HELPING PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS GROUND THEIR WORK IN THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE
HELPING LAUNCH A NEW ORGANIZATION FOR SYSTEMS CHANGE AND SOCIAL MIDWIFERY
SYSTEMS CHANGE | 2018 - 2020
Nathan was invited by a powerful group of women leaders in philanthropy, personal development and systems change, to help launch a new global organization. The organization, based in the US and UK, supports cross-system teams to work on complex social challenges by fostering deep relationships and shared capabilities across power differences, institutional differences and positional differences in diverse stakeholder groups.
The organization works with nonprofits, foundations, and multi-stakeholder partnerships to birth new, transformative social realities.
Nathan was invited by a powerful group of women leaders in philanthropy, personal development and systems change, to help launch a new global organization. The organization, based in the US and UK, supports cross-system teams to work on complex social challenges by fostering deep relationships and shared capabilities across power differences, institutional differences and positional differences in diverse stakeholder groups.
The organization works with nonprofits, foundations, and multi-stakeholder partnerships to birth new, transformative social realities.
PRESENTING AN ETHNOGRAPHIC CASE STUDY AT THE 2018 EPIC PEOPLE CONFERENCE
ETHNOGRAPHY & SYSTEMS CHANGE | EPIC PEOPLE | 2018
Nathan was invited to present an ethnographic case study at the 2018 Ethnographic Praxis in Industry Conference (EPIC) in Honolulu, Hawaii. The case study, entitled Gaming Evidence: Power, Agency, And The Colonial Moment In A Chicago Systems Change Project, is an in-depth look at the power dynamics, challenges, and impact of Grove3547, a 2016 Social Lab on the South Side of Chicago. The case was published in EPIC's industry journal, EPIC Proceedings.
Nathan was invited to present an ethnographic case study at the 2018 Ethnographic Praxis in Industry Conference (EPIC) in Honolulu, Hawaii. The case study, entitled Gaming Evidence: Power, Agency, And The Colonial Moment In A Chicago Systems Change Project, is an in-depth look at the power dynamics, challenges, and impact of Grove3547, a 2016 Social Lab on the South Side of Chicago. The case was published in EPIC's industry journal, EPIC Proceedings.
AGILE PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR A CREATIVE SYSTEMS CHANGE STUDIO
AGILE PROJECT MANAGEMENT | MAGENTA STUDIOS | 2018
Nathan was invited by Magenta Studios to help launch a structured, creative Agile project management practice with Magenta’s small executive team.
Using the launch of courses and projects as a learning ground, Nathan worked with the Magenta team to align their purpose and strategy as an organization with their day-to-day tasks and tactical decision making.
“Working with Nathan is a breath of fresh air. His enthusiasm, creative thinking, focus, and warm presence bring new life, energy, and value to every situation and challenge. It is always a great pleasure to work with him!”
-Jeff Barnum, CEO Magenta Studios
Nathan was invited by Magenta Studios to help launch a structured, creative Agile project management practice with Magenta’s small executive team.
Using the launch of courses and projects as a learning ground, Nathan worked with the Magenta team to align their purpose and strategy as an organization with their day-to-day tasks and tactical decision making.
“Working with Nathan is a breath of fresh air. His enthusiasm, creative thinking, focus, and warm presence bring new life, energy, and value to every situation and challenge. It is always a great pleasure to work with him!”
-Jeff Barnum, CEO Magenta Studios
HELPING A CREATIVE SYSTEMS CHANGE AGENCY PREPARE FOR THE ZIMBABWEAN SOCIAL LAB
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH | MAGENTA STUDIOS | 2018
In 2018 Nathan was invited to help Magenta Studios prepare to enter the project landscape of the Zimbabwean Social Lab. He briefed the Magenta team on interviews and research done in 2017, and worked with their leadership to understand the local Zimbabwean context, as well as the organizational context of the funding organizations, and to navigate the sensitive “insider/outsider” dynamics at play in the social system.
