Before revealing this project’s post and links, here’s a preview of the next word: memory. Picking a word was challenging because so many great ones start with M! Hopefully, the next project will be memorable. 😜
ALPHA BITS
You can find the post for liminal here and also on the homepage. Let’s get to the quick bits:
The most relevant definition of liminal on this project speaks to being in a transitional or in-between state. The illustration’s inspiration draws on nature where chrysalis represents the liminal space between what was a caterpillar and what becomes the butterfly.
In exploring what is liminal, I was inspired by rites of passage. A recent tech-enabled career coaching project at my day job helped me connect the liminality of being betwixt-and-between one’s old job and not yet into a new role. For Alpha Projects, I invited a few job seekers to a last-minute workshop on career exploration and experimentation that I designed to flow alongside a rite of passage. I didn’t end up presenting the below slides but they represent the session’s activities. Dig into the details on Alpha Projects.
A benefit of sending this newsletter late is I can share an update on the project. Three weeks later, a workshop participant shared she is still wearing the wrist ribbon from the session’s ending ritual! She said it reminds her that someone believes in her and to keep going. 👏🤸🏿♂️🤗
CONNECTION(S)
This section is for my email friends — you won’t find it on Alpha Projects. I hope you find some things that you want to share with friends!
Take a trip to some liminal spaces via the New Yorker, Bored Panda, and TikTok
Read Herminia Ibarra’s HBR piece on “Reinventing Your Career in the Time of Coronavirus”
Understand liminal thinking through a book I read years ago: Liminal Thinking: Create the Change You Want by Changing the Way You Think
Explore life transitions in the The New York Times’ “Rites of Passage” essay collection
View in-between “moments of a multi-faceted queer life” from the Liminal Space project by Hangzhou-born and New York-based photographer and multimedia artist Mengwen Cao
Marvel at how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly
The next word is memory. Send me ideas on who or what to highlight. In the meantime, you can also read A thru K (forgive the bad nav!) on the Alpha Projects website.
Thanks for reading! If you think this might interest someone, pass it on. :)