HR!Day599 Transcript
Baxk To HR!Day599 - Technologies of Hope IV: Solving Societal & Planetary Issues
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:20:43
I mean starting my company, so really the the core is how do we truly collaborate, and create an environment for all of us to succeed?
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:20:53
And you know, I think Jill Bolt Taylor recently said in an interview it's not good enough.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:20:58
If I just succeed, or if our clients just succeed, our end users and consumers must also thrive and the global communities that we serve must also thrive and that's, the core of any Engagement, that I encourage my team to really look for we want to look for the scenarios, that create mutual
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:21:19
benefit, without harm or disservice to anyone, and I'm really happy to say that we're seeing a lot more commitment from our partners now than we ever have.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:21:31
And this is 15 years. Now in this journey, with left field labs and initially we programs and initiatives around diversity, equity and inclusion or esg environmental social governance those things were just barely a glimmer in our eyes and we're now, really seeing the desire and
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:21:50
we're Seeing Budgets, Allocated and We're seeing that people are treating it seriously.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:21:54
And this is what is is part of partly so encouraging for me and I think going back to your your question on our approach.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:22:04
It really does start with our you know, Challenging of assumptions.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:22:08
It starts with how we challenge status quo and begin to engage in deeper dialogue around how we can meaningfully Construct scenarios and solutions that haven't Existed before where we really are looking for the Greater good and each configuration
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:22:29
You know, I think the other thing. I would just touch on too is the the empathetic approach which I know you you already mentioned briefly, but in one of the things, George you spoke about which is so true it's, a mindset shift, and sometimes you know we just need to take a bit of a step outside of
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:22:46
our bubbles and really, you know ch ourselves. Our own assumptions, and begin to think of a bigger context, where we're by these solutions can arise and I believe empathy is really at the core of everything that we do so some of our work, especially in the de and I sphere.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:23:08
is around, how do we shift our perspective? How do we really change the way we see ourselves in relation to others?
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:23:16
And when we can create a mindset share like that so much as possible, that hasn't been possible before.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:23:25
So it all really begins with that so creating an experience where there's an empathetic takeaway, and we have a changed behavior that's really the core of what drives successful outcomes, no matter what the initiative and what the business, need but that's, really does
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:23:44
Underscore every opportunity for us
[George Cappannelli] 11:23:47
Okay.
[Tom Eddington] 11:23:47
Yeah. During during cop 27 we had a panel on speed shifting, mind Shift, our mindset, and that just in recognition of the state of the World, whether we're talking, about Social justice, or Climate change or Climate disaster, or anything else, it was the this sense, of
[Tom Eddington] 11:24:08
urgency, about needing to speed shift our mindset and one of our guests was Dr.
[Tom Eddington] 11:24:14
Merrily, Adams she wrote, a book in 2,016 called Change your questions change your life, and it really gets at the heart of what You're Talking about is you know we we all will ask questions based on a set of assumptions, and we We have to really look at those assumptions.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:24:29
Right.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:24:32
Right. And I, think we've come from an era of of more, of a bifurcated approach either you in or I win.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:24:40
And you know I'm a a model of more more patriarchal systems, or of dominance, or aggression versus, more egalitarian, how can we all win and when we start to look for that solution set and everything it Changes, the conversation, and it changes our approach so I I absolutely agree.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:24:59
with what you're sharing
[George Cappannelli] 11:25:01
Sarah when you talk about this change, in mindset, and as I listen to you, I realize that you have the distinct advantage of being a woman, and in a world desperately in need of that mind shift, desperately, in need of Empathy, and that kind, of understanding you're, miles ahead, of
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:25:28
Hmm.
[George Cappannelli] 11:25:28
Us, and I wonder what your experience is in the environments in which you work.
[George Cappannelli] 11:25:37
As to how that both supports you how the women that are part of the teams, that you work with can become your allies, and how men are reacting to that ship
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:25:50
Well, such a good question I I can speak for me personally, that it it matters deeply how we all feel, and I do think that that may be something that many women share.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:26:05
Not not to to stereotype, but I do believe that that for me it's very important that our teams are healthy, that we are constantly in communication, and that we ask ourselves.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:26:19
What is the what what do we want, people to feel and how do.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:26:21
We guide the Conversations in a way, so that we can really bring about the best and output, and I feel like many of us at left field really share that that that is a common denominator you know I recently had this incredible experience with a lot.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:26:39
Of with our leadership, team and many of the men on my leadership Team said Sarah, we we want to support you and we really believe in what you're Doing and we we want you to know that we're here, and for me, it, was such an incredible incredible shift, to feel like oh, I Don't, need to do it.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:26:59
All I don't need to carry this this manner on my own.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:27:03
But this, is something that our our leadership team really does embrace fully.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:27:07
And I didn't feel that that was always the case.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:27:10
But I feel like we've gotten there now and it's incredibly gratifying and amazing.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:27:15
When we talk about the whole and you know that we are expl exponentially greater together, as a team and that's why we we work so well and can do the work that we do because we each bring an ingredient to to the table, and we can cook these incredible meals, that we serve to the
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:27:36
World I wouldn't be able to do online. And and I fully embrace that and have from Day one and and I do think that there is an advantage there and in something that might be a more feminine approach and it's not just say that it's, out of balance I think, the masculine, and
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:27:52
Feminine are equally important. That's the new era, that we're in it's really looking at from these Egalitarian standpoint, so that we all have voice we all have agency, we all can bring meaningful contributions, to the table and that I feel is really also at
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:28:08
The core of creating not just, a a sense of belonging, but true belonging within our company, and and for our partners.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:28:17
When we each can actually bring meaningful impact and contribution.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:28:24
That's why what separates just I think a sense of a feeling included.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:28:29
It's a very big difference, but sometimes very subtle and hard to hard to always create within companies.
[George Cappannelli] 11:28:36
And I I think that that relief that you talked about when the men on the team you know, gave you a sense that they not only understood but Endorsed and supported that direction I think it's an experience that those of us who are men have when we realize that we don't have to carry the whole, Load
[George Cappannelli] 11:28:59
Either, and that when We're willing to get in touch with the feminine aspects of ourselves, it actually broadens our capacity to be effective in the world.
