& imagine - about the project
When we engage the imagination with intention, we remember ourselves and each other.
& imagine is a partnership initiative rooted in storytelling and creative practice. We design experiences that restore the imagination as a vital capacity — one that fuels lasting personal fulfillment, rich connections and community-building, and bold narratives that can transform individual lives and entire societies.
Why imagination matters
In a world shaped by speed, control, and exploitation, it can seem like there is no time to consider the imagination. Even the word can sound soft and unserious.
Who has time for imagination when there are more important things to consider?
Eventually, we are trained to believe that an unjust and uninspired reality is simply “the way it is,” because “this is how it’s always been.” The imagination becomes vulnerable — it wanes, and atrophies.
This is not incidental. Rather, it is a central feature of oppressive systems.
If the goal is liberation, then attention to the imagination is fundamental and profound work.
And just as importantly: returning to the imagination is fun and freeing.
& imagine was founded with a firm belief in the power of the imagination to spark inspiration, bring people together, and bring about more marvelous and joyful possible worlds.
Imagination is the thing that allows us to resist domination, feel into the past and future, and construct societies that work for everyone.
& imagine - about the founder
Héctor Ramírez is an experienced writer, editor, educator, facilitator, and leadership coach based in Southern California. He has co-edited two anthologies of poetry, and his prose, poetry, and criticism has appeared in American Book Review, Apogee, LIT, Muzzle Magazine, The Poetry Foundation, and elsewhere. With a BA in Literary Arts from Brown University and an MFA in Fiction from CU Boulder, Héctor draws from his deep storytelling roots to help bring about transformative experiences in all of the spaces he holds.
For the last ten years, Héctor has dedicated himself to designing and innovating experiences that advance equity, inclusion, and belonging. His recent strategy and culture work in the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors has allowed him to hone his craft and weave his creative and consulting experiences together. He is passionate about helping people tap into their innate storytelling power, and is eager to partner with anyone who is interested in designing for inspiring & liberatory encounters with the imagination.
& imagine - our values
Surprise & Wonder
Our engagements are rooted in creativity and play, which means letting go of the illusion that we will know precisely where we’ll end up and how we’ll feel when we get there. We aim for experiences that elicit the thrill of feeling surprised by our own imaginative capacities, and a sense of limitless wonder and possibility.
Creative Expression & Restoration
Creative writing is the primary method of our work, and we start by reminding that we are all storytellers. The goal is not perfection, but rather the healthy exercise of our storytelling muscles. Creative expression can unlock bold new pathways forward, and is also a vital form of restoration when we’re feeling burnt out and uninspired.
Lineage & Memory Preservation
The work of engaging the imagination is more than just chasing innovation and ushering new visions into reality: it’s about remembering deep parts of ourselves and our ancestry, and honoring our creative lineages. In this way, imagination is a core element of our individual and collective resilience.
Experiential & Imaginative Learning
Our work often takes the form of hands-on learning — we may grapple with unfamiliar texts and creative forms to produce new expressions of reading and writing. This means that the emergent pedagogy of & imagine has to do with listening to what experience and context teaches, rather than imposing ways of reading and knowing.