Mirror Opposites...

Twenty years ago, I went to a summer program to study international relations and met Tjada D'Oyen.

There are very few topics on which we agree....at least politically, but there is one thing we do agree on. Our respect for each other. (there are a few others, like the importance of family and friends, but it's bigger impact if I only say "1", right?)

Our paths have crossed over the years on just a few occassions, but one of those intersections was on Monday night this week.

Tjada, who recently moved to Seattle to work as a program manager for the Gates Foundation, agreed to pick me up at the airport, go to dinner with me (sushi!), and take me to my hotel.

It had been 3.5 years since we saw each other (she came to Calanit's simchat bat-where we didn't really have a chance to talk at all, of course) and from the moment I got in the car to the moment we got out, it was non-stop, lively, heated debate.

Tjada is African-American and very involved in the issues facing the community and so has a wonderful perspective on racial issues. I give her much of the credit for making me more aware of race as a factor in American culture.

We pride ourselves on entering a "non-politically correct zone" where we are truly free (both of us) to challenge and debate issues ranging from race to distribution of wealth to gender issues to foreign policy...and more.

For those of you who are frequent readers, you will know Tjada's name well-she's a frequent commenter (and she's the only Tjada I know, since I learned that Jada Pinkett's real name is something else...maybe Tjada, you can post a comment as to what it is?)

Tjada is like my alter-ego. Whereas many of my political adversaries can be dismissed as "illogical, irrational, and overly emotional," :-)    I can't do that with Tjada. Her intellect and knowledge is just far too sound (and I would say that even if she weren't a Harvard grad with a Harvard MBA).

When it comes to political conjecture, she keeps me honest and is a valued lens onto the world.

A true joy and gift to spend quality time with such a quality person.

I do love it when I have opportunities to sit and re-connect like this.

Note on the Gates Foundation

They have $37 billion in assets and are required to spend 5% of that each year to maintain their status. The next largest foundation in the world has $11 billion. Whoa!

Tjada's work is particularly interesting...she travels around the world (Mali, Ethiopia, India...and many more) working with extremely poor, agriculturally based societies to help identify ways for systematic and scaleable development projects to raise the standard of living and ability to be self-sustaining.