Motorcycle accidents, keyboard activism and my trip to the White House.

Will The Real Optimists Please Stand Up?

Condensed

Meet Sheepspo.

1. the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative by a member of the Flock

Regular

This year we resolve to be feverishly focused on activating people around things that matter.

2017: Finding the internet’s backbone.

This year we resolve to be feverishly focused on activating people around things that matter. More on that later, but today we want to talk about how the internet landscape needs to be different in 2017—starting with social media and how free we let speech be.

Turn and Face the Strange

Finally feeds are becoming less inundated with Millennial-focused strategy articles trying to pin down a generation taking up 20 percent of the population.

Gen Z: The Change You Wish to See

Finally feeds are becoming less inundated with Millennial-focused strategy articles trying to pin down a generation taking up 20 percent of the population. News flash—it can’t be done that easily—and frankly, if you’re still trying to figure out Millennials, you’ve got another thing coming: Gen Z is here, and like the younger sibling they are, they’re watching.

I remember my first day at Black Sheep pretty vividly. I think we all know that feeling on a new job—the moment when you walk into a room of apparent strangers, with the sinking feeling that you (for some reason) simultaneously want/need the approval of every single person in the room AND a chocolate milkshake?

Write a Letter to a Stranger

I remember my first day at Black Sheep pretty vividly. I think we all know that feeling on a new job—the moment when you walk into a room of apparent strangers, with the sinking feeling that you (for some reason) simultaneously want/need the approval of every single person in the room AND a chocolate milkshake? No whipped cream, obviously. I’m watching my figure.

CareAll enabled our communities to make this season a memorable one for the kids and teens of Boys & Girls Harbor, and we’ve finally had a moment to stop and reflect on giving and our own families this holiday season.

Black Sheep Gift Guide

CareAll enabled our communities to make this season a memorable one for the kids and teens of Boys & Girls Harbor, and we’ve finally had a moment to stop and reflect on giving and our own families this holiday season.

Black Sheep Quarterly Jams List

Compressed

Today is Cyber Monday, a day when thousands upon thousands of us will shop for holiday gifts for family and friends with the click of a mouse.

A Cyber Monday Mission.

Things You Didn’t Know You Needed

Y’all, it’s about to be #GivingTuesday. A global day of giving, fueled by the power of social media and collaboration, this next Tuesday is your time to jump online, check out some charities gettin’ it done and head out to join them.

#52Causes: Time To Go Volunteer

Y’all, it’s about to be #GivingTuesday. A global day of giving, fueled by the power of social media and collaboration, this next Tuesday is your time to jump online, check out some charities gettin’ it done and head out to join them.  

Outside Perspectives: Whether You Know It or Not

We’re all about inspiration because we know how important it is with the work we do.

That PTO life: Gimme a break

We’re all about inspiration because we know how important it is with the work we do. We’re constantly looking for ways to spur on creativity and get ourselves thinking beyond the predictable for our clients. But what happens when we get tired? When we slow down? When brainstorming seems like a chore instead of a chance to rally around great ideas? When life throws a curve ball?

Bake the Cake and Eat It, Too

We’re busy. We’re overbooked. We go home stressed (presently about this election), shoulders heavy with frustration about the things that we didn’t finish, or tasks that were left undone. It happens to the best of us. But we are strivers and thrivers, and oftentimes find other ways to wind down.

IS FACEBOOK TAKING OVER? THE ANSWER IS YES.

Hiya, everyone. We’re going to stay smiling and cheery and act as if Facebook isn’t slowly taking over our lives.

Hiya, everyone. We’re going to stay smiling and cheery and act as if Facebook isn’t slowly taking over our lives. From rolling out their latest Craiglist competitor, to three new features launched in the last month (see below) + a strikingly distracting CEO dressed as a VIKING—Facebook is on the up and up. But never fear, we stay updated so you don’t have to.

This blog post is a part of a series—an experiment of sorts. You see, I’m reading a book about forming better habits, and I invited the entire agency to participate.

Creatures of Habit: A Black Sheep Experiment (Part III)

This blog post is a part of a series—an experiment of sorts. You see, I’m reading a book about forming better habits, and I invited the entire agency to participate. I also invited YOU to play along—and it’s not too late. It’s never too late. This is the third post of the series. Read the first two here and here.

How A Coloring Book Sparked My Creativity

If I’ve heard one name over and over this past year, it’s Chance the Rapper.

It seems like just yesterday the flock was wheels up and on our way to the White House.

