Ella Saltmarshe sits "at the intersection of culture, narrative and systems change" (website, LinkedIn, twitter). She describes herself as a founder, systems change specialist, anthropologist, writer, podcaster, teacher, activist, and (as of very recently) a mother.

We recorded this interview on 31 October 2023, only a few weeks into the Isreal-Gaza conflict. Anyone who follows Ella's work will have seen her recent focus on that conflict. For the start of any International Women's Day events (8 Mar 2024), she suggested people use some acknowledgements. This one spoke to me in particular:

"Before we start, let's take a moment to acknowledge and remember the extreme suffering and terror experienced by women in Gaza, Israel and the west bank over recent months. The 195 women killed by Hamas on October 7th, the at least 14 female hostages still remaining in Gaza.  

The 8,570 (and growing number of) Palestinian women who have been killed by Israel. The 5500 women who are due to give birth in Gaza over the next month with no medical facilities, with 40% of those pregnancies classified as high risk. 

May our actions contribute to their safety. 

May we support each other in working for an immediate ceasefire. As women, may we demonstrate what international solidarity looks like, today and everyday. "

Our conversation focused on the role of culture and narrative in helping us transition to a regenerative future. In particular, how we are really messy, irrational, emotional creatures. So we need to be working at the level of emotions. The things that move us emotionally are stories.

In particular, Ella is focused on nurturing cultures that have stewardship at their core.

She suggests building communities around the questions that move you.

Links

Long Time Project "aims to galvanise public imagination and collective action to help us all be good ancestors."

Long Time Academy

Inter-Narratives. Subscribe to the newsletter here.

More on my late wife's work on the use of time in child and adolescent psychotherapy here.

You can hear Steve Waygood explain Macro-Stewardship here.

Timings

0:56 - Q1 What are you doing now? And how did you get there?

9:35 : BONUS QUESTION: What is it that you mean by narrative?

17:43 - Q2. What is the future you are trying to create, and why?

19:53 - Q3. What are your priorities for the next few years, and why?

22:58 - Q4. If someone was inspired to follow those priorities, what should they do next?

26:01 - Q5. If your younger self was starting their career now, what advice would you give them?

28: 59 - Q6. Who would you nominate to answer these questions, because you admire their approach?

29:41 - Q7. Is there anything else important you feel you have to say?

Twitter: Powerful_Times

Website hub: here.

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Thank you for listening! -- David