EDGI in the Time of COVID

Though no field of work is un-disrupted by the global pandemic, EDGI has largely been a site of stability for its members — volunteers, paid contractors, and academics alike. This is an opportunity to reflect on and share a few pre-COVID practices within EDGI’s working culture that help to give the organization resilience through a disrupted context.

While all organizations with the ability to do remote work have had to address the technical challenges of doing so in the last two months, and many have addressed the need for social engagement now that we no longer see each other in the hallways, fewer seem to have addressed the issue of many people’s decreased capacity for work, while trying to juggle jobs, family obligations, and the increased stress of daily life. These are unprecedented times in which we’re all trying to do more with less. The pandemic’s global impacts affect each person differently. Some are struggling with isolation and need a sense of community and meaningful work while others are overwhelmed and need to focus on their own households. EDGI’s explicit approach is to support its members in either case…