It would seem that from my last post, my most difficult assignment is coming to a close only to be bringing with it another tough assignment: promoting a deviation from returning to normal. Now, let me explain: it’s not that I want us to be a shut-in society for the rest of our days or to build a culture of hermits that all keep to themselves in their own houses forever…but, we simply cannot return to the normal we had. Even if we wanted to, it wouldn’t be entirely possible; it certainly wouldn’t be real! Any and all attempts to coming back to the society we were before should be met with ultimate resistance. We should be moving forward, not yearning for what once was! And while there are the ever-present group of people wanting to bring things “back to great again,” it should be noted what is adjacent to the past that is being pushed so hard to making a comeback: rampant racism. Sexism. Hatred and vitriol. And mostly, a downright appreciation for mediocre. It was eating away at us as a society in exponential increases and we need to avoid even wanting to return to that!

                  That is how I received this assignment, one that I’d say the last ten years of heartache involved in learning more about myself has led to. It’s my job to point people to the future we’re now in; one where people of color and women are celebrated, accepted, endorsed, listened to and followed, and not because it’s a trend, but because it was always the right thing to do and we weren’t doing it. One where we don’t isolate those who have different political or religious beliefs simply because of them, but we listen attentively and try to set a better example for each other. A future where we don’t spend money like we’re out-earning our stupidity by spending every dime in a contingency budget, but focused spending on the right thing the first time because the subject matter experts designed it that way. Where we don’t bloat project teams with unnecessary people because it would be mean to not include them. It’s the time to focus. Return to the ideals we always said we valued and put them to practice.

But, perhaps the best news about my daunting “new assignment” here is that it’s not just mine. It’s yours. It’s anyone who says they value progress and people. If you ever wanted to make the world a better place, now is your time. And if you truly do, now you have the same assignment as me.

Now let’s make this place better than we found it. Together. We’ve got some magic to do.

[kyle]