Some Context was founded in 2019 by Nicole Leopardo at a moment when her academic, consulting, and organizing work were converging. At the time, she was teaching Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University while advising organizations on equity and inclusion. One of the courses she taught focused on critical thinking, equipping students with tools to examine how systems of power and inequality operate—and how narratives, when stripped of context, shape what people believe, dismiss, or ignore.

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Teaching during a period marked by misinformation and polarization reinforced what Nicole was also seeing in her consulting work: many people and organizations are asked to respond to complex issues without enough context to do so responsibly. Across sectors and roles, leaders were navigating questions of race, power, and accountability with limited space for reflection, incomplete information, and increasing pressure to act quickly.

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Some Context was created to meet this gap. The name reflects a core belief: meaningful equity work requires more than statements, metrics, or best practices—it requires context. Context for understanding how harm shows up in systems, how culture shapes behavior, and how history, power, and organizational dynamics inform what is possible in any given moment.

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At its core, Some Context is grounded in the belief that equity is a practice—one that demands critical thinking, relational skill, and accountability over time. We partner with organizations committed to slowing down enough to understand what’s actually happening, and brave enough to act with care, clarity, and integrity.

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Learn more about Nicole here.

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Reading the Moment

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Our Substack newsletter offers cultural intelligence and grounded analysis to help interpret what’s happening now and why it matters. We focus on shifting expectations, generational dynamics, culture, media, and the language shaping lived experiences.

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