Emily Cunningham

I'm pushing myself to do something I've been afraid to do for most of my career: Write about the topics in open government that I know well. Not interviewing experts. Sharing my expertise. Trauma can shape anxieties; I've felt an anxiety sharing ideas publicly in my field...

...for over a decade. I've been able to publish a few things. A chapter in O'Reilly Publishing's compendium, Open Government (2010) a blog post here or there for Fast @FastCompany or a gov tech publication. But each time, it was so hard to feel valid or confident. Apparently...

...this is pretty common for those who have survived the spectrum of traumas that now fall under the "me too" label. We make ourselves quieter, smaller, less vocal. While most people who know me wouldn't assume I was hiding, I was. I just found voice in places that felt safer...