Jessica Symons

Jessica Symons

Digital technologies, globalisation, enhanced communication and greater distraction have changed society but the democratic state has not changed with it.  Issues such as genetic engineering, the role of men and women, economic supremacy, the developing world, work-life balance, the declining environment and media monopolisation need to be evaluated from first principles.  Fifty percent of the world population do not have enough of a say in the decision making related to these issues and many more.  I hope that thinkingwomen takes a small step towards resolving this.

I run Krata, Manchester's only independent, creative thinktank, a not for profit social enterprise that brings together community engagement, social theory and creative expression. Identified in the Guardian several years ago as a World Changing Woman, these days I call myself a social entrepreneur i.e. I start projects that have a social, environmental and economically sustainable focus. Recent ventures include Onelessplasticbag and I am currently helping set up a community cafe in my local area of Chorlton, Manchester. I am particularly interested in collaboration, motivation, critical components and agents of change, storytelling, ethnographic approaches, power dynamics, strategies for empowerment, system thinking, frugality, sustainable lifestyles, deep ecology, capitalist structures and perspectives, futures imagining, feminism.

I dabble in community radio, script writing, poetry, activism, casual networking (i.e. talking to people!) and parenting...

PS: the above picture is 10 years old but I love it so much, I can't change it - it was taken by a Vogue photographer and captures the intensity I had in my fiery youth!

Contact: Jessica Symons