Hi friend,

I just learned the phrase “Monday morning quarterback.”

Did you know it already?

If it’s not in your vocab, this is a person who critiques, ‘predicts’, or otherwise brings know-it-all energy to an event after it happens – not unlike doling out tips on how to win a ball game after it’s been played. ‘Hindsight bias’ is another way it’s described.

I heard this phrase online. A post on one of my social media feeds began with the poster wanting to speak about the recent election, but saying they would not engage in any “Monday morning quarterbacking” about the Democrats’ loss. Which…

I am all for minimizing the shoulda-coulda-wouldas. And I’m definitely all for resisting the urge to point fingers and tear down teams after a loss – that doesn’t do anyone any good.

But something in that post rubbed me the wrong way. Are know-it-alls insufferable? Sure. Was this election a very specific contest, an anomaly that can’t really be treated with the normal rules of engagement? Also sure! But I’m wary of any conversation that starts on the condition that we can’t look back.

Call it recapping, processing, reflection, or whatever you want – looking back at how you’ve performed is not only natural, it’s essential. It’s how you keep your mind open, your strategies grounded, and your ‘game’ sharp moving forward.

That’s the spirit behind Episode 9 of the Issue Space podcast: ✨ Affinity & Beyond: The Identity Politics of Impact Work ✨ with artist and activist Paola Mendoza, scholar and social entrepreneur Dr. Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg, and strategist and impact institution-builder Alistair Stephenson.

Recorded in the weeks before the election, this conversation examines the role of identity in social change work, from a personal lens to a professional strategy.

On the one hand, identity is never Not a factor — many of us describe our work in terms of who we serve, represent, or protect. But on the other, one has to be curious about when leading with identity has been transformative for social impact, and when, if ever, it’s compromised the work. And is “the work” even possible without the lens and awareness known as “identity politics”? 🤔

Join us in exploring how three seasoned social changemakers with different professional perspectives dissect the role of identity in their work and impact.

Watch below or listen to the episode: To hear this episode and explore others, find the Issue Space podcast on Apple, Spotify, and these platforms. Please consider following, sharing, and dropping a review if the content moves you!

Take good care, community,

P.S. You might have caught our slip in The Issue Space Letter Volume 2 sent last week — the picture in our One Path to Impact feature clicked out to the LinkedIn profile of a previously featured impact pro. But it should have gone right here, where you can see the profiles of Lucille Wenegieme and Yeji Cha-Beach, our two insightful One Path to Impact voices this month. Please accept our apologies, Lucille and Yeji! If you missed the feature, you can read it here.

P.P.S. I’m still interested to know –

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