NEWSLETTER VOL 27 | September 2026

Equinox, Equanimity & Upcoming Events

This week marked the autumnal equinox, a moment of balance when day and night stand in equal measure before the turn toward darker, quieter months. After a busy summer, we've been searching for that same balance in our own lives, in our work, and in the world around us, especially amid the sense of daily, global upheaval. The equinox reminds us of the concept of equanimity, the ability to stay calm and balanced through both the light and the dark. This month, we're revisiting We Were Made for These Times, written in the wake of the pandemic and the racial justice uprisings of 2020. The book still speaks powerfully to this moment.

The turn toward fall also brings a return to routine, to community, and to the relationships and shared work that keep us grounded. In that spirit, we're excited to feature three upcoming Seattle gatherings: A Conversation with Questlove on September 26, benefiting Homestead Community Land Trust; the Employee Ownership Capital Roadmap Roadshow on September 28 and 29; and Community Passageways' annual party and fundraiser on October 16 —celebrating the wins of an organization that's keeping young people safe and proving that community-led violence prevention works. We hope to catch you at one of these events!

Paul Mannen - "Autumn Glory" 1967

WHAT WE’RE READING

We Were Made for These Times

This book by Kaira Jewel Lingo, a Dharma teacher and former nun in Thich Nhat Hanh's monastic community, offers ten lessons for moving through change, loss, and disruption with steadiness and compassion. Drawing on Buddhist practice and the wisdom of communities of color, it shows how uncertainty and grief can become openings for connection and renewal.

A few of the practices she offers:

• Rest back. When you notice yourself leaning into the future, tensing up, or straining to figure out what to do, try physically resting back: open your chest, let your arms hang, and lean backward slightly to help your mind release and let be.

• Hold hard emotions with care. Rather than being swept away by strong emotions, turn toward them with acceptance, as a loving caregiver would hold a crying child, and they begin to settle.

• Let big questions ripen. Instead of trying to think your way to an answer, treat a big life question like a seed, and focus on calming and resting in the present so it can ripen naturally, without rushing or forcing it.

How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time

This recently published book by Sarah Longwell, founder of The Bulwark and a former Republican strategist, draws on eight years of weekly focus groups with voters across the political spectrum to lay out a playbook for defeating MAGA-style politics. Longwell argues that the path forward isn't another poll or debate over whether to be more progressive or more moderate, but building a broad pro-democracy coalition with its own communications infrastructure and a willingness to talk to voters like adults. Part memoir, part playbook, and part manifesto, it centers the voices of ordinary Americans throughout. It's a timely read for anyone thinking about how to build coalitions big enough to create lasting change.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Questlove x Homestead Community Land Trust
(this weekend!)

This Saturday, September 26, Homestead Community Land Trust presents An Evening with Questlove at Town Hall Seattle. The Academy Award-winning filmmaker, Grammy-winning musician, and cultural historian sits down with host Jenna Hanchard for a wide-ranging conversation about music, memory, joy, and belonging, and how we find the imagination to create something better. Proceeds support Homestead's work creating permanently affordable homeownership, something it has been building in our region since 1992, so families can put down roots and thrive in the communities they love.

Employee Ownership Capital Roadshow Event

On September 28 and 29, Ownership Capital Lab and the Washington Center for Employee Ownership are co-hosting the EO Capital Roadmap Roadshow in Seattle, a two-day gathering of ownership funds, investors, policymakers, business owners, and advocates focused on scaling employee ownership across Washington state. Day 1 offers an up-close look at employee ownership in action, with a site tour of Metis Construction, a worker-owner panel, a Q&A with local EO businesses, and a networking reception. Day 2 is a full-day forum at the Inatai Foundation exploring the national EO landscape, how to grow capital flows, policy opportunities, and Washington's path forward.

As employee ownership continues to gain momentum as both an equity strategy and an investment opportunity, this is a chance to help shape what comes next in our region. Space is limited to 65 attendees each day, and each day requires a separate RSVP. More info here.

Community Passageways - Path to Empowerment

On October 16, Community Passageways (CP) hosts its annual Path to Empowerment fundraiser, celebrating a year of wins in the work to reduce gun violence in Seattle. A national leader in community violence interruption, CP mentors young people at risk of violence, diverts youth from being tried as adults, and supports people coming home from prison with jobs, housing, and community. Its work has contributed to real improvements in safety across our city. The evening runs from 6:00 to 9:00 PM at The Collective in South Lake Union, with a live DJ, food, and drinks. Can't make it? Consider donating to keep this vital work going.