One blog post at a time.
Part 1 of the series: Navigating the Safety Net I’ve spent most of my career inside large, complex systems—working in foreign assistance, public sector programs,…
Preparing for a baby is supposed to be joyful, intentional, and maybe even a little Pinterest-worthy. But what happens when you’re doing it while unemployed,…
When I learned I was pregnant at 40 with gestational diabetes, I assumed I’d have a low-risk vaginal birth. But reality reshaped everything — from…
The other week, a friend shared a job posting with me from an upscale luxury travel company. My first reaction surprised me: This actually looks…
I am a displaced federal worker and the creator behind this blog.
Part 2 of the series: Navigating the Safety Net There are moments in life when the ground shifts under your feet—job loss, pregnancy, a new baby, a health scare—and suddenly the systems you once understood in theory become very real, very fast. Applying for WIC was one of those moments for me. As someone who…
Part 1 of the series: Navigating the Safety Net I’ve spent most of my career inside large, complex systems—working in foreign assistance, public sector programs, and institutions designed to respond to crisis. I understood, intellectually, how safety nets worked. What I didn’t fully grasp—until it happened to me—was how destabilizing it feels when your own…
Preparing for a baby is supposed to be joyful, intentional, and maybe even a little Pinterest-worthy. But what happens when you’re doing it while unemployed, navigating DC’s high cost of living, and genuinely unsure what city—or continent—you’ll be living in by spring? That’s where I’ve found myself. When I bought my DC rowhome, I imagined…
Bureaucrat to Baby Steps 