Hey there, I’m Jarrett. 👋🏽

I’m a technologist, writer, and curious millennial currently living in NYC who grew up a stone’s throw from power and never stopped wondering what it was worth.

I grew up in Washington, D.C., and Maryland—places where politics weren’t just background noise; they were the main topic of conversation. I attended school with the children of senators, staffers, and individuals whose decisions shaped our country. We debated issues such as race, equity, leadership, and war—sometimes in class, but often in the cafeteria. While these discussions were enlightening, they weren’t merely theoretical; they were personal, and they have stayed with me.

I’ve always had an affinity for big systems and small signals—whether it’s how democracies bend, how software breaks, or how people shift mid-conversation when they realize they’ve been wrong. I work as a technologist, write out of purpose and passion, and read authors like Baldwin, Thoreau, and Machiavelli, along with espousing the lyrics of pop songs, as if they were scripture.

What I learned from my early years is that listening is powerful, but it’s essential to demand better. While some people transition from the intensity of D.C. to performance-based politics, I have remained focused on substance. My passion for understanding power—how it is shaped, abused, or shared—has guided me through my experiences in student leadership at Carnegie Mellon, organizing and community building in NYC sports leagues and other affinity groups, and helping others become better servant leaders in their spheres.

That’s where Microdosing the Republic comes in.

We’re living in a time where people are checking out—burned out by headlines, disillusioned by institutions, unsure how to care without losing hope. However, I believe complexity isn’t something to avoid. It’s something to meet head-on—with curiosity, conscience, and maybe a little humor.

This project isn’t about preaching or branding. It’s about asking better questions, telling honest stories, and reflecting more deeply on the systems we live in and the people we become within them.

As for me? I read Machiavelli to understand how power hides itself, and Baldwin to remember why it matters. I believe leadership is service, clarity is care, and the most radical thing you can do right now is be honest—and a little joyful—while the world tries to wear you down.

I have learned to embrace what it means to be both Black and gay, whether I’m in spaces that celebrate me or in those that do not. While I still experience stress and anxiety, like every other millennial, and am continuously figuring things out, my resilience in the face of adversity and my commitment to helping others build, lead, and envision a better future make all the challenges worthwhile.

This project is part reflection, part resistance, part reconnection.

And if you’ve ever felt like you’re paying attention in a world that doesn’t always reward that, welcome. You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.