One Year Down. #BetterMakeRoom For More.

It seems like just yesterday the flock was wheels up and on our way to the White House. We, an 11-person, Houston-based creative agency, joined Team USA to ignite change in the future of education in America, working side by side with Michelle Obama. It is just as surreal today as it was a year ago.

Creatures of HABIT: A Black Sheep Experiment (Part II)

This blog post is a part of aseries—an experiment of sorts. You see, I’m reading a book about forming better habits, and I invited the entire agency to participate. I also invited YOU to play along—and it’s not too late. It’s never too late.This is the second post of the series. Read the first one here.

No matter your impact space, the last few years have taught us that our causes are interconnected. Researchers are now dealing with what the White House calls “converging crises” across industries. As a purpose-driven organization, we’ve spent years discussing everything from environmental racism and climate change to education and housing. But until recently, we hadn’t yet looked into an issue that’s affected by all of the above: food insecurity.

Food insecurity affects millions of all ages and backgrounds across America, particularly impacting the BIPOC community and hitting kids especially hard after millions have lost access to free school lunches. 

The pandemic has only exacerbated the fragility of the inequitable American food system. In 2022, the Census Bureau reported a 41% increase in households saying they did not have enough to eat after Congress stopped pandemic relief programs. 

That's over 40 million people who are experiencing hunger—or the fear of hunger—on a regular basis. With rising food and housing costs, that number is only expected to grow. 

Food insecurity is the lack of consistent access to enough nutritious food to maintain an active and healthy life. This can include not having enough money to buy food, living in an area without access to healthy food options or experiencing disruptions in food supply due to natural disasters or other crises.

According to Feeding America, the causes of food insecurity are complex and include:

Systemic racism and racial discrimination

The devastating effects of food insecurity

Access to fresh, healthy food is a basic human need and a social determinant of health and wellness. Without equitable access, we see an impact on:

Health: Without nutritious foods, people are at an increased risk for chronic health conditions like diabetes, heart disease and mental health disorders—particularly as many turn to cheap, caloric-rich foods in lieu of fresh, prepared meals.

Education: Children who experience food insecurity are more likely to have lower academic achievement, be suspended or expelled and suffer from behavioral and emotional problems. 

Financial wellness: Food-insecure households often spend over 25% of their income on food, making it challenging to budget other expenses like housing, healthcare, education and utilities. This is more harrowing given that food-insecure households also spend more on healthcare due to their poor diet.

Words matter. Food deserts and food apartheid are related terms you have probably heard but are distinct concepts.

Food deserts refer to geographic areas where residents lack access to affordable, healthy and fresh food, often due to a lack of grocery stores or other food retailers. These food deserts can occur in both urban and rural areas and affect people of all races and income levels.

Food apartheid, on the other hand, refers to a systemic and intentional form of discrimination in the food system that leads to unequal access to healthy food based on race and income. This terminology recognizes that food access is not simply a matter of geography but a result of historical and ongoing inequities in the food system, including racism, poverty, and systemic inequality. 

There are organizations across most major cities to fight these issues, namely urban farms and dedicated neighborhood markets. However, given the multiple converging crises, issues like food insecurity are often overlooked in favor of more hot-button issues. That’s where all of us can step in.

What can social justice-minded people do to help solve food insecurity?

While food insecurity offers no easy solutions, there are many ways to get involved.

Poverty USA offers some smart systemic change recommendations:

Reduce food waste - we throw away 30% of the food we produce

Here are a few ideas you can engage with at the individual level:

Find your nearest co-op (like Plant It Forward) and volunteer and shop there

Call your representative to advocate for policies that support access to healthy, affordable food.

Support local farmers and community gardens

Educate yourself and others about the causes and consequences of food insecurity

Donate to organizations that are working to address food insecurity, such as Feeding America or the World Food Programme

Food insecurity is incredibly complex, but it’s one area we can actually make great progress on as individuals. Supporting these local, fresh food sources improves the entire community’s health—AND it means more delicious, interesting meals on your plate. That’s a win for everyone. 

What is food insecurity and what can we do about it?

Food insecurity is a complex issue affecting millions of Americans, with systemic factors like poverty, racism, and geography playing a major role, but there are steps we can take to combat it.

The Black Sheep blog is turning up the volume on community engagement, social media strategy, Houston happenings and what it means to lead a purpose-driven life.

The Black Sheep Agency | Social impact and nonprofit blog

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The Politics of Food Access