The Radical Empath: Random Rundown
Spring & Summer Spill Schedule
I wrote my Q2 rundown back at the end of Q2… and then I never finished it 😅 and I was TAWKIN, it was long… and now it’s the end of Q3…. loooool… so I’ve decided I’m going to essentially combine them and then break them down into multiple posts because then I don’t have to overwhelm y’all and I’ll also have some content for a little bit soooo BUCKLE UP, FOLKS! :)
The Itin—
Year 1 of TRE
Here & Now (Today, Aug 31, 2025!)
Floetry Compilation Post
Coming Tomorrow (Sept 1, 2025)
The Bookshelf
Next Wednesday (Comic Book Day! (Sept 11, 2025))
The Shower Playlist
Next Friday (Sept 13, 2025)
Fall Equinox Reflections
A little early, on the full moon (Sept 17, 2025)
Looking Ahead
On the actual autumnal transition (Sept 22, 2025)
Okay let’s get into it huh?
ABC…DEI…J?W?B?A?CM?IW? What’s in a name?
OK so - as you may or may not know - The Radical Empath , *LLC* was actually kicked off on a whim. I’ve talked in so many ways about my job experience and how… harrowing the journey through these ‘DEI’ streets has been. I started working for myself because an opportunity fell in my lap to facilitate a ~’training’~ during an organization called Voltus’ yearly retreat… and I was desperate; I was only a few months into my new journey as a therapist (a role that continues to ground me in the humanity of my work to this day and where I feel honored to work alongside two incredible Psychologists (Dr. B & Dr. M) who have been amazing mentors and supports in my sense of self while engaging in this healing work) and while moving in this professional direction HAD been a goal in my mind… it wasn’t supposed to have come so soon. I had to sprint to get the LLC set up because the training was coming up in just about two months after our first connection. The time came around though and I did the training and… it went VERY well.
Learning Design had already been such a huge part of the work I had been doing I felt great about it, especially as a first go. I was feeling good and inspired. I worked with my former colleagues turned friends Mark Travis Rivera and Nick Reich (who is still doing some cool work that I’m apart of) to set up the mission, vision, and values of this effort both during the lead up to the event and in post. I didn’t officially consider myself ‘ready to go’ (still not sure if I am to be honest) for another two months after fumbling through the creation of some marketing materials. And now, a year (and some change now lol) later…WOW! I am kind of shook? This is… working? It’s slow. And steady. And I love that because I couldn’t handle the pace being any faster than it’s been (barely handled that pace, as it were). But it’s working.
One of the biggest changes has been the reality that I can make good money. The kind that brings my nervous system a relief it’s been craving for years (we still got a LOT of work to do on my financial wellness but wheeeew do I feel DIFFERENT (don’t let anybody try to tell you money can’t buy happiness… they’re right, but damn can it bring relief that opens you up to grab it for yourself in this capitalist society)). I’m still figuring out exactly what I want to do, what I want to offer, how I want it to look, how I want to ethically charge for it, and even just how I want to be able to simply be able to talk about it/how I want other people to be able to talk about it. It’s an ongoing process, understanding where I am now - I think I am still some years away from feeling really sure about those aspects of it but we’re moving somewhere and it feels good. In this year… I’ve worked with Voltus, my alma mater, Washington College (in such a wide variety of capacities), and Northeastern University’s Enrollment Management Team.
In addition to working on my own, I’ve also did work for other organizations. I joined a collective called We Create Space where I’ve written about Psychological Safety and Wellness for them, as well as been a speaker in their coordinated sessions (internally and with other organizations) a few times now (I enjoy sharing space with other DEI folks who come from so many different and amazing backgrounds (all over the world!)).
And one that I’m really proud to highlight is working with MMG Earth. This organization and my work with them has written so much into my ethos for doing work in the ~DEI/B/(R/T)J/A/Change-Management~ field and my gratitude for being employed by them is boundless. I have spoken many times here before about how corrosive Capitalism (& Colonialism) are to the work I do. Money & Power are toxic things and so as professionals (whose work is about dismantling the impact of those things) a constant engagement and awareness to them is essential. And it’s the thing that has been the most lacking in my experience over the last few years. I’ve seen it here and there but in true practice? Not until MMGE.
There was so much intention in their designs, so much effort put into teaching, so much compassion in their practices - including the navigation of very difficult internal conflicts. Working with them was soooo fulfilling. It was also unsustainable (for now, at least). As Q2 rounded out, I realized how tired I was and I needed to rest. So I took a step back and, even that, was handled with more grace than an organization I have every worked for or with. I am so grateful for how my time with them will show up as The Radical Empath continues to grow and change and find its way.
Speaking of Ethos; I think as I come into year 2 that’s been weighing on me a bit. I start out a majority of my trainings with community guidelines. One of which is to ‘Embrace an Ever-Evolving Language’. Earlier in this reflection, I mentioned that Voltus asked me to do a ‘training’ and I put it in quotes just like that lol. That was on purpose. I’ve been struggling in the who language department around my offerings. Trainings feel too rigid especially in terms of outcome. Workshops don’t always feel right either. I’ve currently been using Education Sessions??? Maybe I’ll use courses too??? I don’t love any of them but those two feel more true to form. I am trying to guide folks to understanding about themselves through understanding the each other and vice-a-versa. And there are so many ways I do that and want to do that and I don’t always know what to call it. I changed the tagline on my website from ‘A Multidimensional Movement’ to ‘Integrating Identity & Wellness to bring you Transformation through Collaboration’. Again, truer to form but not all the way there. Multidimensional movement isn’t wrong either by the way… it’s just feels to vague? Even though it’s true. I’m a generalist (shout out ‘Range’ by David Epstein (I am not done that book but I am officially in the moment of this reflection feeling reinspired)), and I don’t always know how to talk about and market that. Marketing is already a weak point (see: aforementioned reduction of capitalist corrosion efforts). I was even talking about how a flaw of my rushing to start this business was not making empath plural (i.e. the radical empathS). I want y’all to come with me on this journey (re: collaboration)! I want to ensure I’m signaling that in every fiber of my workplace effort. We’re getting there…
All that to say, it’s been a hell of a year. And I am excited to see what the next one evolves me into and how I express that through the work I do (including this newsletter/blog!!!)
Enjoy your summer! More to come :) Love y’all <3