[George Cappannelli] 11:29:11
You know, yeah, and the same, I think is true, for the feminine, when that kind of masculine element comes in and different levels of leadership, and and what's the right word not power or strength but but there's, a a different level that when that
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:29:12
The whole, the whole, person, right.
[George Cappannelli] 11:29:39
Masculine and feminine are combined. How incredibly effective it is
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:29:41
Absolutely and an inertia that that comes with that as well, and you know I also Wh.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:29:49
What comes to mind. For me, is, you know I've I've since the beginning had a somewhat altruistic vision for our vision that left field labs and that hasn't always been fully embraced as well but you know to be able to assure that in and usher in a new way of
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:30:09
doing business, for others to adopt, and they are adopting.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:30:14
Because they're seeing that it it works and it makes business sense, and and it.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:30:19
It makes sense. From so many other perspectives from the larger global communities, too.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:30:24
So there's there's a tremendous amount of movement there that hasn't always been the case.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:30:32
15 years in now, we're all kind of starting to Gel with that so
[George Cappannelli] 11:30:35
So that's some of the foundation, right, the philosophical, the the conceptual foundation, talk to Us a little bit about how that trends into the technologies that you create
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:30:49
Yes, so.
[Tom Eddington] 11:30:49
And and particularly in a industry that's you know very, very male dominated and and is is you know in so many ways influencing the agenda of the world.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:31:00
Yeah and that's a really good distinction to one, because, you know, when I when I was at an agency before starting left.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:31:06
Field, This is you know, previous to 2,009 it was very male dominated, and it still is or creative technology industry.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:31:16
Is very much still the case. And I'm typically with external partners.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:31:22
The only woman on in meetings, and while that's shifted internally at my company, that's still very much broadly the case I think it's good to point out that it's served us well in those early days, because I didn't have any immediate Models to go by and I had
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:31:43
To go, by what felt authentic and right, for me, and I wasn't tempted to follow a formula, of others.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:31:53
Because there wasn't any other female senior in the Space.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:31:55
So it actually had a benefit in some ways. It was a bit of a blue sky, and I was able to really create what truly felt right for me and I think how it manifests and shows up is you know for the last 6 years, or so We've really been Investing more.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:32:13
In both, you know, environmental, social, good initiatives, including education, Health, and Diversity, Equity, and inclusion, so I'll name just a couple and I'm happy to share in more detail, I'll also share, in the Chat a link to our work, for audience, Members you Can take a look and
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:32:36
See at your leisure about 6 years ago we partnered with Harvard University, and they wanted us to help them build Initial platform and this was around civil Rights, education, and really to rethink how we engage with with students in a more Meaningful Way, and we looked at the the Vertical of
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:32:59
Education, I you know, still see it is vastly underserved by technology and innovation.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:33:04
And so we really worked very closely together to rethink how we draw deeper engagement, and participation.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:33:13
Both you know at home learning and in classroom learning and tell a story in a unique way, and really.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:33:20
You know, bring about as a curriculum that doesn't just highlight, past historic events.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:33:24
But but make it relevant for today, and opens up dialogue.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:33:30
Because what we we saw the opportunity for was meaningful dialogue, for for students, that is relevant today for us to take action, and be informed, making formed decisions and this happened to launch just before the pandemic force the pleasure of many schools in our country one it to have a
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:33:53
Free Platform for students and teachers to access and use. It was distributed nationally with an incredible success for us, in A, real, a real win, that became another just just one journey of moving into education but I would like to highlight, in the diversity in equity, inclusion, sense, so we've been
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:34:16
A partner to Google, for now 14, years and about 3 years ago, also because of Pandemic closures to offices, we were asked to create a virtual learning environment for diversity, and equity equity and inclusion so we partnered with a Fabulous Team called performance Paradigm that
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:34:36
has Partnered with Google for many years, now, and we created the infrastructure, and the user interface and user experience for learning.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:34:47
And this is in a continued learning environment. What we saw was an opportunity to create real change, and go beyond what is.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:34:57
The you know industry, standard, compliance and this is what I'm I'm talking about when we, when we talk about true impact and meaningful change.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:35:10
So what we see then is leadership and managers start to change their their perspectives, and start to really lead in a different way, in a more informed way, an inclusive way, and embrace diversity and and this these are the types of initiatives.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:35:27
That are in existing, in the real world, in an application.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:35:31
And we're getting more and more opportunities like that.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:35:35
As I mentioned earlier, there is not only now the appetite for it, but there's real budget, for it.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:35:42
And people are treating it seriously. It no longer exists as a lipstick.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:35:46
Check the box, we've we've complied and done.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:35:51
You know, corporate, social responsibility, quota. This is really now starting to take more precedent, and it's at the at the Forefront, and businesses are starting to see that it really does help with attrition it helps with with onboarding and and hiring and retaining people and building
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:36:09
Healthy cultures. These are the the long term benefits.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:36:14
The businesses are really seeing value, that they didn't really see maybe 5, or 6 years ago.
[George Cappannelli] 11:36:22
But you know, we have a we have a a new level of challenge.
[George Cappannelli] 11:36:29
For you, and that is that in our as Tom may have explained to you in in our evolution, where humanity rising and Jim mentioned it in his introduction, is going is called Humanity.
[George Cappannelli] 11:36:47
Rising network, and it's intent is to revolutionize communication.
[George Cappannelli] 11:36:53
So that we can create a new global constituency of informed proactive engaged citizens who will pick up their responsibility for changing the world
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:37:12
Absolutely.
[George Cappannelli] 11:37:13
And so the concept that you are evolving, and have been with organizations in the business, and the technology, sector, I think is a a foundation for that kind of evolution of communications cause you talked earlier about stove, piping I think and and whatnot and one of the things, that
[George Cappannelli] 11:37:45
Is motivating us is that media and information, education and community interactivity.
[George Cappannelli] 11:37:58
Those elements exist as in stove pipes, media for an example is really good at repetitively announcing their analysis of an issue offering no solutions, whatsoever, education in many Ways, Jim talks about a lot, and one of the reasons he created ubiquitous
[George Cappannelli] 11:38:22
University was to make education relevant to the critical challenges of our time rather than some thing that everybody got their Homogenized version of and then went out in the world, trying to Figure out if they could apply it in any Way you know so I think when you talk about social justice and your talk
[George Cappannelli] 11:38:46
About through engagement, and diversity, and and all of that those are our goals, on a global scale.
