It was supposed to be everything I wanted. As Visiting Assistant Professor for Community-Based Learning at Grand Valley State University, I had finally found a position that reflected my unique academic interests. The department chair and college dean were supportive and I got along great with the other three professors who were starting at the same time.
Read MoreBecause community is a relational word that is both familiar and ambiguous, it is easy to gloss over the kinds of relationships a leader should seek to support their work. But, there are at least three kinds of relationships that can make all the difference for a person working in community leadership and engagement:
Read MoreWhen people think of changing the world, we understandably think big. We imagine a world without racism, without poverty, without violence, and so many other worthy wishes. The more we learn about complex broken systems, structural inequity, and widespread injustice, the bigger and more complex our plans become.
Read MoreIn our power-hungry society, the language of leadership is often attached to desires for control over, authority over, and management of other people. We are taught through media portrayals that our hopes and dreams should be attached to the trappings of individual power - money, possessions, control, and life beyond accountability.
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