Hi, I'm Ana, the Ethical Systems Nerd.
I bring my skills as a theatrical improviser, my academic background as an economist, and my experience as a software consultant, entrepreneur, and nonprofit manager to implementing practical ethical business planning for your organization.
I also bring a deeply personal commitment to finding and facing hard truths. Coming from a scientific family, being aware of climate change since the 1980s, and watching climate denial evolve over decades, has informed my search for understanding why and how people deny scientific evidence. And watching many scientists deny the influence of patriarchy, racism, and imperialism on science has been even more enlightening. As a survivor of an abusive relationship, coming to terms with my own denial literally saved my life, and then learning to see my own internalized racism (a lifelong process) truly freed me to understand and heal. I have learned that psychological safety, a flexible and healthy sense of identity, and a science-based culturally-informed search for truth are all needed for facing, and changing, reality. I will also show you lots of cute pictures of my dog.
Core beliefs and values:
- Our big human problems are not in competition with one another, but share a small number of root causes. We should work on root causes, not a symptom du jour.
- We actively practice denial on a daily basis, through a variety of social norms and psychological processes, and rapid social change can happen as soon as we stop.
- We need to be ethical in all systems simultaneously, and expect the same from others.
- Truth and kindness matter. I am committed to learning truths about myself and the world, even when they are painful. And I am committed to loving kindness towards myself and all others.
- Positive change requires whole humans. Getting ourselves healed from the trauma we have all experienced (since our social systems are guaranteed to generate trauma, even in those with a lot of privilege) and learning to love ourselves unconditionally is the foundation of all other work. Skipping this step means your good intentions will almost certainly cause more harm than good.