[George Cappannelli] 11:38:54
And so I hope you're starting to sharpen your pencil. and to think about how what you have learned can be applied in that direction.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:38:59
Yeah
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:39:05
Absolutely. And you know what of the the reasons that I was drawn initially to working with, Google, and I think it's important to address is creating greater access to opportunity and creating greater access to information so that we can make more informed decisions and and I think that sometimes we take those things.
[George Cappannelli] 11:39:21
Yes.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:39:25
For granted, and it's so vitally important to elevating the human experience.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:39:32
And you know for humanity rising to occur, we must all look at how we have equal access, create greater access to opportunity and I know we're constantly seeking opportunities, and engagements where we can do more of that one of the things, that our our team, is this is the challenge in a mandate
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:39:54
we need to ask ourselves, what is the opportunity for us to influence this partner or client?
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:40:00
What is the opportunity for us to stretch the bounds of what may have been done before no no configuration or or business is is absolutely perfect.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:40:11
But there's always an opportunity to create a more harmonious configuration, and to push the bounds.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:40:19
And that's it that starts with us. It starts with us as a team and hopefully, that's something that is propagated, that is, seen and celebrated and people see it makes sense for a a a variety of reasons so yes, we we are sharpening our pencils and I I I am happy.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:40:38
To say, I think people are starting to really pay attention. And this is it's not as uncommon.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:40:44
Now in our industry, as it was 10 years ago
[Tom Eddington] 11:40:48
Maybe picking up on that Sarah, so if if I look at the the the journey of of of the workplace in America it started with Affirmative Action Decades Ago, and it was Legislated and it was Mandated by the Government either at the Federal or State Level and then eventually
[Tom Eddington] 11:41:08
employers recognize that they were losing talent, opportunities.
[Tom Eddington] 11:41:12
If they didn't have a diverse workforce in terms of being able to meet their needs of their their clients, or their customers, or whoever they were serving.
[Tom Eddington] 11:41:21
And so we started seeing some, you know, discussions, 20 plus years ago around Diversity and so taking affirmative action to diversity.
[Tom Eddington] 11:41:29
And then there was a recognition of the need for rather than just having token Women in leadership, roles or people of color or different backgrounds, inclusion became part of the Equation and then how do we create fairness, for them, and we finally, after whatever 50 plus years, in the workplace here, in the us
[Tom Eddington] 11:41:52
We've arrived at this place of belonging. And you know part of how we've gotten there is is the role of technology.
[Tom Eddington] 11:42:00
And so, when I look at other challenges, that society is is faced with how do we truncate that 50 year journey or hundreds of year journey, to really get at at solving some of these these is and problems, and you because you're, you know at the heart, of of the technological world and in silicon
[Tom Eddington] 11:42:22
valley any thoughts on that would be would be very exciting to discuss
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:42:26
Yeah, well, I I think you hit the nail on the head with with belonging because for the last few years, or, so we've been meeting quotas, and we haven't actually addressed the the attitude changes needed and you know I love your opening comments, George around you know really what what this new framework.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:42:48
and mindset. Shift is is an opener for a catalyst, for if we just go about our business and we, you know, say okay, we need more diversity.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:42:58
And more Representation. It discounts the importance of the True Belonging and Agency for contributions.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:43:07
To occur and that's really what we need within any organization, any business, any community, school, and there's a professor, at Uc Berkeley, John Powell who says it's best it's not enough, to be invited to the dinner, party if you're, not able to actually make meaningful, change and
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:43:27
make, contributions, just being there doesn't really solve any problems.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:43:33
So I really think about that a lot when I think, about how do we create a you know real sense of agency from within.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:43:42
And that's why initiatives, that focus on true change from within, and address the cultural Needs, Attitude shifts, Behavioral and Mindset shifts and that begins with really a a very introspective journey in a transformative one that can be very personal one they can be incredibly
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:44:04
challenging, we built a racial equity platform for one of our clients.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:44:10
And when I took this course. I thought, oh, I'm gonna ace it well, of course it's challenged my own biases.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:44:18
Better than we all have inherent, hidden biases, no matter what personal development, or spiritual work.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:44:21
We have done that exists and that's part of the human experience, and it is part of our journey, to constantly be looking at those things.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:44:30
And challenging those things? When we can do that then together and as a community that gives rock to such meaningful organizational change, so some of the things that we've started to do as a team is we brought in community Council when we started to do this work in Dei we realized we can't do this work and
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:44:52
Create these environments and learning platforms, if we ourselves, aren't doing this work, to change, we first, have to see where the where the Biases, that exist and so through this you know a very you know Indigenous, practice of in Council which we brought in you know with our ownversion of a talking stick and done
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:45:13
Virtually how we share and hear each other, and see where each other are coming from.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:45:19
And then we begin to see our our perspectives, and where we where we sit and how how these things can exist in such hidden ways. So that's where I think really the the true the true change comes from when we can, do that then we can bring about that for our partners.
[George Cappannelli] 11:45:37
Well, you know
[Tom Eddington] 11:45:37
So with that that level of consciousness that you you brought into left field labs.
[Tom Eddington] 11:45:44
How how is it being received with the the clients that you're working with
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:45:50
So, yeah, I think our clients have been really receptive.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:45:54
And you know namely, you know 2 of them have been incredibly, they they see the benefits they see now organizationally, that there's there are big changes under foot, and it's all for the better that that this is helping this is helping manager skills, it's, helping and with leadership and this is
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:46:16
also, measuring through, you know, direct reports and their their input and feedback.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:46:20
So it's not just what we speculate or or believe.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:46:24
Is happening. It's real. It's measurable.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:46:27
I think, as far as our approach goes. This is a real differentiator, I don't think that there's any particular superpower around.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:46:35
You know, put it into practice. These things are on Esg Or Dean, on it's around the approach that we take, and it's a real a willingness to expand to a higher consciousness, challenge status quo and ask deeper, questions that can be really uncomfortable I see though that our partners, are
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:46:54
Really they they're seeing the impact of that. And I think that they're more willing than before. To go on that journey with us, too. I don't know if they're ready for community. Council, yet on their own, but that'll that'll come
[George Cappannelli] 11:47:09
Oh, you know, Sarah I I used to do a lot of work as Tom has over the years, and working within large organizational cultures, and helping them.