In 2018 Nathan was invited to help Magenta Studios prepare to enter the project landscape of the Zimbabwean Social Lab. He briefed the Magenta team on interviews and research done in 2017, and worked with their leadership to understand the local Zimbabwean context, as well as the organizational context of the funding organizations, and to navigate the sensitive “insider/outsider” dynamics at play in the social system.
TOWARDS A ZIMBABWEAN SOCIAL LAB: PRECONDITIONS AND CAPABILITY BUILDING
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH & SYSTEMS CHANGE | ROLLER STRATEGIES | 2017
In collaboration with three Zimbabwean partner organizations and Roller Strategies, Nathan was invited to help build capability for ethnographic research and prepare the preconditions phase of a full-scale social lab in Zimbabwe. With the Roller team, he co-designed and delivered a Dialogue Interview training and conducted a series of long biographical interviews with leaders, innovators and citizens from all sectors and regions of Zimbabwean society. The interview data will help shape the future of a longer-term social lab in Zimbabwe.
The overall project's aim is to help heal the social fabric of Zimbabwe and support the development of strong, meaningful livelihoods for young Zimbabwean leaders.
In collaboration with three Zimbabwean partner organizations and Roller Strategies, Nathan was invited to help build capability for ethnographic research and prepare the preconditions phase of a full-scale social lab in Zimbabwe. With the Roller team, he co-designed and delivered a Dialogue Interview training and conducted a series of long biographical interviews with leaders, innovators and citizens from all sectors and regions of Zimbabwean society. The interview data will help shape the future of a longer-term social lab in Zimbabwe.
The overall project's aim is to help heal the social fabric of Zimbabwe and support the development of strong, meaningful livelihoods for young Zimbabwean leaders.
GROVE 3547: A NEXT-GEN SOCIAL LAB IN CHICAGO
How can we work together to support young people in Chicago to develop resilient livelihoods?
SYSTEMS CHANGE | ROLLER STRATEGIES | 2016-2017
Grove 3547 is a community-driven social impact project on the South Side of Chicago, working to support young people to develop resilient livelihoods. The project was launched as a partnership between the Chicago Community Trust and Roller Strategies in 2016. Grove 3547 convened 5 teams that launched and iterated systemic social impact projects in 3 South Side neighborhoods.
Nathan lived on the South Side of Chicago from mid-2016 to mid-2017 working with Roller on all aspects of Grove 3547, from the ethnographic field research that set the direction of the project, to launching and facilitating participatory design studios, to documenting and coaching the prototyping teams in doing their work.
Grove 3547 documentation was curated as an online archive. Click Here to learn more about the project.
Grove 3547 is a community-driven social impact project on the South Side of Chicago, working to support young people to develop resilient livelihoods. The project was launched as a partnership between the Chicago Community Trust and Roller Strategies in 2016. Grove 3547 convened 5 teams that launched and iterated systemic social impact projects in 3 South Side neighborhoods.
Nathan lived on the South Side of Chicago from mid-2016 to mid-2017 working with Roller on all aspects of Grove 3547, from the ethnographic field research that set the direction of the project, to launching and facilitating participatory design studios, to documenting and coaching the prototyping teams in doing their work.
Grove 3547 documentation was curated as an online archive. Click Here to learn more about the project.
A prototyping team in the design studio
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Looking at systemic patterns and needs in the social system
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SAFER THROUGH UNITY: A RAPID ACTION LAB
How can we support children and families to be safe from violence and deportation?
SYSTEMS CHANGE | ROLLER STRATEGIES | 2017
Safer Through Unity is a Rapid Action Lab launched in partnership with the United Way of Metro Chicago and Roller Strategies in response to safety concerns around deportations and neighborhood-level violence, and the failure to live up to the "Sanctuary City" ordinance in the City of Chicago.
