Essays on culture and equity
The conversations we keep failing to have
Failure To Listen Journal publishes essays on culture, race, health equity and education — written plainly, with room to think, for readers who stay to the last line.
From the journal
Latest essays
How to Ask for a Raise When the Budget Is Tight (October 2026)
Learn how to ask for a raise when the budget is tight in , step by step: a script, an evidence plan,…
How to Negotiate a Salary Without Being Aggressive (2026)
Learn how to negotiate a salary without being aggressive in : research the market, make one specific ask, hold the silence, and…
How Hiring Bias Shows Up in Resumes: What to Notice (2026)
Learn how hiring bias shows up in resumes, from names and employment gaps to degree filters and AI screening, plus what job…
How to Measure Whether an Inclusion Program Works 2026
How to measure whether an inclusion program works in : set a baseline, choose indicators, break results out by group, rule out…
How to Run a Meeting Where Everyone Speaks: Team Guide 2026
A step-by-step guide to how to run a meeting where everyone speaks: participation methods, ground rules, facilitator wording, and ways to invite…
What Does Inclusive Leadership Actually Look Like? 2026
What does inclusive leadership actually look like? Learn how equitable leaders build trust, share power, invite dissent, and turn inclusion into real…
Why Direct and Indirect Communication Cause Misunderstandings 2026
Why direct and indirect communication cause misunderstandings, and seven habits that stop them, from Hall to workplace power. A practical guide for…
How to Be a Better Ally at Work: Practical Steps for Teams 2026
Learn how to be a better ally at work with practical steps for listening, speaking up, sharing credit, addressing bias, and building…
Why High Context and Low Context Communication Clash (2026)
Why high context and low context communication clash: implicit cues, directness, and listening habits differ. Learn to spot the friction and bridge…
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Questions readers bring
Questions readers bring here
- —How do I talk with my kids about race without shutting the conversation down?
- —Why am I treated differently at the clinic, and what can I do about it?
- —What does equity actually look like in an ordinary classroom?
- —How do neighbours start organising when nobody feels like a leader?
Why this journal exists
What this journal is for
This is a reading room for long-form commentary on culture, race, civil rights, health equity and education — the kind of writing that asks for a whole sitting rather than a scroll.
It is written for educators, students, advocates and community-minded readers who would rather understand a question properly than win it quickly.