[George Cappannelli] 11:47:23
Rethink who they are, and why they were, and all the rest of the and Ultimately, I, left the business, because I found that I couldn't make enough of a difference you know I would work with a Culture and We would have Evolved to a Particular Level and then the Board Would make a Management
[George Cappannelli] 11:47:43
Change and Joe Smith or Mary Jones would come in with the totally different philosophy, and I felt like sisyphus.
[George Cappannelli] 11:47:50
You know rolling those rocks up the hill, and
[George Cappannelli] 11:47:55
I also realize that it's interesting, because we had a conversation about that yesterday, we had a couple of gentlemen from Germany.
[George Cappannelli] 11:48:05
And the Netherlands on the and They have a a company called Weird and weird being it was it a Welsh word or an English word, Tom
[Tom Eddington] 11:48:23
I don't know the linguistic origins of it, but it was definitely from the British isles.
[George Cappannelli] 11:48:27
And so the the concept of weird, that they're creating is to look at the the fundamental basis of organizational structure, and one of the issues, of course is the concept of authority and what I found when I was working a lot in the Corporate, Sector was that I could Expand the
[George Cappannelli] 11:48:55
Consciousness, or help expand the consciousness of an organization to a certain degree, until I came to the exterior boundary of who calls the Shots and why they're and then there was always a diminishment of the Amount of genuine Authority, that Companies, wanted to Share or the
[George Cappannelli] 11:49:18
empowerment, of their employees. In fact, one of the Ceos, of a large aerospace, company, pulled me aside one day, and he said, you know you're doing us an awful lot of good, but most of my good people, when they listen to you they want to go out on their own and Spread.
[George Cappannelli] 11:49:35
their wings, and start doing some of the extraordinary things that their hearts have been telling them for a long time.
[George Cappannelli] 11:49:41
You know, so I think what we are talking about is a fundamental reorientation.
[George Cappannelli] 11:49:52
Some of those indigenous models.
[George Cappannelli] 11:49:55
That are not easy to get to, and yet at the same time we're dealing with a set of challenges that are time limited, and we you speak to that a little bit.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:50:11
Yeah, you know what. Well, first of all, I think that you were way ahead of your time, and I'm you know I'm not surprised that that there was more resistance that you had encountered than what we see now and yet how how incredible that you were involved with that vision, and ethos and that really
[George Cappannelli] 11:50:24
Yeah
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:50:33
set, the stage for the work that we're doing, and the receptivity that we see now and I also, just before going into that more, I wanted to share in one of my long time, Heroes Fuller and you know among his is in interviews and writings, I I love one in particular that in an interview
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:50:53
someone asked him, how do you grabble with with the individuals in particular to impact real change, and in our ability is one person.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:51:05
How do you grapple with that, and you goes on to talk about the right of a ship, and how upon reflecting this this composite of the rudder?
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:51:16
This trim, tab is actually what creates for this low pressure.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:51:20
That? Is what shifts the trajectory of the rudder, and that changes the course in the direction for that that ship, and if if one person can be that trim, tab, this is Bucky, you know then then that that would then enable for others to follow suit yeah, so he he said, call
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:51:41
me, a trip tab. So George anyways, I think you you were trimmed, a Trim tab, too, so I might call you.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:51:47
That is it really it starts with one. It does start with one, and it really does catalyze.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:51:53
So much change in ways that sometimes we ourselves can't see in many.
[George Cappannelli] 11:51:58
You know, you know. I I'm sorry I I was in the navy for a bit, and I was aboard a guided missile cruiser.
[George Cappannelli] 11:52:07
I was working for the Admiral Staff and when a command is given to a large ship to come about or change course, it can take well, over 2 or 3 miles before that ship actually begins to respond you know and that's also something I think that what you're communicating is that that ship
[George Cappannelli] 11:52:31
has begun to respond to some of the course headings and changes that were not as present.
[George Cappannelli] 11:52:39
When I was doing that kind of Work, you know, and That's good to hear the only Question is will this ship, turn quickly enough to avoid collision or running the Ground, or some of the Other Analogies They're Liking, to the time, the We're, Living in you know
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:52:57
Absolutely well, if we all have the mindset that we all have agency and can function is that trim tab and it starts with our own actions and starts with the deeper communication and collaborations, that we can participate in I do feel like like anything is truly possible, but there is a sense.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:52:57
So.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:53:15
Of urgency, that we all see and becomes ever ever pressing.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:53:21
10 years ago. I would be in conversations with others, around Environmental Impact Initiatives and I actually heard from some people back then that said, I don't believe in environmental initiatives and shocked me, I Don't hear that so much today, because It's Staring at us It's
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:53:39
In our faces. Yet, you know, we we still need to maintain vigilance in championing.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:53:46
These causes. I know Tom, earlier early conversations that we had years ago are really shaped around how do we Rebrand?
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:53:55
You know how do? We Rebrand, reforestation.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:53:57
And how do we create a cultural mindset, shift and establish new frameworks for addressing the Realities of our climate change, and and that really does that is at the core of of what's Needed to really Impart, any Meaningful solutions I do See though that We're getting We're
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:54:18
We're Getting momentum, and that trajectory has shifted in tremendous ways that just several years ago didn't
[George Cappannelli] 11:54:30
I'm wondering as I'm listening to you and as We're talking.
[George Cappannelli] 11:54:36
What would happen? if the kind of team that you have assembled where to come together with the kind of team that we are assembling where there's no hesitation there's no barrier to what we believe is Possible no Time, constraint that would allow us not to
[George Cappannelli] 11:55:03
Move as fast as is humanly possible. to get to a destination of social change and equity, change and gender change, and all the rest of these things.
[George Cappannelli] 11:55:16
You know. So I'm I'm just interested in that kind of a blue water environment.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:55:24
Yeah, and you know I really the it's it's incredible.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:55:28
When you think about exponentiating with with the combined visions and the backgrounds expertise that we all have and often times, roadblocks exist in and access to budgets and That's That's Tremendously Frustrating you know when we have Vision and and Collective
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:55:46
appetite. But how do we really start to demand as consumers that that budgets be allocated to this very thing?
