Notice, Price, Choose: Using Your Position to Act When Someone Else Can’t Afford To with Dr. Marika Barto

Connect. Learn. Expand. 🧠⚡

Welcome to The Second Saturday Brain Trust—a monthly morning gathering designed to spark deep conversation, foster community, and introduce you to fascinating ideas right here in Olympia.

Hosted by Bespoke Olympia at the beautiful Harbor House, these sessions bring together local experts, passionate visionaries, and curious minds. We dive into a different topic each month, led by incredible speakers who are living their truth and sharing their expertise. Whether you’re looking to expand your personal growth, learn a new perspective, or simply connect with an incredible community of local neighbors, there is a seat at the table for you.

🧠⚡Session 3: notice, price, choose. using your position to act when someone else can't afford to

Featuring Dr. Marika Barto

We often assume that shared identity means shared experience, but even within a room that looks alike on the surface, lived realities diverge in ways we rarely name out loud.

This 3-hour session moves beyond theory to equip you with a tangible framework you can carry into your workplace, community spaces, or wherever you hold situational power.

Facilitated by Dr. Marika Barto, this workshop introduces “Notice, Price, Choose”:

1. Notice when someone else has less power than you to survive speaking up or taking the hit.
2. Price the situation honestly—naming what taking action will actually cost you.
3. Choose deliberately and with integrity, rather than reacting out of habit, reflex, or discomfort.

Through an opening gallery walk (“Same room, different view”), personal identity mapping, and guided practice through realistic workplace, civic, and community scenarios, you'll walk away having practiced the decision before you're in the hot seat.

Session Flow

• Arrival & Community Agreements
• Gallery Walk: “Same room, different view”
• Personal & Social Identity Mapping
• Guided Exercise & Structural Privilege Framing
• Break
• The "Notice, Price, Choose" Model
• Applied Scenario Practice & Closing

Meet Your Presenter: Dr. Marika Barto (she/her)

“This is not your typical headshot or your typical bio, and that’s intentional—because nothing about me is typical.”

I’m Marika Barto (she/her), the Chief Equity Officer for the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems. I have served the state of Washington for over 13 years. I am an Army brat and an atypical Air Force vet (I was active duty at the US Air Force Academy and left in my senior year - see, I told you, not the typical veteran story). 

I recently earned my PhD in Education for Social Justice at the University of San Diego. Prior to working for the state, I was a public-school teacher and assistant principal in New Orleans, LA, teaching high school math and science. I love working as a public servant and while not supporting others, I can be found doing all the things with my wife, enjoying time with friends, or putting together a puzzle.

Event Logistics

• Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026 (3rd Saturday)
• Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Doors open at 8:45 AM)
• Location: Harbor House, Olympia, WA
• What to Bring: A journal or notebook, a pen, and an open, curious mindset. All workbook materials are provided.

What’s Included in Your Ticket:

We believe in creating a beautifully curated, high-value experience for every attendee. Your $55 investment completely covers:

• Expert Guidance: Fair compensation for Marika as she shares her incredible wisdom and time with us.
• The Experience: Your reserved seat at the waterfront Harbor House, along with delicious local pastries, fresh morning coffee, and custom workshop materials designed specifically for this session.
• Supporting Local: A portion of every ticket goes directly toward supporting Bespoke Olympia (a homegrown, woman-owned business), allowing us to keep creating intentional spaces for local connection and growth.

Space is intentionally limited to maintain an intimate, conversational atmosphere. Secure your seat at the table today!