June 3, 2024
I am beginning my fourth and final year of my graduate program in just a few weeks. I feel prepared to take on the challenges ahead. Some of the obstacles that I foresee are balancing European, Afrocentric, and my own unique ideas of professionalism. This has been a tricky territory to navigate. On one hand, professionalism is protects those who engage in encounters on the business front. The lesser known trials of adhering to these standards are that there is much wiggle room when it comes to being ethical. The subjective nature of ethics, leads me towards fostering a sense of belonging with my partners in business and in general. Going forward I would like to handcraft each individual agreement between parties. Decision-making is the way forward and while I will have a default template as an option, my first line will be an open invitation to shape the terms of our agreement. In my personal life, this will come handy as well. I come across many interactions in my daily life that contain formalities that I could do without or hardly agree with. I think that this would be a good concept for most people to adopt. I foresee more intentional relationships being formed this way. The transparency that it allows for lets one “nip it in the bud“. This would be great for the dating scene as well. We all deserve a trial. Even more so, we deserve for the expectations to be clear and for two way communication when it comes to shaping them. Proposals may be reviewed and rebuttals may be made on either side until all of those included agree. These agreements should be free of coercion. I am to implement these mechanisms here on the website so if you know of a better way that we could interact, feel free to share with me through email, phone call, or in person. My only ask is that you remain respectful and polite. Those are some of my nonnegotiables. Usually when I come across someone who is being rude or disrespectful, I avoid interacting with them. That is why I reinforce the idea of this safe space where are welcome so long as none are attacked. i’m gonna let that simmer as I head out to take a test on environmental medicine. I hope you all are doing well and will continue to do so. -Jai’Kir