Should I be mentoring others?  Do I have enough expertise in my field to be a leader for others?  Should I be giving advice and leading youth to make life long decisions?  How can I best impact the lives of others with the skills and knowledge I have?

These are some of the questions that I’ve reflected on while here at Advancing Justice – Chicago.  I can say that for me, while those questions are valid, I’ve learned not to overthink the idea of helping others.  (more…)

What is it about the instant thrill of provocative headlines running across your Twitter/Facebook/Pinterist/Instagram feed that persuades you to click on it? Maybe it’s breaking news, a name that you recognize, or a memorable image? When the phrase new media became commonplace enough that old media was embracing it, it became clear that character limits were just one of the new telltale signs that you were savvy enough to operate in this fast paced interactive circuit of information. So the mode of storytelling changed, but what about the stories? (more…)

The fall season is by far my favorite time of year, when what I call the “Big 3” of American sports are firing on all pistons. The NFL season is in full swing, MLB playoff fever brings intensity and potential drama to every game (except for my beloved White Sox), and the NBA season launches into another season of new-reasons-to-hate-Lebron-and-the-Miami Heat. Sorry, maybe that last part is just me. Despite the Chicago Bears’ early success and my hopes for a championship run by the Bulls and Derrick Rose, the one thing this fall that I’m most excited to see is Jeremy Lin play his second full season as a NBA starter. (more…)