CURRENT MISSION

But it's not just learning things that's important. It's learning what to do with what you learn and learning why you learn things at all that matters. (Phantom Tollbooth Wisdom)

ABOUT ME

I've got a serious amount of passion for just about everything I do -- for better or worse -- and live loudly as I carve out a path for myself on this crazy journey.

I'm committed to creating just, healthy communities, and want to be inspired to keep going by seeing what other kinds of worlds are out there and being as ridiculously goofy as possible with people I love along the way.

I work with a nonprofit called The Mosaic Project, where we do diversity work with young people and create an ever-growing intentional, diverse, beautiful community. Check it out at www.mosaicproject.org. I'm still inspired, and been working there for eight years. Just sayin'.

PHILOSOPHY

I'm learning to live here, grounded back in (nearly) my hometown, as I exist when I'm traveling:

I want to see the possibilities HERE and be intentional with my time in the same way I am when I only have a few weeks in any given city. I want to meet people, and then their friends, and then people through those people, and together build a deeply interconnected global network and Movement towards motion. I want to see the freeway across the street from my house as if I've never seen it before, and imagine where it might lead. I want to enjoy my morning tea and the company of those I share it with, forgetting that I have to rush off to work when it's done.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

After I graduated from college some years ago, I cut off all my hair, packed up a backpack, and set off for South Africa to see where it led me.

(Part of) the answer: countless beautiful experiences with people I knew and people I got to know who went all-sorts-of out of their way to feed and house and love me. I was able to witnesss Couchsurfing's amazing power to build incredibly powerful connections.

And whenever I'm (semi)grounded back at home, I'm excited to share my space with folks and (metaphorically) return some favors.

Interests

mango black tea with honey, understanding WHY people do what they do, not-quite-ripe fruit, empathy, knit beanies, antiracism work, learning the word for peace in as many languages as possible, playing with kidlings, mosaic-making, feminist kung fu, dark chocolate, playing Jewish geography (the "oh, you're from _____! do you know _______?" game), good books, hiking big mountains and having sore quads the next day, quality hugs, etc, etc, etc.

• books
• fashion
• chocolate
• gardening
• traveling
• socializing
• knitting
• cycling
• hiking
• backpacking
• geography
• languages
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

why, of course...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

There's this spot on the top of the overpass I ride my bike over every day. It looks over the inspirational graffiti-covered, slightly trash-filled train tracks. Just past it, you can see Lake Merritt, the bay, International Boulevard, and the inevitable flock of pigeons on the power lines. Every day, on my way to work, I remember the power of this deeply textured world we live in, and what it means to work for justice in community.

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach me some clever veggie garden tips, or show me the secret hole-in-the-wall-gems of your city. I'll teach you how to make a dream-catcher or help you fashion a beautifully crafted I-Statement. (But I'm actually most excited about learning things that I don't know exist yet and teaching things I didn't know I knew!)

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Cuba, Guatemala, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Namibia, Palestine, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Chile, Israel, Peru, South Africa, United States

• 

•