Hope for the future is the transcript of a keynote Audrey Watters gave at Digifest, an edtech conference. The themes discussed in it are relevant to all, not just educators, and leave me hopeful for a future that we can all play a part in shaping.
In related news, here’s something hopeful… The new silent majority: people who don’t tweet. This lead me to find out a little bit more about the site the post is on and I have to say, I really like the principles behind Axios.
I read this interview with Andrea Davis this week as I was catching up on back issues of my Guardian Weekly subscription. It has prompted me to read more of her work, starting with the collection of essays and speeches in Freedom is a Constant Struggle. I’m particularly drawn to her clarity of thought around the importance of intersectionality.
Another book I’ve picked up this week is Spring Cannot be Cancelled by David Hockney and Martin Gayford. Here’s one thing that’s stuck with me so far, it relates to the daily routines of artists and is summarised with this quote from the painter Frank Auerbach:
Nobody goes into art because they say to themselves “Oh my God, I don’t think I could stand the freedom of working in a bank or an office. Let’s go into art because at least there’ll be a set timetable and I’ll know what I’m doing every day.” I thought this would be a sort of freedom; I couldn’t face being an employee in a job. But the freedom and the excitement of the activity has forced me into a far more rigid, seven-day week than I would have been in if I had gone into something more sensible. If I had become a lawyer, think of the variations and the excitements there would be!
I challenge the self-employed / freelancers among you to tell me that you don’t recognise yourself in this!
Now here’s an article to follow up on the theme of last week’s newsletter… Why community matters so much — and how to find yours.
And finally, here are some lessons on showing up (in your writing, or in life in general) from David Gane.
