On Relationships, Generative Conflict & Planting Seeds — with Aisha Rios of Coactive Change

This inaugural episode features a wide-ranging conversation with my long-time collaborator and friend Aisha Rios (she/they) — a community organizer, "reluctant anthropologist-evaluator," and Learning & Change Strategist at Coactive Change. Aisha and I reflect on a poem she wrote that represents how she believes change happens, their "change lineage" and how it's inspired them to integrate their organizing and consulting, and the practice and impact of centering deep, authentic relationship-building in change work.

We both identify as weavers so of course our conversation connects various people and resources that have influenced our praxis, the full list of which is included below. My AuDHD brain was having an ADHD-forward day when we recorded this episode, so apologies in advance to the folx whose frameworks and book titles I remixed or failed to recall live!

If you enjoy this episode...

• Subscribe to the podcast using your favorite podcast app!
• Support How Change Happens with ratings, sharing feedback with me, and/or by sharing it with a friend, colleague or network. 
• Learn more about my (Kai's) change work at www.createknowledge.org, on Substack, and/or on LinkedIn.
• Learn more about Aisha's change work at www.coactivechange.com and/or on LinkedIn (and read the poem she wrote here!).

References

• The Undercommons Poetry Collective
• Spring Up
• The "Four Rs" Framework: Reform, Resist, Recreate, Reimagine (credit: Mattice Haynes, Coach & Facilitator)
• Loving Black Single Mothers
• Aja Imani (the person Aisha collaborates with to support Loving Black Single Mothers)
• A bunch of books, in order of mention:
  • The Revolution Will Not Be Funded: Beyond the Non-Profit Industrial Complex, Edited by INCITE!
  • Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by adrienne maree brown
  • Collaborating with the Enemy: How To Work with People You Don't Agree with or Like or Trust by Adam Kahane
  • Everyday Habits for Transforming Systems: The Catalytic Power of Radical Engagement by Adam Kahane
  • Poor People's Movements: Why They Succeed, How They Fail by Frances Fox Piven & Richard A. Cloward