Kaur is a powerful storyteller and visionary. She reminds us of the transformative power of story-sharing and listening. "Deep listening is an act of surrender. We risk being changed by what we hear. When I really want to hear another person's story, I try to leave my preconceptions at the door and draw close to their telling... The most critical part of listening is asking what is at stake for the other person.

Megan Fluke is one of the newest ALF Insights facilitators leading a project with the Santa Clara County Indian Education Task Force, led by the Santa County Office of Education, formed to ensure that Native American history is included in the curriculum so that native/indigenous students see their history accurately reflected. We spoke about her career path switch, working with local indigenous tribes, and discuss how she recharges her spirit.

When we started ALF Insights in January 2020, we were brimming with new ideas and enthusiasm, but, of course, we had no idea what lay ahead. Four years later, this spring feels like a very important time marker for ALF Insights and the community. The work we set out to do feels more relevant and necessary than we could have ever foresaw.

James Baldwin's 1963 essay, Down At The Cross: Letters From A Region In My Mind, one of two pieces in his slim yet powerful volume The Fire Next Time, ends with a warning so prescient and bombastic it feels like the lyrics of a political rap song even though they predate the genre by several decades.

Melissa Cerezo is an urban planner by training and bridge builder by heart. In her current role as Transit-Oriented Communities Principal Planner for The Valley Transportation Agency (VTA), Melissa helps to implement the organization's vision for thriving, equitable, prosperous, and well-connected communities. Melissa Cerezo is also an ALF Senior Fellow from Class XXXVIII and Co-Facilitator for ALF's AAPI affinity group. Melissa is an ALF Insights faculty member who was instrumental in forming ALFI's latest strategic plan.

The Town of Los Gatos contracted ALFI to lead a process of discovery, speaking with 27 different individuals from the business, education, faith, and other community groups to hear their thoughts on the JEDI work. Following that process, ALFI was contracted to dive deeper through the facilitation of a community advisory group that would provide input on the Town's proposed JEDI plan and strategies for implementation.

This all started at the onset of the pandemic. A time of uncertainty, if there ever was one. Like all of us, I was confronted by the grim reality of a public health emergency and how it would affect me, my loved ones, and my community. The COVID-19 crisis also triggered a professional panic of sorts. As an American Leadership Forum Senior Fellow and lead facilitator, my work has been to convene diverse, cross-sector leaders, putting them in the right relationship with each other so that they can achieve deep impact together.

Jenny Niklaus is a longtime Silicon Valley non-profit leader, ALF Senior Fellow, and currently the primary ALF Insgiths facilitator for impact groups on race equity, housing, climate change, and philanthropy. Jenny shares her reflections on The Four Pivots: Reimagining Justice, Reimagining Ourselves by Dr. Shawn A. Ginwright.