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:55:57
How do we unify businesses and organizations with common AIM and there's?
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:56:04
No there's no shortage of ideas and solution sets that occur that gives me a tremendous optimism.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:56:12
Whether we can get our acts together and get the budgets assigned.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:56:17
To really get this wheels, turning that's that's the other, the other part of the equation. And
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:56:23
I think that's that is a it's following it's coming, but it's it's not happening as fast as I'd like it to
[Tom Eddington] 11:56:33
If we look at in the in the work I do.
[Tom Eddington] 11:56:36
Around organization, Assessment and development. you know, I I encourage the the CEO and Leadership Teams that I work with to find, what I, Call, the the Culture Carriers for the Desired culture in the organization, and they they they are Using Buckies, Language they are the Trim, Tab Within the
[Tom Eddington] 11:56:56
Organization and you know, from a societal perspective. We see activists who often times have the information.
[Tom Eddington] 11:57:04
They have what's needed but They're on the Bleeding edge of of where society, is and so it's empowering them.
[Tom Eddington] 11:57:12
Whether it's through something like a humanity, rising network, or or other platforms that enable them to come together, to to be that trim, tap, for society.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:57:23
Absolutely it's so powerful it is, it is bringing tremendous hope for me that that We're We're seeing this generate and become a reality.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:57:36
More, and more, so, yes, and I will. Absolutely I'm looking at the Chats.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:57:41
I will absolutely join the after chat, and I always welcome ideas around this really just take the collective.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:57:49
It takes all of us to put our heads together and and create these solution sets, that exist and play and I'm a much larger global stage.
[George Cappannelli] 11:57:57
So Sarah, I think one of the things that you you folks working on are new kinds of virtual experiences, that give audiences a more in-depth appreciation a greater sense of being there Versus simply watching from a Distance, if you could Project out, as to what direction.
[George Cappannelli] 11:58:28
That is heading in. Or, if you had an ideal scene for that direction, what might it be
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:58:37
Oh, goodness.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:58:39
What I would love to see our communities coming together and and forming in ways that they haven't.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:58:49
We have access to technologies and infrastructure for efficient energy, use, and consumption for health care, for you know on the ground needs and and means that we have never had access to but i would love.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:59:06
To see communities form and be able to almost that in a healthy, challenging environment, learn and Adopt from one another, and I feel like there's a a larger infrastructure to to be pre created there that would be an incredible, benefit, to this planet, and for for humanity, and I've done, some early
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:59:29
thinking around that, but this is still very blue sky. This is, you know, 1010 years Down the Road.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:59:36
But I think for me it really does come to climate change and energy, energy, efficiency.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:59:41
And how can we really start to track and and engage and create more conscious choices?
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:59:49
In a way that we know that we each have an impact and see the output of our choices, too.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 11:59:56
That's something. That I'm, I feel as a possibility with a large sense of connectivity, that we just don't have currently so that's that's one I think it comes to making better, and informed decisions based on having visibility.
[Tom Eddington] 11:59:58
Okay.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:00:11
To information that we currently don't really have. And that's an opportunity that I really see and something that you know I'm, I I don't see governments as immediately answering this I think that organizations are more suited for and I Sequ Corporations, in the Driver's Seat whether That's Good
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:00:32
or bad. I think that corporations are going to be the ones that can start to make meaningful, change and then influence public policy, but you know that's where I would like to really challenge every brand every organization, to think about this how do we really look at greater good scenarios, and start to craft, these and have
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:00:55
dialogue around this how does this image not just the organization from a self served standpoint, but for the audiences that we we serve and the global communities, that we we reach and in some cases that we don't immediately each but we are Responsible we live at a unique time, in human history, and we
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:01:17
have been granted these tools and have access to things that a lot of the people on the planet, just do not have access to it's gonna be it's gonna come from Us we are the ones to influence that and to create these these new configurations that hopefully the rest of the world, can benefit from you know what are the things that you mentioned, earlier, George that he
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:01:40
wanted to come back to you. Also you talk about the you know the the dong of you, know, the industrial revolution in this new tech age, that we're in and really when you look at the last 25, years or so of this this wave of of technology we see, very very little benefit to humanity for
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:02:01
the the fast, our population, we really see. Just you know the 1,% of the 1% benefiting who have access to certain things.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:02:10
But we haven't seen a benefit to food supply. We haven't seen benefits to the the environmental disasters upon Us and climate change.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:02:20
And that's what I'm really interested in getting to.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:02:22
And I think that takes a a mindset shift as well, so we're not just looking at it from our bubble of how we can incrementally benefit in our own world, but how we can really benefit the vast majority of humanity, that's what I'm interested in
[George Cappannelli] 12:02:36
Welcome to humanity, rising network I think what at this point we ought to bring in our resident Greek, scholar, and see if he wants to join us with some insights and questions Jim, when you come along
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:02:41
It's a pleasure to be here
[Jim Garrison] 12:02:57
Thank you, George, boy, Sarah this is really quite extraordinary.
[Jim Garrison] 12:03:02
Just, hearing all the ways that you have figured out to humanize corporations, and various educational institutions, so I just in the first instance, want to just salute you and acknowledge your Mastery and Underscore, what George, and Tom have been saying that would love to have a Deeper
[Jim Garrison] 12:03:24
Dialogue with you as we evolve humanity, rising network, because the way you're, approaching sort of reality is exactly the Way, We Affirm in our own Way, and you have such a deep excited to draw from there's a lot, of Wisdom there so I just wanna thank
[Jim Garrison] 12:03:46
You for coming on and acknowledging that I think my first question is would love to hear more about your background in your own story of kind, of how you came to this Awareness just tell us.
