mere amoeba on a speck on the back of a giant tortoise who is making his way down the tapestry of time
I am a powerful human that can change something

I am not special by any means and am in no place to help

People are relying on me and I cannot let them down

My value is as good as my word

My words mean nothing

We are working toward a greater good
I do my work because it makes me feel good about myself
I am entitled

I am humble
I am me

But I am not you

and you are not me

We are here
And I think that is good enough for me

2) What TV shows are you enjoying currently? (Or books if you don't watch TV). I am always looking for new additions to the rotation, and I love hearing about what types of TV shows people like.

Shows: Girls, (new) Arrested Development, Modern Family (kinda)

Books: John McPhee's Oranges

<3

Amy

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Amy Berkhoudt

Cell: 313.649.5282

a...@detroitfoodacademy.com

 

Executive Director of Programs

Detroit Food & Entrepreneurship Academy

http://www.detroitfoodacademy.com

Intern Coordinator 2013

James and Grace Lee Boggs School
http://boggseducationalcenter.org/

[Aaron Burgess]

Hello Everyone!

I am back! Sorry about being MIA, Jane and I had a fantastic time in Jerusalem together and can't wait to share stories with you all in a few weeks! Jane, be sure to bring your new necklace to show off! It is nice to get back and read all of your whiparounds. Candace, your first question actually is a good lead in to me explaining to you all what my theory of change and tikkun project are, since I missed the small group call early this month. 

1) What are you working for/toward? Why do you do what you do? What is your long-term goal? 

This is a bit of a funny question for me, seeing as how I am not working. I've graduated and officially begin the job search today! So this question points me in the direction of what I am looking to work towards, what kinds of jobs I am looking for that fit into my values. I believe I have touched on this with you all before, but I feel best when I am doing work that I feel is making a difference. Whether it is a difference in a student's life, the future of California's cap and trade program, the outcome of the 2012 election, or identifying states that could be more energy efficient, I try to make sure all of my work is towards something that is doing good in the world. Tikkun Olam! 

So there are a lot of different areas that I would like to see change, and a lot of different areas where, I think, I could help make that change. Be it in the world of education, environment, energy, or any other realm, I would be happy working in most ways where I feel I would be making a difference. A long-term goal of mine is to run for elected office and be a public servant. This is where my theory of change and tikkun project come to play. 

My theory, roughly, is in order to make real, sweeping changes to policies on a large scale, elected officials need to be bold, calculated, and careful when introducing and passing proposals. This is something I think our country lacks. Greatly. My tikkun project is going to be a research paper, or, the results from my "exploratory committee" on my future run for office. This will include my stances on issues that are important to me, and important to the people I hope to serve. The changes that I would like to see made. What office I should run for in order to best enable myself to enact those changes, and when the process should begin. 

I will be looking for help from the group for the entire length of this project, the first part of which is asking you what issues are most important to you? If you had the opportunity to ask a politician anything what would it be. (Keeping in mind of course that most politicians are not trusted, what hard hitting questions would you ask) How would a politician establish credibility with YOU?

Thanks and I look forward to talking with you all about this more in July!

2) What TV shows are you enjoying currently? (Or books if you don't watch TV)

I am in the middle of reading Dan Brown's new book Inferno. I am a sucker for Dan Brown books and this one is great, especially if you have been to florence, it is fun to follow the action through a familiar city.

Most of my TV watching is sports.. so right now I am in to Wimbledon. But I do like Arrested Development, How I met your mother, and White Collar. Also, I really want to watch VEEP, but I do not have HBO. maybe when i get a job :)

Talk to you all soon!

Aaron

Aaron Taylor Burgess
University of California - Berkeley
Master of Public Policy

(720) 273-9993

[Jane Keir]

Hey hey!!!