A Rapid Action Lab is a strategy for creating immediate impact. It is designed to quickly equip and deploy teams when solutions are needed for urgent and complex social challenges.
Safer Through Unity launched six teams to work on this issue. Participants came from the south and west sides of Chicago: Brighton Park, Little Village, and Austin neighborhoods.
Safer Through Unity documentation was curated as an online archive. Click Here to learn more about the project.
Safer Through Unity is a Rapid Action Lab launched in partnership with the United Way of Metro Chicago and Roller Strategies in response to safety concerns around deportations and neighborhood-level violence, and the failure to live up to the "Sanctuary City" ordinance in the City of Chicago.
A Rapid Action Lab is a strategy for creating immediate impact. It is designed to quickly equip and deploy teams when solutions are needed for urgent and complex social challenges.
Safer Through Unity launched six teams to work on this issue. Participants came from the south and west sides of Chicago: Brighton Park, Little Village, and Austin neighborhoods.
Safer Through Unity documentation was curated as an online archive. Click Here to learn more about the project.
Jose Rico, of the United Way Chicago, during a dialogue interview
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The Safer Through Unity Lab Team
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TECHNOLOGY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD: ETHNOGRAPHY WITH THE EARLY LEARNING LAB IN OAKLAND, CA
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ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH | ROLLER STRATEGIES | 2017
During this project Nathan co-designed and delivered an ethnographic interview training with the Early Learning Lab, an Oakland-based non-profit supporting parents of young children. ELL was exploring the role of technology in parenting and early childhood learning, hoping to find new and unexpected ways to support parents. Nathan and Roller Strategies worked with ELL to build their capacity to conduct in-depth ethnographic interviews and co-delivered a series of interviews with Bay Area parents. ELL has continued to use interviews in their work to great effect. |
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A SYSTEMIC APPROACH TO ADDRESSING RACE AND YOUTH INCARCERATION IN THE U.S.
ETHNOGRAPHY & SYSTEMS CHANGE | MAGENTA STUDIOS & OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS | 2014
In 2014, Nathan partnered with the Open Society Foundations and Magenta Studios to conduct a series of deep dialogue interviews with activists, leaders and policymakers, as well as facilitate a multi-stakeholder dialogue in New York on the issue of race inequality and youth incarceration in the United States.
The project included a diverse group of stakeholders from across sectors and disciplines including judges, law enforcement, lawyers, physicians, activists, advocates, and directly impacted youth. Read the Interview Synthesis Report and the Project Workshop Report for more on the project.
In 2014, Nathan partnered with the Open Society Foundations and Magenta Studios to conduct a series of deep dialogue interviews with activists, leaders and policymakers, as well as facilitate a multi-stakeholder dialogue in New York on the issue of race inequality and youth incarceration in the United States.
The project included a diverse group of stakeholders from across sectors and disciplines including judges, law enforcement, lawyers, physicians, activists, advocates, and directly impacted youth. Read the Interview Synthesis Report and the Project Workshop Report for more on the project.
A CREATIVE TRANSFORMATION IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS (ACTION), OAKLAND CA
SYSTEMS CHANGE | REOS PARTNERS & THE NUMI FOUNDATION | 2011-2013
Nathan worked closely with the Numi Foundation and Reos Partners on the convening, design, and facilitation of their Oakland-based ACTION project (A Creative Transformation In Our Neighborhoods). The project consisted of a series of exploratory workshops and meetings with community leaders, educators, artists, philanthropists, law enforcement and organizers to explore ways to creatively address the issue of youth violence in Oakland neighborhoods.
Nathan worked closely with the Numi Foundation and Reos Partners on the convening, design, and facilitation of their Oakland-based ACTION project (A Creative Transformation In Our Neighborhoods). The project consisted of a series of exploratory workshops and meetings with community leaders, educators, artists, philanthropists, law enforcement and organizers to explore ways to creatively address the issue of youth violence in Oakland neighborhoods.
For a complete list of projects, please contact Nathan.