Potent Quotable (September 2026)

Essays
Written By Nathan Box

“This is capitalism’s constant urban conundrum: what makes cities profitable is inherently at odds with the needs of the poor and middles classes (who are needed for a city to function), and centrally located land has inherent value if it can be made amenable to the rich.” - Peter Moskowitz

“Though the governments of Sweden, Hong Kong, and Germany are by no means anticapitalist, they have accepted a truth that few in the United States are willing to grapple with: unregulated capitalism cannot provide a complete solution to the housing question.” -Peter Moskowitz

“The gentrification mentality is rooted in the belief that obedience to consumer identity over recognition of lived experience is actually normal, neutral, and value free.” -Sarah Schulman

“We all have our own private cities within us, and how we conceive of them translates into how those cities operate.” -Peter Moskowitz

Be good to each other,

Nathan

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Nathan Box
Hello! My name is Nathan. I've always believed I would meet that special someone in one of two places; either a record store or a book store. Maybe I need to amend? I moved to Seattle in February of 2011 from Oklahoma City (Try and not hold the Sonics/Thunder thing against me). I knew I wanted to work for a nonprofit and go to grad school. Within a couple of months, I was doing both. During the day, I work as a Fund Developer and Community Relations Manager for a nonprofit in Kent and at night I try to stay as busy as possible volunteering, trying new restaurants, finding hidden bars and exploring Seattle. The past few years has been both terrifying and exhilarating. I have done things on my own I didn’t think were within my capability. I love being outdoors. On any given weekend, I can be found hiking, on a road trip, volunteering, at a museum, seeing a movie (I see a lot of them). I am passionate about nonprofit work. I feel called to leave a mark on this world. Nothing against those who enjoy making tons of money, I just need to know I am making a difference.
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