Hi, I just joined the couch surfing community to see about alternatives to Airbnb and hostels. I am looking at attending the Global Social Business Summit in Paris run by Grameen in early November, so scouting out the area first. I was an intern at the United States Senate for disability policy, and studied alternatives to neoliberal economics in college, including Keynes, Marx, world system theory/Wallerstein, and more recently the work of Muhammed Yunus at Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. I am employed in the US residential mortgage industry and I use my ability to raise money to support social causes I believe in, including emergency response (hurricaine Harvey), economic justice, affordable housing, progressive politics. I hope to grow my business by offering jobs to people with disabilities and one day convert to a worker owned cooperative finance corporation dedicated to a social mission. I am seeking affordable housing for the Nov 2 through 10 Summit so I can get ideas to bring back to the US to help my dream of restoring ethics to finance in Texas and to raise funds for creating a better world for all of us.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Looking to meet like minded folks who believe that we can change the world!

Music, Movies, and Books

I am inspired by Paulo Coelho in his book, The Alchemist. Also by the French book, The Man Who Planted Trees about how one good person working calmly and decisively can make a big difference

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I gave a homeless woman in Mexico City a plate of hot tacos when no one else even noticed her at the shop. She smiled up at me. A part of me wept inside at the enormity of her suffering, and the destitute like her, and my inability to do more. The small things matter.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can talk economics - theory, philosophy, policy, major historical figures. I can discuss US Senate experience working on United Nations CRPD treaty with Sen. Tom Harkin.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I enjoy learning new cultures, ideologies. I grew up very narrowly minded, but was rescued by a college experience and now I live to learn, change, adapt, and grow. Excited yo see what I can learn from you.

Countries I’ve Visited

Mexico