Hi Reader How many times have you been invited to rooms, thinking you're welcome, unintentionally ignored, and left disheartened? Yep, me too...and I'm sharing a perspective about what it means to curate rooms where you're not just invited, but truly welcome. What you can expect in today's issue: Why inclusion is more than an invitation The subtle ways people feel unwelcome, even in “good” rooms What it actually means to hold space for others How curiosity, not charisma, creates meaningful...
2 months ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader Doing work that helps social good movements and makes the world a better place is not a job for a martyr; you serve the world, who serves you? What you can expect in today's issue: Why do we feel disconnected, even when surrounded by like-minded people The difference between connection and intimacy, and why it matters Why changemakers are often the most emotionally undernourished What happens when people are given permission to stop performing A behind-the-scenes look at the new...
2 months ago • 5 min read
Hi Reader Today felt important to talk about how we're consciously spending our time and energy to cultivate a community we actually want to live in. How our actions matter, our intentions matter, and what we can do as an individual, as a community, and as a society. What you can expect in today's issue: A clear-eyed look at what actually drives influence in our world right now A reflection on fear, capitalism, and the reality of the K-shaped economy What compassion, empathy, and...
3 months ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader Apologies for the delayed newsletter! I was finalizing the newsletter while flying mid-air to India when the Wi-Fi went out, and I couldn't access it until landing in Hong Kong! (more on this trip to India once I'm back in 2 weeks! My first trip in 11 years) ___ I refuse to engage with 'rage bait' and 30-second clickbait. Honestly, I don't think you'd want me to overwhelm you with 30-second downloaded thoughts. If you've heard my podcast or ever asked me a question, you'd know I've...
7 months ago • 5 min read
Hi Reader Do all humans deserve dignity? Or is this conditional? I often wonder, what gives us the authority to decide who deserves a chance at a dignified life and who doesn't? What would our society experience if we allowed ourselves to pause and consider what it feels like to go through life believing that you're unworthy, you have no sense of belonging in the community, and your life doesn't matter? Would we then also make choices that lead us to dire circumstances? Would we also make...
7 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader What if the first set of questions I asked didn't start with "What do you do for work?" "What is your work title?" "Where do you work?" We spend so much time evaluating a person's worth based on where they work, what they do, and what degree level they graduated with that we forget we're talking to someone who is layered beyond this one identity. Imagine what would happen if we started with curiosity, built familiarity, and settled into genuine community. What you can expect in...
7 months ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader I’ve said for years that my mission is to help people realize we have more in common than those who benefit from our divide. But only recently did I realize how deeply this mission is rooted within me: That mission was inherited. Rooted in the very history of my family. What you can expect in today's issue: A reflection on generational trauma and hidden histories What I learned from my conversation with Dr. Ammara Khalid How inherited silence shapes how we seek connection Ever since...
8 months ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader Payal, you live an unnatural life. Your life is unnatural because you don't have kids or are married. This isn't natural. Insert: Deep exhale, smile, and internally say, "Payal, practice what you preach, don't lose your sh**." Pause and get curious...and thats what I did. What you can expect in today's issue: A story about fear, unfamiliarity, and projected judgment A reflection on why we question what we don’t understand A reframe that opens up how you relate to difference in your...
8 months ago • 5 min read
Hi Reader This can be a controversial statement to make in our mission-driven and social-impact world, and I stand by it. I am doing as much as I can, and I will not feel guilty that I'm not doing more. Let's dig into this... What you can expect in today's issue: The dangerous path of working with guilt 3 ways you can release the narrative of guilt RK Empathy + RK Impact Updates :) 12 years ago, I was working as a clinical therapist doing home-based counseling in NYC. And on a particular...
9 months ago • 4 min read