The mySidewalk Blog

Gauze & Effect Vol. 9: Spring Cleaning

Written by the mySidewalk Team | May 25, 2021 3:51:50 PM

In this issue:

From the Desk of Dr. Sarah

Note: Gauze and Effect is a newsletter all about our work in the Health space at mySidewalk. Past issues are available on Medium and new issues will be available on this blog!

Dearest Readers,

I can't be blamed if this newsletter didn't get in your inboxes last month. I was too busy decluttering my life. I think the urge to Spring Clean at a certain time of year is inherent and biologically programmed. It was as if one day I was fine and the next day I was consumed with the need to toss out every old herb and spice in my cabinet. This year, I was especially proud of the subscriptions I let go of -- when I calculated how much money I was spending every month on digital and tactile things I didn't need or use, I was really grossed out. My dog had a subscription box of treats and toys that was especially hard to let go of. I mean... look at that face! 

As we start to reemerge back into the world, I think we are all taking stock of the things in our lives we might not need. Part of the reason I love working for mySidewalk is that our tools can be everyday helpers, not one-off disposable solutions. I like to believe that our software is the soft grey hoodie I need year-round that I'll never donate, and not like the questionable, trendy romper I bought for an outdoor concert that turned out to be logistically challenging. 

I hope you all continue to stay safe and healthy as the masks start to come off. I for one am not ready to let mine go. I've enjoyed not getting common colds and not having to worry about makeup from the nose down. 

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Tracking Vaccines using mySidewalk

The best thing about the mySidewalk publishing platform is how easy it is to churn out a data-rich report that the public can interact with. Because our platform is so flexible, it allowed us to respond to the emerging needs of our partners who wanted a simple way to track progress on vaccine distribution with a central "place" folks could go to get their questions answered. 

As our own Katie Bueno so beautifully put it in her blog post about it:

Our goal at mySidewalk has always been to bring data to the people. Ensuring that public data is accessible, easy-to-understand, and timely is a responsibility we take seriously. This was true before the pandemic, and it is true now. We look forward to a day when our country can breathe easier knowing that this pandemic is behind us. Until that day, we will continue to do our part. 

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ICYMI: Play is Health

Playtime is a critical part of every child’s growth and development. In addition to boosting a kid’s emotional and social wellbeing, physical activity throughout childhood lays the foundation for a long, healthy life. It’s not a stretch to say that children thrive when they can access incredible playspaces.

mySidewalk has partnered with Kaboom! to create the Community Playspace Partnership Assessment to help end playspace inequity in your community by sharing compelling analysis that builds support for new investment in playspaces.

Read more about the partnership here!

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From the #WaterCooler: Mental Health Day

On Thursday, mySidewalkers participated in World Mental Health Day by carving out some time to focus on the mind, body, and spirit. Mental Health care can take many different forms, and we love to share what is working for us. So, here are a few great things that are soothing our souls right now. 

The BACE Framework

Four simple areas to focus on when you’re feeling out of sorts

Taking on Compassion Fatigue

CompassionFatigue.org has some straightforward resources for filling up your own cup. We saw this list while sitting in on a meeting of a health department in Florida. Print it out and slap it on the wall in front of your desk.

A case for power napping

 

And finally, this dog doing yoga

 

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Welcome to the Family!

 
We are so excited to welcome our neighbors down the road in Saline County, KS to the mySidewalk community. While we are (of course) super impressed with their work, we are also head over heels in love with this cute little logo they have! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Not to be outdone in the logo department, Pinal County in Arizona gives us some sleek, modern vibes. Pinal joins a great group of mySidewalk partners in the state of Arizona, where mySidewalk's health presence has been growing steadily since mid-2018, when Maricopa County paved the way with the early adoption of digital transformation. The minute we can get on a plane again, we're headed West because we sure do miss those desert sunsets. 
 

Get To Know: Tia Battle

Working remotely has forced us to rethink the ways we connect with each other. This craving for connection led us to unveil a regular feature — the Gauze and Effect Proust Questionnaire.

Modeled after the Vanity Fair feature, but interviewing much more glamorous and important people, our version turns a lens on our colleagues. Its purpose is to give you a glimpse into who they are and — in turn — who we are as a company.

Tia is a new-ish member of the mySidewalk Customer Success team. After many years of working in the performing arts world, Tia shifted her focus to connecting with others in the business world. She started working as a customer success manager to find a way to bring humanity and creative problem solving back into the serious parts of the business world. We love Tia a lot, and we know our customers do too! 

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Getting into my PhD program.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Peace in my decisions while always striving to move forward.

What is your favorite occupation?

Any job that allows me to help others.

What is your most treasured possession?

My birth mom’s coffee mug. She kept it at all of her desks during law school, her legal aid days, and during her health struggles. It’s a funny mug that represents her personality.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?

My pup is my greatest love. She is always so sweet.

What is your most marked characteristic?

I think it is my curiosity for knowledge.

What is your greatest fear?

Not achieving what I feel is my top potential.

What is your greatest extravagance?

Books. I buy new ones almost every week.

Which talent would you most like to have?

A photographic memory to consume more information.

Where would you like to live?

I would love to live in Texas again. Own a larger farm with horses and my dogs.

What is the quality you most like in a person?

I love quirkiness. I am all for the weird and unique.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

I am too hard on myself when learning new things.

What do you most value in your friends?

I value emotional intelligence. Nobody is perfect, but if they are actively working on being their best self, they have my support.

Which living person do you most admire?

I admire my grandmother. She devoted her life to teaching kids how to read. She instilled that love for reading in me and it has become my passion.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

"Absolutely" is my go-to.

How would you like to die?

In my sleep, after a long day of adventure.

What is your motto?

Demand to be your authentic self in any space that you are in.

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This month on the pod

We love LinkedIn. Like, love it. It's the perfect combination of social network + content creation platform + place to put your best-looking headshots. We especially love the random folks we meet on there in the comments. Such is the case with this episode's special guest, Ramon Llamas. Ramon is a serial entrepreneur and man about town -- if by "town" you mean LinkedIn. Ramon met Sarah in the comments of a mutual connection, and a friendship was born. Listen to them chat about fake business degrees, healthcare, tech, and life below! 

And don't forget to catch up on all of our past episodes. Let us be your summer road trip companion!

 

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