News
Just Imagine…Performing as if in a Zoo
Located in Harlem, the Club Deluxe was an intimate supper club owned by Jack Johnson, the first African American to be the heavyweight boxing champ. He sold the club to a gangster, Owney Madden, who renamed it the “Cotton Club.” Madden’s primary purpose in buying...
Cultivating a Willingness to Play
Using play to unleash new ways of thinking Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting a fun activity that helps participants suspend their seriousness and analytical thinking. Participants are encouraged to play with ideas, using their...
Just Imagine…Listening to Moments of Conscience
He was born into poverty in 1926 in New York City to an Italian immigrant father and a mother who was born in the U.S. soon after her parents immigrated. When he could go to school, he studied art and music, but he never did complete high school. At age 18, he was...
Seeking Innovation
Playing with words to spark ideas Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting an activity that helps participants practice innovative thinking. It encourages participants to move beyond the constraints of their current ideas or thinking...
Just Imagine…Choosing the Moral Path
He grew up in an all-white community in South Dakota. When he was 11 years old, he met his first person of another race. His father had developed his ability to appreciate everyone, and that meeting became a pivotal moment in his life. Studying at LSU in the Jim...
For Avoidance of Doubt, We’ll Miss You, Pete!
After almost two decades of working with the Interactivity Foundation (IF), our good friend and colleague Pete Shively is moving on to emeritus status and to new adventures in his life. True to his name, Pete has been a sturdy rock of support for many of IF’s...
Just Imagine…a Failure to Recognize Valor
Private Burton Holmes was a Black U.S. soldier fighting in France during World War I. He and his fellow soldiers were confronted by a surprise attack from the Germans. Burton’s gun malfunctioned and he was badly wounded, He returned to the command post, but he...
Embracing Contradictions
Developing a Paradox Mindset Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting an activity that helps participants develop a “paradox mindset” by engaging with, rather than avoiding, the contradictions inherent in many problems, situations, and...
Promoting Curiosity
Curiosity Prompts and Questions Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting an activity that helps participants develop the mental skill of curiosity and turn it into a regular practice by using curiosity prompts. These prompts can be used...
Just Imagine…Emerging Inequities
South Africa has a history of unreliable electrical power. The national power provider has been accused of mismanagement of government funding for upgrades to the nation’s electric grid. As a result, communities across South Africa have begun to apply for waivers...