**Imagining Otherwise.** Thinking about root causes and relational awareness. Othering, burnout, displacement. And changing environments, in the midst of a polar vortex. The Zeitgeist. Remembering the narrowness of my lived experience reminds me that things are more hopeful than I can know. Imagining, together. It sounds quiet - pencils and crayons scratching - a kettle boiling in the background. It feels humble - a small lift of our chins to look each other in the eye. A shared pause from the noise. Some voices quieter, some louder. Some shoulders back, others rolled forward. But a willingness to listen and learn. Our nervous systems synced up for an afternoon. Like making a puzzle after brunch. I wonder how much more we have in common than we currently know. I wonder what would cause us to argue. Here, we are less other to each other, because we can see each other. We aren't just youth engagement in the abstract. Here, we are friends, with marker on our hands. We share a home. At home, in bed, in front of my phone, at the end of the day, imagining otherwise feels like being too tired to form a full thought. Like your devices are yelling at you, but you don't even hear the words being said. Here, it feels like not being sure what to say, or how to say it politely, while also knowing starting is a leap of faith. And that we are not alone in that leap. ![[Screenshot 2026-01-24 at 1.56.38 PM.png]]