Oct 29, 2020Why it’s not OK to congratulate Amy Coney Barrett — especially when you’re the Girl ScoutsBy Tammy Tibbetts and Christen Brandt Days before a national election that will change the trajectory of your life — especially if you’re a girl, woman, person of color, lower-income, or otherwise marginalized citizen — it was appalling to see one of the most respected girls’ organizations in our nation…5 min read5 min read
Apr 24, 2019Tech titans donate $50M+ in stock to one nonprofit. Here’s what I think it means for the rest of us.A recent headline in the New York Times asks a provocative question: “A Charity Accepts Uber Stock as Donations. Then Uses it to Pay Staff Bonuses. Is that O.K.?” Elite entrepreneurs — largely from the “unicorn” companies valued at $1B or more — have pledged at least 1% of their…Nonprofit6 min readNonprofit6 min read
Oct 16, 2018How would you use $100k to do good?Agree or disagree: “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” This inspirational quote from the late activist Howard Thurman always resonated with me, because when it comes to social, political…Nonprofit5 min readNonprofit5 min read
Sep 24, 2018Dear Everyone, But Especially MenLast month, I started a blog to document “my quest to earn a catalytic grant.” Thanks for the positive feedback on my first post, which shared my gripe over a prestigious foundation’s emails not hitting my inbox — and their subsequent decision to invalidate my grant application. I wrote about…Feminism7 min readFeminism7 min read
Sep 15, 2018This App Changed My Life in One WeekGenerally speaking, I do not believe you can dramatically change your life overnight. And yet, I tried something this week that has done just that. I downloaded the best app ever. An app to block apps. Ever since I joined Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, they’ve been daily fixtures in my…Social Media5 min readSocial Media5 min read
Aug 13, 2018This snafu convinced me to start a blogI’ve debated blogging about my quest to earn a catalytic grant — and I finally decided to go for it, in the hopes of building a supportive community with others in the ring. …Philanthropy8 min readPhilanthropy8 min read
Jul 8, 2018How to Have a Feminist WeddingI have conflicting feelings about weddings. On one hand, weddings are joyful celebrations of love and I’m smitten by them. On the other hand, they’re an expensive societal expectation and full of bridal traditions that reinforce the patriarchy and prescribed gender roles. I once doubted I’d find someone to marry…Weddings6 min readWeddings6 min read
Sep 7, 2016The New Face of PhilanthropyDo you consider yourself a philanthropist? When I asked my peers — Millennials in the U.S. — most of them said no. This surprised me, because my generation is known for championing social good more than any other. We generously donate our time and skills to nonprofits. We’re conscious of…Education8 min readEducation8 min read
Jan 23, 2016Think about your endgameAs I write this, Winter Storm Jonas is blanketing us in several inches of snow, and I’m daydreaming about warmer days last weekend when I was visiting She’s the First Scholars in Santiago, around beautiful Lake Atitlán in Guatemala. …Education5 min readEducation5 min read
Jan 12, 2016The Powerball Ticket That Always WinsSo many people are buzzing about the $1.4B Powerball lottery (although the winner will actually take home much less after taxes — even so, they’ll net millions of dollars, and given how excited I was for raising one million at She’s the First, that’s a big deal). But every time…Education3 min readEducation3 min read
