I’m going to paraphrase in my own words, and incorporate some of my own experiences and learnings from the world of productivity and effectiveness. This is my summary and interpretation of the book, in the hope that it will reach more people who might not otherwise pick it up. But with a far stronger connection to what is happening on the ground, in the lives of people who don’t have access to the same resources and opportunities. I found a body of work bridging and connecting a stunning diversity of sources and fields, much like I try to do myself. I found a new language to talk about healing, growth, liberation, forgiveness, and change. I decided to read it, and found a new world of ideas and stories that were somehow both completely novel, and deeply familiar. I began to hear about it through different channels, from different people, and could see this book was catching fire in the movement-building world.

The title immediately caught my eye, echoing my interest in Emergent Productivity from several years ago. It was through Lauren that I first heard of a book called Emergent Strategy (Affiliate Link), by Adrienne Maree Brown. I’ve stayed only on the furthest outskirts of this incredible community, but even that light exposure has profoundly changed how I think about my work. Through the courses I’ve taken at Landmark, through local groups and events such as the East Bay Meditation Center, and through exposure to the network my partner Lauren has developed through UC Berkeley and the Greenlining Institute. I’ve since had the privilege of working with some of the most extraordinary black leaders, organizers, and activists in the San Francisco Bay Area. I never expected to be influenced by the movements that flow through Oakland’s veins: the movements for social justice, for environmental justice, and for black liberation.

When I moved from San Francisco to Oakland in 2014, I was just trying to pay cheaper rent.

Book emergent strategy