 

I am writing to you from hostel hell in Switzerland. Decided to extend my layover in Switzerland but didn't realize how expensive it is here so I booked a youth hostel in the sketchy prostitute district (on accident). There are all kinds of sex shops, dirty movie theaters, and strip clubs here. Whenever I walk out of the hostel there are disgusting pervy men staring at me. Ugh! Plus, I just came from a private room in the Crown Plaza at the dead sea...I think I've reached the age where I am over hostels and ready for hotels...too bad I'm on a hostel budget!

 

Candace, Congratulations on your promotions!!! I've gotta be honest, this question is hard for me to answer, which surprises me because I thought I knew what I was about. I know what I want to do...but am I working toward it...eh? I want to fall in love and have a lasting partnership with a man who will be my best friend and I want to have kids and dogs and grow fresh vegetables in my garden and live happily ever after. So far, I have a home and dogs...but don't know about how I am going to find the man. I am planning to do some online dating when I get home. Career was always important to me in the past, but lately I feel that it is more important to focus on developing the other parts of my life. I think I will be an awesome mom and I believe that that is a worthwhile thing to do. However, I don't know how to take time away from work, fellowship/hobbies, and travel to find a partner. I left my career at the CDC to pursue teaching so that I could be home with my future children during summer breaks and other breaks because my mother was a stay at home mom and she was always home with us during our vacations. She would take us on road trips, to the zoo, and camps. It was great! I would love to be a full-time mom, but not working scares me for financial reasons. 

 

For my Tikkun project I am designing a health class which I will teach next year at Strive Prep. I originally had planned to just teach sex education but after I completed my sex educator training at Planned Parenthood, I realized that I don't need to cover 12 weeks worth of content for 8th graders. Then, I had an epiphany -- I remember when I first started taking classes for my Masters of Public Health and I was learning such practical information about health, disease, and prevention -- I thought "I wish I had learned all of this stuff when I was kid in school because it's so useful". Therefore, I've decided to teach my students lessons based on what I learned in public health. Topics will include things like virus vs. bacteria, vaccines, parasites, influenza vs. the common cold, allergies, nutrition and chronic disease, cancers, HIV/AIDS, environmental health, how to talk to your doctor and ask questions, and of course sex education stuff like the 5 steps of how to properly put on a condom. I am super excited about this course and I can't wait to get home and started planning units!!!

 

TV Shows: I love "Call the Midwife" on BBC, love Mad Men, love Big Bang Theory, love Law and Order SVU, love Parks and Recreation, sad the Office is over! Don't have cable because I love TV and movies so I get my fix on Netflix!

 

Can't wait to see you guys soon!

Jane

 

 

[Jesse Fetbroth]

Hey Aaron,

I've been thinking a lot about your questions around what's important to me and what I'd ask a politician if I had the floor (and no chance of being dragged off by security...).  In all transparency, I don't follow politics as closely as I could/should, but the other day I was asked by someone about the things that really make my blood boil, and I think they're the things I'd want to ask a politician about.  I'll share two things that made the list:

- The drive from my current apartment in Lincoln Park, Chicago to Zach's school in North Lawndale is not particularly long, and yet it feels like I've entered an entirely different country every time I visit.  The neighborhoods are so devastated, and are plagued by food deserts, violence, lack of resources.  I just don't understand how a few miles away people live so much differently, and we continue to be ok with it.

- The fact that it's hard to do important work in our country.  Not to knock on investment bankers, but I've always found it so disheartening that someone in that role can make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, while a social worker, teacher, public interest lawyer, etc. will make such a low salary that for some people it's unsustainable.  We need people in these roles, and yet it's really hard to live a life while doing that kind of work.  I'm not sure how we'll ever move the needle here.

Feel free to educate me about anything I'm off on, Aaron.  :)

Jesse

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Jesse Fetbroth

781.696.8402

[Jane Keir]

Hey friends! Can't wait to see you! Sorry I've been MIA, i've been sick with a wicked sinus infection. I land in Newark at 6:30pm. Text me when you get in! 619 301 5013

[Amy Berkhoudt]

I'm stuck on the runway at the Detroit airport. See you in a few hours (I hope). Here's my number : 8082833335 

​

Looove, Amy  

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