Melanie Kahl

"I left our conversation feeling both grounded and lit up."

I love helping people root and reframe... and feel like more is possible. Getting this note after a coaching chat was affirming.

I’d never seen Elizabeth Warren afraid like that.

The violent rhetoric of this administration must stop.

After last week’s attack, I remembered this exchange between @warren.senate.gov & @karaswisher.bsky.social:

🎙️“Are you yourself fearful of your safety?”
👩🏻‍🦳“…I don't want to publicly answer that question...”
🎙️“Well?”
👩🏻‍🦳“I don't want to talk about it.”

The math ain’t mathin.

One of our most important and potent memorials.

(And hard agree)

I’m wondering how this whole “work to get social benefits” and “ai is wiping out jobs” thing is gonna shake out.

In a micro way, I’ve always wondered if short-form videos of positive or creative conflict resolution may have similar impacts (& potentially more scalable?)

Positive deviants often have comment sections that signal that folks find it valuable & refreshing.

A moment of co-regulation and modeling?

🔭🗺️🧭 Explore: Guncles, Godmothers, and the Need for More Good Adults In Kid’s Lives Welcome to Sparklandia ⚡️🪩⚡️ An alternative empire with a mission to spark better living—boosting your energy, renewing optimism, & building community. This ship is captained by Mary Bergstrom + the e...

“We’re halfway between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day—the messy middle. Perhaps this in-between time is for thinking about all the in-between adults that love our children into being.”

My sparkly neighbor shared an excerpt of our piece on creative kinship this week
open.substack.com/pub/sparklan...

“The edge of the sea is a strange and beautiful place.” 🐚

🌀The edges are where life evolves.

In the sea, but also in our systems, organizations, and disciplines. Look to the edges.

Happy belated, Rachel Carson.

Ooo this is very satisfying

Slides, cells, sticky notes, social missives—

Does your brain ever get tired from thinking in little boxes?

What’s gained? What’s lost?
What’s changed?

💯

Here’s the thing about me:
I keep state fact sheets about Medicaid on hand when in the comments section.

It’s honest work.
I try to stay grounded.

www.kff.org/interactive/...

👀

Can we build a world worthy of our daughters’ dreams?

Reflections from an auntie and designer on Mother's Day on little worlds and worldbuilding.
open.substack.com/pub/themeld/...

Apocalypse friends only.

This is disgusting.

But it also the type of move that sets back 20 years of progress in digital services and community engagement.

How will we reach communities in the future as a government if we’ve done the EXACT OPPOSITE from what we promised.

Judge rules Alabama can't prosecute groups helping patients get abortions elsewhere Although most abortions remain illegal in Alabama, the decision allows doctors and advocacy groups to tell patients about abortion options in other states, and help with travel and other costs

Although most abortions remain illegal in Alabama, the decision allows doctors and advocacy groups to tell patients about abortion options in other states, and help with travel and other costs.

Booker 25:05 > Project 2025.

#filibuster

Cc @arielmai.bsky.social

You’ve drowned out any semblance of vibrant social life with the din of ads, ai slop, and echo chamber escalation.

Testing a new feature does not make it a healthy place.

I’ve always thought that Facebook’s newsfeed was the equivalent of slapping an interstate highway through a vibrant neighborhood.

Now, they are “beta testing” a friends only feed.

Get real.
The damage is done.

Thank you, always, for the great work. I love weaving it in. ✨

For anybody looking to push back against the religious right:

Deuteronomy 24:17
“Do not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice”

Deuteronomy 27:19
“Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner."

Jeremiah 22:3-5
“Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner”

Indi is one of the only people talking about the deeper, cognitive aspects of design research.

As someone who studied learning, I appreciate it so!

“Head in the clouds”
“Blue sky thinking”

My 13-yo neighbor makes the most fanciful things.

This is niche, but: Duck feet puddling or waddling are one of my favorite sounds.

Today I lost an NIH grant training clinicians to do research about intimate partner violence with perinatal women.

More women are murdered in the perinatal period than die of obstetric complications.

I didn't just lose a grant. We lost an entire cohort of people building careers to prevent that.

Long-distance auntie tips:
🎊 Mark not-so-mini milestones (potty, big kid bed)
💌 Celebrate in between holidays (eg valentines)
🚌 Join school drop-off when home
📆 Schedule or squeeze in 15-min-calls
📫 Send postcards from biz trips
📚Start book club

…at least there’s ambiance?

I’ve picked several politicians and sit in the comment section with state Medicaid fact sheets, federal dollar dependencies, etc…

I calmly and clearly call them out.

Same with a couple MAHA influencers. Out here with line item policy actions that contradict their purported platform.