Please Evolve

This photo was taken in Palo Alto, California on March 17. 2012.

I live in Silicon Valley. I see crazy things all the time, but most of the crazy can be categorized as the nutty professor, the insomniac entrepreneur, the overzealous startup guy or the type A person who is having a bad day. This is a place that is founded upon the principal of accepting the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the ones who see things differently and are not fond of rules, but we are not tolerant of intolerance. So, when I came across this protest-- on my way to a techy coffee shop on University avenue-- I was dumbfounded.

It's not as if I feel like everyone who lives here is a liberal, cerebral agnostic who volunteers at Obama's SF technology field office. However, I do feel that the sense of innovation and forward thinking permeates thoroughly throughout the Valley's society and, this is aggressively the opposite of that culture. I guess I should be thankful that I live in a place where this protest gathers only a handful of people and that there are far more people embarrassed, disgusted or annoyed than eager to join, but it's deeply disappointing. I am disappointed that even here, when everything is aligned for progress, that this backward mentality still persists. On some level I understand that that is a bit naive but I don't care. I want to live in a world where if you lead a man towards enlightenment that he becomes enlightened. Maybe I need to just laugh it off like this

priest from the Vatican...

(can't find one with an embed code!)

Women I Admire: Tina Fey

Tina Fey is loveably imperfect. I had the pleasure of meeting her on a few occasions when I was working for Zac Posen. She came to the office to find a dress for the Emmy's and in an unprecedented move, took the subway, showed up onetime wearing converse sneakers, and didn't send over any request for coffee or specify what brand of water she wanted. When I went to greet her-- in my mandatory 4" heels, tight skirt, and coifed hair—I had to fight the urge to go all Liz meeting Oprah and gab about the tacos I just ate, the pain of Spanx, and confess my issues with sex.

My brush with Tina Fey greatness and my addiction to 30 rock aside, I admire Tina for satirizing stupidity whether it be political, social or gender expectations. Sometimes it is only through humor and wit, that we can begin to see our own flaws, errors in judgment and ridiculous convictions. For me, Tina Fey has encouraged me to embrace my imperfections. If I'm awkward, or do something socially retarded or eat an entire bag of BBQ chips I just shrug my shoulders and say "I totally just pulled a Liz Lemon".

Unlike her character on 30 Rock, Tina Fey actually does appear to "have it all". She seems to be happily married mother with a killer career. I strive to "pull a Tina" but, when things don't go according to plan, I am happy to be able to laugh when I totally Lemon a situation.

"What bothers me the most is that people say that Hillary Clinton is a bitch. Let me say something about that: Yeah, she is. So am I and so is Amy Poehler. You know what, bitches get stuff done."

You Say You Want A Revolution, Well How About A Nerd Spring

"None of us live in the same world. And yet, all of us live in the same world."

Yesterday at SXSW, Sean Parker and Al Gore discussed democracy, tech and social media. Gore borrowed a techy term by describing the effect of special interest money in politics as a "hack" on democracy and urged the innovators in the room to start an occupy democracy movement. Parker pointed to the internet rally against SOPA as a hint of the power of social media-- calling the uprising "Nerd Spring".

I was inspired by the powerful, united online opposition to Susan G. Komen for the Cure decision to drop its Planned Parenthood grant. Clearly, social media has a seat at the table, but it hasn't harnessed its full potential to become the dominant force for truth, accountability and reform in politics, transparency and social good. I'm always on Twitter when I watch political debates, interviews or speeches because I want to tap into the unbelievable community of people who provide instant fact checks and point out hypocrisy. We have Google+ town halls and YouTube debates, so why not instant fact checks? Blatantly lying, dodging questions and manipulating facts shouldn't be tolerated, but the information age should also encourage people to be more tolerant of compromise and changing one's opinion.

The politicians of my generation are going to have to defend Facebook photos, status updates, tweets and videos. Much of our lives is public so we are going to be forced to accept that people are flawed, people change their minds and learn how to judge people in more nuanced ways. To use a term from my psych 101 class-- we will have to learn to fight our deeply ingrained fundamental attribution error.

I hope that we are up to the task. Information is power, but there is the chance that with so much information people will become overwhelmed and cling to anyone who can simplify it for them (enter bumper sticker politics). It's the paradox of choice and information, but if democracy is about serving the interests of the people, then it needs to be the people's responsibility to develop their own convictions, thoughts and opinions.

photo courtesy of

CNN

Women I Admire

It's Women's History Month. For work, I have had to spend quite a bit of time researching events, partnerships and campaigns, which got me thinking about what it means, to me, to be a woman. My own thoughts on feminism and gender equality are fairly under developed. I am wary of anything labeled "feminist", but I nevertheless favor equality, equal rights, equal pay, equal opportunity. I have benefited from the burning bras and chest thumping so what exactly is my problem with the f-word?

I think I am wary of people who always bring gender into conversations and debates. It is really necessary to differentiate between being a successful woman rather than just being successful? And, while I will never be someone who is eager to throw gender into a discussion, I do think it is important to think about some of the unique issues we face because we are women--good and bad.

Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise that I dance like I've got diamonds at the meeting of my thighs?- Maya Angelou

In an effort to develop my own sense of self as a woman, I have decided to compile a list of woman that I admire. This month, I will share my list with you as it grows and as my own sense of female identity develops. Want a sneak peak? Take a look at my Pinterest board 

Tomorrow is International Women's Day. What does it mean to be a woman? What type of women do you admire?

photo courtesy of www.damncoolpictures.com