“We are exactly who we need.” This is a commonly used phrase around NEW these days, and I completely understand why. Coming to NEW burned out and feeling alone, I have experienced healing and daily inspiration from my connections with those in NEW’s Learning Communities. The NEW community is full of people and organizations with unique gifts and talents. This is a love letter to anyone who has ever participated in one of our Learning Communities, and a commitment to take our alum engagement to the next level in the year(s) to come.
NEW’s Learning Communities are spaces for leaders across Southeast Michigan to engage in cohort-based personal transformation and community building. We work hard to create a place where our peers can find camaraderie, strength, and inspiration. Within each cohort, leaders nurture depthful relationships and experiment with new approaches, with the ultimate goal of building collective power (and we have a little fun along the way, of course). This community is not just about shared struggles but also shared triumphs, learning, and growth. It’s about creating a space where we can be our authentic selves and work together towards a common goal.
So many of you have been a part of a Learning Community here at NEW:
- Leadership Deli – three hundred ninety-nine (399) leaders across twelve (12) cohorts
- Champions for Change – one hundred eighty-nine (189) leaders across five (5) cohorts
- Road to Resilience – sixty-two (62) leaders across four (4) cohorts
That’s six hundred fifty (650) leaders total. Feel the weight of that. Each person, with their multiplicity of identities, has their unique perspective of our world. Imagine the opportunities for collaboration and the power of this network. Consider the strength and reach of this many voices striving to create cultures of belonging and liberation in organizations across Southeast Michigan.
Our next step and responsibility at NEW is to catalyze this vibrant network of leaders into a thriving ecosystem. And that means creating spaces for alum across cohorts to get together and explore possibilities through sustained connection. To be clear, alum engagement doesn’t mean a twice a year phone call from someone asking only for donations (looking at you, University of Michigan). When we think about alum engagement here at NEW, we have in mind longstanding partnerships, catalyzing social change, and building regenerative ecosystems.
How are we going to do this? Through shared spaces and consistent points of connection between alum, both online and in person. We’re trying things like email groups and online platforms for folks to share gatherings and opportunities, and ask for support and advice, too. We also plan to experiment with alum-led in person and virtual gatherings for Champions for Change and Leadership Deli at least once a month. In the past, we’ve organized one (1) in person alum gathering annually. By meeting more regularly, we hope these gatherings will spread the wisdom and knowledge that exists already in our community and join theory with lived experience. Co-created with alums and driven by their feedback, there will be a range of activities like potlucks, happy hours, and pop up workshops. We recognize that alum have their own skills and practices that they might want to share with their peers and incoming cohort. Maybe an alum could lead a taiko drumming workshop, a yoga class, or bird watching nature walk. We’re staying open to any experiences that will build connections, and I eagerly await the myriad of creativity and collaboration that will emerge!
We’re in an election year and a lot feels uncertain right now. It’s an important time to hold each other, conspire for social change, and work towards a shared vision for our future. Though we don’t know exactly how the year will unfurl, at least we know that within our Learning Communities here at NEW, we are exactly who we need.
With love and endless gratitude,
Carly Friedrich