I attended a session on the Future of Impact Work, co-hosted by Amani Institute and Atlas Corps at the Google Community Space in San Francisco. Experts across various sectors spoke about how they see change-taking course as we move forward into a world full of exponential developments and uncertainties. They explored how human capacities can stay relevant in a world with AI, AR and integrated movements owing to globalization.

Rupa Chaturvedi, who is currently working on AI and AR UX at Amazon spoke about the need to activate resilience in ourselves by being able to move through ambiguity with grit and compassion. 

Read more about Rupa Chaturvedi’s work: http://ruparc.com

Jeff Barnum, co-founder of Magenta Studios spoke about how long trails of suffering around development work inter-sectioning with race and the historical implants of slavery are passed down through generations until people decide to recognize their pain and work together towards healing. It’s not a technology, innovation or an idea thing; it is simply what lies within ones self that holds the answers to unjust disparities and displacements. He said this radical deep truth is awkward to deal with when it comes to a systems-project approach, which is essentially designed to deliver change and is confined to consultants, contractors, data and achievable targets. 

He explained how in Magenta Studios they are applying methods that actively take up the challenges we are currently facing.

Inner work is not primarily just for self-knowledge or personal power; if you do it right, it acquaints you with the inner terrain of being a human. If you can learn how to transform a compulsion or a habit or heal a wound in your self and you can see it very objectively then you can learn how the real change happens in others.”  – Jeff Barnum

Read more about Jeff Barnum’s work: https://magenta.fm