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Leadership and cultural memory shape the environments where human potential unfolds.
Field Notes on Leadership, Culture & Learning
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Jonna Jinton: The Power of Authentic Living and the Creative Dance
In an age of fast-paced digital consumption and curated perfection, there are rare artists who touch something deeper. Someone, who remind us of the raw, unfiltered beauty of life itself. Jonna Jinton is one such artist. A Swedish creative powerhouse, she has captured hearts across the globe through an unwavering commitment to authenticity, cultural honesty, and an artistic dance with her heritage that is as real as the northern winds that sweep through her village.

Louise Sommer
3 min read


The Pelican, the Beach, and the Beauty of Everyday Magic
There are certain creatures that seem to carry stories in their feathers. For me, the pelican has always been one of them. Quirky, grand, slightly awkward, and entirely majestic, the pelican never fails to make me smile. There’s something deeply comforting about the way they waddle across jetties, flap those great wings with a kind of ancient elegance, and then, almost like a surprise, they lift off with absolute grace, gliding across the sky as if they were born of clouds.

Louise Sommer
3 min read


Duck à l'orange & Big Dreams: How Rachel Khoo’s Little Paris Kitchen Changed My Creative Life
Once upon a time, in a tiny kitchen, in the heart of Paris, a woman named Rachel Khoo, opened a jar of mustard, stirred up a sauce, and with a flick of her red lips and a glint in her eye, inspired a creative revolution. Not just in her viewers’ kitchens, but in their hearts. I was one of them! And I have been a huge fan of Rachel Khoo ever since. So, I bought duck. I zested oranges. I baked cakes with names I couldn’t pronounce. And I cooked for the people I love.

Louise Sommer
2 min read


Beyond Entertainment: How Foreign Films and Stories Train Our Cultural Intelligence
Watching foreign films, TV shows, and reading books from other cultures is a way to train, expand and broaden our cultural intelligence. Some years ago, I found myself reflecting on the transformative power of foreign narratives. Having spent much of my life traveling, living, and studying in diverse countries, I’ve always been drawn to the rich tapestry of human culture. My career, particularly my work with immigrants, refugees, and expats, has deepened this connection.

Louise Sommer
5 min read


How Culture Shapes the Way We Communicate
At its best, communication is not efficiency. It is empathy, creativity, and culture in motion. Culture is a powerful lens through which we view the world. It shapes our language, values, traditions, even how we communicate and understand other people. It’s not just about the food we eat or the festivals we celebrate; it’s the stories we tell, the symbols we recognize, and the ways we express ourselves. But here’s the kicker: most people underestimate how much culture affects

Louise Sommer
4 min read


Culture, Collective Memory, Epigenetics & Identity
When I speak about culture, I refer to this collective experience that defines, influences, and enriches us all. We are not isolated beings.

Louise Sommer
5 min read


Living Creatively: Lessons from Julie & Julia on Inner Leadership and Authentic Living
The film Julie & Julia, directed by Nora Ephron, is more than a culinary tale. It is a wonderful portrait of creative courage, cultural discovery, and the quiet evolution of inner leadership. It reminds us that creativity isn’t only about what we make, but who we become in the process of making it. Across two timelines, we encounter the real stories of Julie Powell and Julia Child, two women who, in different cultures and eras, found their way to authenticity through curiosit

Louise Sommer
3 min read


Exploring the Living Narrative of Human Existence
We’ve been taught to think of culture as something externa; a set of shared behaviors, beliefs, or traditions that belong to a particular group. But culture is so much more than that. It’s not just something we observe or participate in; it’s something we carry deep within us. Culture is the living narrative of human existence itself, and this is what I refer to every time I use this term. Think of all the lives that have come before us. Every generation leaves its mark.

Louise Sommer
3 min read


Creative Storytelling that Weaves the Fabric of Connectivity & Life
Stories are the threads that weave the fabric of our identities. They shape our understanding of the world, our place within it, and ...

Louise Sommer
5 min read


From Paris to Tuscany: How Living Fully Fuels Creativity and Authenticity
Life is a journey filled with countless experiences, both joyful and challenging. When we engage deeply with these experiences, embracing them with an open heart and mind, our creativity is not only nurtured but also emancipated. This authentic connection to life allows us to discover our true voices, transforming our existence into a unique adventure far removed from societal norms and expectations. In this blog post, I will explore this fascinating interplay between creativ

Louise Sommer
5 min read


Frida Kahlo, Gabriel García Márquez & Creativity
Creativity transcends surface-level understanding and invites us to dive into a deep, personal exploration of who we are, how we relate...

Louise Sommer
4 min read


Remedios Varo: The Myth of the Muses and the Magical Vision of a Catalan artist
Remedios Varo was a Catalonian-born surrealist painter who found refuge, and creative liberation, in Mexico after fleeing Europe during WWII. Varo was a visionary artist with a background in science, mysticism, alchemy, and metaphysics, and she created otherworldly paintings that feel like dream maps. Varo wasn’t just painting from imagination: she was painting from a mythic state of consciousness. She lived in tune with the muse.

Louise Sommer
3 min read
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