Starting again: the blog and the exploration
After reading Grace's entry on "Accountability: Showing Up To Blog", I have been feeling guilty about my own lack of presence on this blog. Not going to deny - it is true that I have let other priorities in life taken precedence over reflecting on my actions and connecting with people. Fortunately, I read Sacha's piece on "Thoughts on writing and starting again". As usual, she makes everything easier to digest and comprehend. She suggested there is no need to beat myself up for stopping; instead, I should focus on enjoying that I'm starting again.
This is a good time to start again. In the last couple of months, I have been busy putting together my portfolio to apply to Austin Center for Design for their Interaction Design and Social Entrepreneurship program. I am thrilled that I have been accepted and will be joining the inaugural class starting this August. There was obviously the struggle of doing this now vs later. But in the end, I decided "now" will always be the best time (and Akhila says it best). Everyone has a "I wish I did this when I was younger" story, and I promised myself, as well as my mentors, that I will do this now ("because I can", as Keri Smith beautifully described).
I have been interested in using design to affect social change ever since I learned about the collaboration between IDEO and Acumen Fund on The Ripple Effect Project, the MDes in Strategic Foresight and Innovation started by OCAD, the Massive Change exhibition, Project H Design, and many others. In the near future, I might (and I hope to) be fortunate enough to take part in projects such as GE ecomagination, IBM Smarter Planet, or Project Masiluleke. Or I might be bold enough to start my own initiative. What's ahead of me is unclear, and kind of scary. The answer is unknown, yet what's known is that the possibilities are endless.
I am very excited to be doing this work and I look forward to be blogging about my experiences. It is truly an honor to have the great people I have around me, to support me, to be angry at me, to advise me, and to celebrate with me on starting again: the blog, and the exploration. Thank you.