[Jim Garrison] 12:04:01
Your journey.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:04:03
Alright, thank you so much. so I went to school for design for emerging media, and I what I loved about it was the interactive nature, of this that it's a Nonlinear, form of engaging with content and the story and that felt to me, more human it felt more intrinsic, to my
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:04:24
my need is. Yeah, you know, self discovery and curiosity to embark in environments where I can learn at my own pace, and in my own direction.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:04:35
And when I began working within the the Experience Design Ecosystem Realm, about 22 years ago, now and 5 years in to be at an agency, I realized as I mentioned just briefly, earlier that there is a better way, maybe or a way, that felt more authentic to me as a creative and you
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:04:59
Know, I spoke about a bit of this the Siloed approach that I had encountered in other configurations.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:05:05
That was really the Genesis. It was a theory that there's a there's a more fulfilling way for me to feel like I can I can utilize my creativity in my curiosity, that that theory put to test began left field labs so when I when I started it
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:05:25
It was really trying, this thing out and seeing is this more satisfying.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:05:30
And can we collaborate in a more meaningful way.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:05:34
And I saw the long term Game versus the short term that I think a lot of companies, especially agencies Back then are really focused on and that Churn and burn and that just didn't make any sense, to me whatsoever, the other thing to Address is the deep spiritual Work that i've i've
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:05:53
Embarked on, and especially in the last 24, years, or so and for some time I, felt that it needed to be separate, and by bifurcated from you know the actual on the ground, work the work of the work but at some, point I realize no actually they are inextricably linked and it was when
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:06:13
I read one of his Holiness, the Dalai Lama's, books that that that really hit home, that technology and spirituality are meant to coexist they're not meant to be separate yet in the Western World We really typically see them as very opposite, but it's, the Balance of the
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:06:34
2, and so this is really, what I'm talking about when we talk about human, centric technology, or even heart led for me.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:06:41
That is spirituality. And I think that it's a it's a more accessible way of talking about spirituality.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:06:49
Really for our clients, and you know many of my team members, in fact, which I think spirituality, could seem to be somewhat alienating.
[Jim Garrison] 12:06:49
Hmm.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:06:57
And that's okay. But we you know. We we could all identify and relate to a human centric approach.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:07:03
And so it's coming that with technology and back to you know something that came up earlier with you know something that is a a woman leader.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:07:15
I do feel like. My natural disposition is I want those things to coexist.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:07:20
And I think that they always must coexist, and we always need to look at utilizing technology, as our primary tool, in the toolbox.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:07:30
But it is always with the AIM of a human centric meaning and experience, and asking ourselves, How does how does the individual benefit and how what is the emotional takeaway and what is the perception, shift, and ultimately the behavioral change so when we can start to deconstruct any problem from that
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:07:52
Lens, we start to create solutions that are what I'm what would I say, human-centric, technology, uses. That's what that's what I mean
[George Cappannelli] 12:08:01
It's
[Jim Garrison] 12:08:01
I'm struck that you identified you're kind of spiritual awakening, exactly 24 years ago.
[Jim Garrison] 12:08:09
What happened.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:08:10
Oh, I think it was a couple of things. You know I was finishing college and you know is it that's a really interesting question.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:08:19
Jim, goodness, I think I also had a a a major life moment.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:08:27
I was in a vicinity, accident actually and I think nearly lost my life and creates, a huge shift in our perspective.
[Jim Garrison] 12:08:34
Oh!
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:08:36
It creates an incredible change. And how we see our own position in the world and no longer.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:08:44
Are we just in our own, our own bubble. Suddenly we see a much, greater, a greater meaning, and a greater responsibility.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:08:52
I've taken very seriously this life and I know I I personally, want to have I want.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:08:59
I don't want to squander this opportunity, because wow!
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:09:02
We're Alive, and such a unique time, aren't we what a unique time for humanity and to be blessed with these opportunities, that we have the knowledge, the expertise the resources and to be in a position where we can truly usher in a new way of doing business and hopefully champion, not in a
[George Cappannelli] 12:09:04
Yeah
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:09:22
Way, that Others will we'll see make so much sense and that they'll also endorse an embrace that's really what what came as a it dawned on me and over the years has become more and more extreme I would just say the other part of my own personal Journey
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:09:39
I'm a love mother to 2 young children, and I think what happens when you become a parent, is is a radical shift.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:09:46
We see the legacy of of what we leave behind, and we see that we we truly want to model for them, and with them and they have continued to be a tremendous inspiration for me and and you.
[Jim Garrison] 12:09:52
Okay.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:10:05
Know challengers and and teachers. As well, so so those are those are a bit of the the variables are the the Aspects of what is informed the work I do and my philosophy, and my approach
[Jim Garrison] 12:10:21
Well, let let me just ask you a quick follow up, question, given your bye experience of the Accident, and your work with Google you know I've, been so in reading About Google's Hiring Policies and as a High-tech company, They've, come to the conclusion that the best People, to
[Jim Garrison] 12:10:43
Hire, our people who have had some kind of trauma from which they've emerged as a more holistic human being, and that's a quite a remarkable insight for a high tech company, because one would think they would hire people who know a lot, about engineering science, technology, math, Right but what
[Jim Garrison] 12:11:09
They realize is they go through the interview, process, and so forth.
[Jim Garrison] 12:11:13
Is that what's less important is what then who you are, is who, you what you know is less important than who you are.
[Jim Garrison] 12:11:25
And so I wonder, have you had any impact in Google, in that reorientation of their Hiring Policies and their Ea Ethos, because it's so exemplifies, your own experience and what you're trying to bring into these companies.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:11:38
You know I I would like to say that I have had influence.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:11:43
I have not in that respect It's interesting. I didn't realize that that was something that Google had even embraced in their hiring, practices and
[Jim Garrison] 12:11:50
Yeah, there was a guy. But I read last year, Tom probably knows more about it than certainly I do.
[Jim Garrison] 12:11:56
But one of the Executive presidents made a speech, where he said the worst people, to hire, are the Guys, from Harvard, because they have no intellectual humility, and that the best people to hire those as I said Who've had some kind of trauma that
[Jim Garrison] 12:12:15
They've reworked in a in a empowering way.
[Jim Garrison] 12:12:20
Because you can teach anybody the what, but it's, the who they are.
[Jim Garrison] 12:12:24
That comes out of deep life. Experience. So you're your biography is exactly the Google optimum
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:12:33
Hello, well, I I do think that as we look at trauma, and there are some great comments that have come in through the chat.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:12:41
It does create opportunity for new neurological pathways, a new, way, and you know, we we start to work with a more clean slate.
