What if???
What if there were a way to help create a safer, kinder world, where children can grow up safe and unharmed?
The world I grew up in as an undiagnosed Autistic Person was cruel and traumatizing.
Both the other kids and the teachers were unkind to me, leaving me with a childhood that I've spent most of my adult life recovering from... but it shouldn't have to be this way.
What if there were a way to help create a safer, kinder world, where children can grow up safe and unharmed?
What if not only Autistic, NeuroDivergent, and other historically marginalized children were protected, but also kids without disabilities, who are closer to neuro-normativity, and who typically have more privilege, also learned, from a young age, how to be kind and compassionate to people who are different from them? Then the world would be a better place for everyone.
As an adult who is multiply NeuroDivergent, with an extensive trauma history, I can do fantastic work as long as I'm able to work in ways that suit my needs (in ways that traditional work environments often won't allow).
My ability to "produce" has ebbs and flows, but capitalism expects me to be like a machine, with a steady output (despite this not being realistic for me).
If I want to be mentally and physically healthy and happy, I need to be able to work with my natural rhythms. If you are NeuroDivergent or disabled, you may relate to this need for inflexible employers to flex their unrealistic and ablist expectations.
We need decent jobs with good pay and benefits that are tailored to better fit our needs, but there aren't many options available in today's world.
We need something better, for the children and for us adults... but what?
These are dreams I've had for a long time, but haven't had any concrete answers to how we could solve these problems until I met Cristina, and she shared her dreams for a project that, if successful, could really change the world (not just for the kids, but also for many adults).
Through Cristina's brilliant startup concept, which she calls KOZ, the aim is not only to find a way to keep kids safe online but also to provide a solution that benefits the broader community of underserved adults.
When you read the letter "K" in this context, think "Kindness."
Being Kind (not fake nice) is a cornerstone of this amazing project.
We have the opportunity to build something substantial and powerful.
Cristina, the KOZ team, and I believe that with inclusivity, respect, kindness, and goodness at the forefront, we can build a strong Kommunity that is empowered to create the changes we need to see in the broader world.
To bring this dream to life, we're creating a private, invite-only global Kommunity (through the talK) to help us build KOZ.
The Kommunity will be hosted in a private Facebook group and will serve as a platform where we can share ideas about making the world, our lives, and a sliver of the World Wide Web in KOZ (and beyond)…safer, kinder, and gentler in all ways.
To bring this dream to reality, KOZ's mission is to work with talented individuals who are too often pushed into the margins of society.
Right now, we are looking to build the Kommunity with people who:
Want to be part of a safe, feel-good project and space where we can make new friends with a shared purpose.
Believe that when we amass like-minded people, we can create the changes we need to see.
Believe that the vulnerable and marginalized people among us need more equitable support to thrive, and a workplace that is designed for us and our specific needs.
Want to build a kinder, gentler world for all of us.
If this sounds like "you," please reach out to Cristina (who is the architect of KOZ) with any questions or to inquire about how you can be part of this groundbreaking project.
I'm helping to get the word out, but Cristina is the "point person" who has all the answers to your questions.
For more information, be sure to follow thetalK podcast (created to amplify what is being done with KOZ to keep kids safe online, and how we plan to work with underserved populations to deliver it) on Facebook or here on Substack.
You can also email Cristina: projectbabykcristina@gmail.com
Please note that a screening survey is required before entry, as this is a closed community group of like-minded (and like-lived) individuals (who want to come together and be part of a movement towards making meaningful change) with a specific purpose in launching this project.
"My ability to "produce" has ebbs and flows, but capitalism expects me to be like a machine, with a steady output (despite this not being realistic for me)."
This is the biggest struggle of my life. I am creative. I want to make a living from my creativity. But it ebbs and flows. My attention Shifts from project to to project.
I will never be the "steady output machine" that capitalism craves and it's soul crushing that I know I could easily make a living if I had the ability to conform.