Economic stability for women equals safety. Full stop. Without reliable ways to earn and save money, women are in harm’s way.

And as our climate changes, AI data centers get established in the global north, disasters decimate communities, and industries evolve in new directions, women are increasingly at higher risk of getting left behind as economies adjust. We know this. 

But over the last few years, I’ve been attuned to the people and organizations trying to help. Many are forming collectives to create support systems. Some are launching social enterprises. Others are training on sustainable tourism, green energy, and how artisans access global markets to create income—and preserve culture. 

There is so much good going on, and I think I also want to remind myself of that. These are challenging times, and we can all benefit from more examples of Story Changers. I’d like to play a small part in that. 

I’m also interested in exploring the many ways we interpret the concept of women’s work. 

And…I want to return to the field. Field research—including ethnographic work, oral-history interviews, and focus groups—was part of my life in my early twenties and in grad school. These kinds of participatory research methods have also been how I approach strategic planning in my consulting work. I miss them.

Personally, our youngest child just left for college. Fortuitously, my professional life took an unexpected pivot at the exact same time. So before returning to my nonprofit consulting work, I am harnessing this rare opportunity to do what I have been longing to do. For a fixed period of time, I’m going to immerse myself in this special field-research project and then StoryB will take everything possible from this experience and keep doing what we do best: helping people and organizations change their stories.