[Jim Garrison] 12:12:45
Yeah yeah
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:12:51
We have an opportunity suddenly to to operate with a new, a new mindset and framework and build those new pathways, and it makes a lot of sense actually that that does that there there's a metric there associated you know we did a diversity Annual Report for Google that
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:13:13
Was very transparent, but that was not part of it.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:13:16
So i'm interested in, and learning a little bit more about the trauma aspect
[George Cappannelli] 12:13:20
You know. It's as I've listened to this conversation.
[George Cappannelli] 12:13:25
I've realized that I have a belief that says that no one is without trauma.
[George Cappannelli] 12:13:31
It's only a question of whether or not the individual has the capacity or the willingness to acknowledge it and then to work with it, or let it have its way with us eventually you know and I also think that for those people who believe that spirituality and technology, are separate
[George Cappannelli] 12:13:55
realms. It's like trying to make chicken, soup, without chicken.
[George Cappannelli] 12:13:59
You know, somehow or another. There's no narrative in it.
[Jim Garrison] 12:14:01
Hmm.
[George Cappannelli] 12:14:05
There's no content. There's only this liquid experience.
[George Cappannelli] 12:14:10
That is a bit of an illusion, but I I do.
[George Cappannelli] 12:14:16
Believe that the the world at the moment is Henry Miller, the the author used to define humanity as being, the crew, and the dead, and that I think that those of us, and and I include all of us who have had trauma who have been blessed or required to deal with
[George Cappannelli] 12:14:40
It do in fact, emerge on that other side, where wisdom, and information come together, where chicken and soup, end up making something nourishing
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:14:52
Yes, exactly and whether we we you know prefer to call it spirit, or or heart, lead or purpose. Lead.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:15:01
You know, I think what businesses can see is that the success at the end of the day?
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:15:07
Sometimes you know, we they don't know whether there's chicken in the super, not or or you know what what the ingredients are called but but the fact is that there is a real impact that's, what people respond to so the more we can can create that awareness that's
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:15:26
Really been our approach. So we're seeing more receptivity as as our partners.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:15:32
Start to see that the impact is just more meaningful.
[George Cappannelli] 12:15:35
Yeah
[Jim Garrison] 12:15:36
I would love to just do a little bit of a deeper dive into your Harvard experience.
[Jim Garrison] 12:15:47
To find out a little bit more about what the challenge was and then a little bit more about what exactly you did to enhance.
[Jim Garrison] 12:15:58
The learning, experience for the Students, you know cause. You were dealing with a an issue, that's Fraught with controversy, and prejudice, and history, when you're, talking about race, so for example, did you deploy, critical race theory was that part of it did you steer away from it tell Us a
[Jim Garrison] 12:16:19
Little bit more about the the Hardware Challenge
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:16:21
Absolutely so I should point that before we embarked on the journey it did take us 2 years to get a grant approved from Rockefeller Foundation, and that we embarked on this before the Trump Administration had been Elected and the situation was dire before that and became ever more Pressing and
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:16:42
Needed during that administration from from an awareness of our fundamental civil rights, and Awareness, also of our our history, and Engaging, our our students in meaningful dialogue, so what what we knew way, Back at the Beginning, of the Journey was very different from from what it became and there, was an Increased, Call
[Jim Garrison] 12:16:43
Hmm.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:17:04
to option and urgency, that was even more pressing for us all, and one of the things that we decided we worked Alongside, the Hutchinson Center at Harvard and this is led by Professors, Skip Gates, and the Initial Vision as as We Saw the Success of what Hamilton did
[Jim Garrison] 12:17:04
Hmm.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:17:25
in you know, taking taking a history, and making an incredibly exciting and entertaining for students, and you know what could in a Broadway like environment, how could we, tell the story that's just so much more resonant today, and we ultimately were able to partner Team up with ava differentay of course
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:17:52
is the Incredible Phone Creator behind movies, like, selma and what we did was?
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:18:00
We we worked, to really Curate Content and Adapted taking from Selma.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:18:05
The film creating these, byte-size pieces of from the Storyline, and working also with with the Hutchins Center as Well, As Southern Poverty Law, Center, so we can find these and crucial Ingredients, from from those 3 and We Adapted it for online Engagement, and
[Jim Garrison] 12:18:17
Hmm.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:18:27
learning what Southern poverty Loss number brought to the table was already
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:18:33
Deep Deep Understanding and curriculum development that was distributed in schools, nationwide, so that was a massive a head start for Us and i just really want to acknowledge splc of course Ifa Diverne and Selma, Eva had already Embarked on
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:18:50
array, one on one which is education with with films.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:18:55
And so it was a natural extension then for us to be able to work together.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:19:01
To adapt the content from the films, and really you know, take the entertainment factor, and the the Appeal, how Compatible that is couple that with the Essence, Curriculum and then you know, with the the Orchestration with Hutchins Center really Devised this New
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:19:18
Curriculum set and engagement for students so that suddenly it's not just linear in a
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:19:26
You know, a passive, or sit back it's it's more engaging.
[Jim Garrison] 12:19:28
Exactly.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:19:31
There are questions asked and participation required from an online learning and interactive capacity, and then different modes for learning.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:19:41
And this is something that uses the early days for us and moving into education now, what we're seeing also, and we're fully embraced, is multimodal Pedagogy, and realizing well to really truly embrace diversity, equity.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:19:55
Inclusion and accessibility we need to understand that we all have different learning needs and learning.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:20:01
Preferences, and what works for Tom is very different from what what might work for me, some of us are visual, some of us are also auditory, some of us really need.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:20:11
A bit, more community and connection for for dialogue. So this is something that we're now employing and that's reflected in a lot of our other educated education initiatives.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:20:20
So that's a little bit more of the background.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:20:24
It took us, you know, as I mentioned several years getting the grant, and then we got into the the deeper discovery, strategy, understanding things like the biggest barrier for schools, is not lack of devices, it's.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:20:41
Internet accessibility, so overcoming that challenge became a reality for us.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:20:46
So these are the things that in any engagement we start to learn in a deeper you know what are the deeper constraints, and how do we then create at home learning, models, how do we circumstance certain barriers that may exist and read their access so anyway, just a few things there that
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:21:06
I think speak to your you know, deeper the details of of that project
[Jim Garrison] 12:21:11
Well, it's such a a beautiful embodiment of everything that I think we're talking about here in terms of technologies of hope when you bring together deep content that in itself is empowering and Illuminating with a technological capacity, to Make it alive in an interactive
[Jim Garrison] 12:21:36
Way. You have everything that Plato and Aristotle dreamed about because you're communing, while you're deploying and that's a that's a Fundamental Symmetry That's, th That's, Dialogue, Right it's a Fundamental
[Jim Garrison] 12:21:53
Symmetry between content and technology, which is we've been saying for the last several days, is in the central part in keeping technology pointed in the right, direction so you really did that masterfully, it sounds like blending that content with live interactive technology so that's that's
[Jim Garrison] 12:22:15
Just a beautiful accomplishment. And that's definitely what we're trying to do with humanity, rising network because you know, if you could develop a broadcast capacity, so that the Content that right, now a lot of organizations have content, but nobody, knows about it because they're they don't
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:22:17
Oh!
