Strategic Conversations
If the last two years have taught us anything, it’s the need for flexibility and adaptability. The more we think we know what’s going to happen, the more wrong we’re likely to be and the only certainty is uncertainty. At times it can be paralyzing, and to keep moving forward, it's even more important than ever to stay connected: to each other, to our purpose, and to what’s happening around us.
This fall our team and board have entered into strategic conversations: series of discussions and dialogues about how our work is connecting and with who and what that means for our organization going forward. We’re thinking about what it means to be an anti-racist organization, how we can share our stories in better ways, what it looks like to work with diverse communities, and how to keep youth at the center of our work. They’re not easy conversations, but they are important and bringing forward some rich insights and priorities for us as a team.
Different than past years, we're not putting a specific timeline on our priorities – we’ve seen that the world can change in a heartbeat, and that any attempt at trying to predict exactly how things will come about its nothing more than a guess. Instead, aligned with Emergent Strategy, we’re committing to continue to check back in on our priorities on a regular basis, keep the conversations going and stay connected to what’s happening around us and how it influences our work.
Staying connected to the patterns, communities, youth and partners who drive our work, has also not been as easy for the last little while. Despite our best efforts, and things beginning to re-open, its easy to still sometimes we feel isolated and disconnected. We are impatient for the time when screens and distancing are not the primary modes of communication. It is more important than ever to push outside of our comfort zones and invite others into the discussion for more diverse perspectives, deeper learning and broader connections. We want to open these conversations, to be engaging and reflective of what is happening and needed in community.
We hope that these on-going conversations will create important opportunities to connect on deeper levels and continue learning with you, and everyone in our communities about the importance of centering youth. If you are interested in learning more or joining in on the conversations, please let us know, you are always welcome.