[Jim Garrison] 12:22:36
have a capacity to getting it out there in the world.
[Jim Garrison] 12:22:39
But if you can develop a global broadcast capacity link to the content all around live interactivity that inspires action in the world.
[Jim Garrison] 12:22:51
You've got really the wave of the future, in a fundamental way, about how human beings can be interrupting both with technology, but also, with liberating content simultaneously
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:23:02
Yes, and what you say is so key. Here, which is how does it inspire action in the case of this project?
[Jim Garrison] 12:23:08
Yeah yeah
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:23:11
You know, we we were aware that this is, you know these are students that are not yet a voting age so how do we inspire civic action, and engagement in other ways for students to take action.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:23:25
And there are so many other opportunities and that's what we ultimately wanted to create.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:23:31
We, also, going back to a point. You said earlier, we wanted to make sure that we weren't saying what is right and what is wrong.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:23:38
We never wanted to. Sure. This is what you should believe. And we were very clear and in working with the wonderful team at Hutchins, Center at Harvard, that this isn't about what is right and wrong but this is about the presentation of the facts, this isn't about the accurate
[Jim Garrison] 12:23:38
Exactly, exactly.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:23:56
Portrayal of our history in our country, of the civil rights movement, of of our the Genesis, in the origin of what, some of the the very pressing issues are today we wanted to present, the Facts, and information for Students, to make informed decisions, so that is really another through line that is very important for
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:24:17
Us so that we're not the arbiters of what is right or wrong, but we we're delivering it.
[Jim Garrison] 12:24:20
Exactly, exactly.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:24:24
In a way. And this is also something where I feel like in recent years, you know our the sense of truth and access to truth has really been degraded.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:24:35
And how can we champion a a better access to historical accounts in fact, and that really is something that is at our fingertips and is what we love to be be a part of
[Jim Garrison] 12:24:49
Well, you know just to underscore, the point, you're making about not blaming and making judgment, but letting facts and and stories speak for themselves, you know we're, preparing, a major program, in the new Year around apology, apologies, we need to receive apologies we need to give
[Jim Garrison] 12:25:10
Apologies to the earth, and We're framing it just in the way that you've done with your Harvard Project it's not about judgment.
[Jim Garrison] 12:25:19
It's about stories, it's about dialogue, it's about the willingness to enter into some of these thickets, that perplex and challenge the human communities, in a way that allows us.
[Jim Garrison] 12:25:33
To express what's happened, and who we are, and and what's been done.
[Jim Garrison] 12:25:38
But in a way that is with that is beyond judgment, because if you can pull that off everybody then has an opportunity, and again, the genius of dialogue as an exemplification of the way, nature, works nature, doesn't blame nature synthesizes the contraries, and
[Jim Garrison] 12:26:00
You're really on a cutting edge, I would say, Sarah of this capacity, and technology, and I just want to say, I want to sit next to you at the next dinner find out a lot.
[Jim Garrison] 12:26:17
A lot more. And as we launch, humanity, Rising network I would love in some way to bring you in as a partner, because this is exactly the thinking, that not only humanity needs to employ that it's all one thing with different facets.
[Jim Garrison] 12:26:34
But it's the future, of a of a taming of a technology, or a capacity that humans have developed through technology, that is now gone out of control
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:26:47
We'll call us trim tabs, because
[Jim Garrison] 12:26:49
Yeah yeah
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:26:52
All here, to do, and and to remind and support in each other, and in our initiatives.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:26:58
So
[George Cappannelli] 12:26:58
Sarah, I also want to say that I noticed inadvertently that you were playing with the Pennsylvania.
[George Cappannelli] 12:27:06
While you were talking rather than a pen, and that's always a good sign
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:27:15
I didn't. I didn't realize the pencil was visible, but there it is
[George Cappannelli] 12:27:16
They are it. Is bye
[Jim Garrison] 12:27:20
Tommy, you want to give us a quick final word, and then George T is up for to what's happening on our final day tomorrow
[George Cappannelli] 12:27:27
Sure.
[Tom Eddington] 12:27:29
Yeah I'll just I'll just say you know.
[Tom Eddington] 12:27:31
Sarah I have so enjoyed working with you over the years and your friendship, and the ability to Work together, and I've just so grateful for you to bring your Brilliance to our our dialogue, today, so thanks for being with us
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:27:47
Likewise it's a pleasure.
[George Cappannelli] 12:27:49
Yeah, so tomorrow, we're going to close out the week.
[George Cappannelli] 12:27:54
With a couple of interesting human beings, one of whom is trying to reinvent what roads are made of and how they're built and you know Roads play such an incredible impact on our Environment, and a a negative impact in many ways, and we're also gonna be dealing with someone, who has
[George Cappannelli] 12:28:18
made a journey from Wall, Street, through entrepreneurship and now is an incredible champion of Solar, and some of the other Mitigating Energy, Sources, so Sarah It's been a Pleasure to have you here and this is I'm sure the First
[George Cappannelli] 12:28:45
of many so thank you very much. Yeah.
[Sarah Richardson Mehler] 12:28:48
Thank you all
[Jim Garrison] 12:28:48
Yes, thanks. So much Sarah this has been masterful and deeply inspiring and exemplary