by Kate Runyon
Viewpoint
The 2007 Creating Change Conference is almost here! Hopefully as you read this you have already registered for the conference, made your hotel reservations and are getting as excited as I am! I am jittery with the anticipation of having this many activists gather in our home state; in awe of the work we have done in preparation; reveling in the relationships that have been built in the process; and hopeful for what our state can do once Creating Change has come and gone.
For me, and hopefully for many of you, Creating Change isn't just about the many fantastic things we will learn and people we will meet Feb. 6 – 10. It is about what we will do with the things we learn and how we will continue to reach out to and work with the people that we meet.
When I was a consultant doing non-violent dialogue trainings I would often use the analogy of unfolding a fist, finger by finger, until you have an outstretched hand. I would use this analogy especially in cases of reminding people to be open and remembering to reach out to different people than they usually would. The Conference offers us many opportunities for this, so I would like to share the "fist unfolding" process with you (this will require you physically going through the process, so get ready). As you attend the conference and plan to take home and use what you have learned, keep these five points in mind:
(Ok, hold up your fist.)
1: (Stick out your thumb.) In our movement, who is really thriving and leading us to the next level of liberation, equality and protection? Who are the people and who are the organizations? As you look for these guiding lights, give them a thumbs up! Encouraging each other is so important!
2: (Unfold your first finger.) Who in our movement do you want to get to know? Who can you learn from? Who stands out to you as someone that may be able to help you grow and learn? Who do you point to from across the room and ask, "Who is that?" Go and meet this person, exchange your information and begin building a relationship to encourage your own learning!
3: (Unfold your second finger.) Do you notice a certain person or group that triggers you in a negative way? Have you given yourself (and the other person) the chance to re-evaluate why this happens? Perhaps a moment to reflect on the root of your reaction would be helpful? Is now an appropriate time to stretch beyond these old patterns, release the need to focus on negative thoughts, and step through to begin building a new bridge?
4: (Unfold your third finger.) Given the opportunity, who in the movement would you like to be in a stronger union with? Is this a member of a like-minded group in another part of the country to share ideas with, or a part of the movement from your home area to enrich the work you are doing by engaging in deeper collaboration? Reach out to a group or specific person with whom you can share, reciprocally, to add richness to the work that you are both doing.
5: (Unfold your fourth finger.) From your perspective, who appears to be on the edge of your awareness in the movement? Is this someone of a different age, race, gender identity or expression than you? How can you engage in a genuine way with people living in very different realities than your own? Do your best to get to know someone completely out of your personal comfort zone.
Now, with your hand outstretched, go out and meet people! Meet all kinds of people, from all different walks of life. And after the conference, I hope that we will bring a revived sense of collaborative work to Michigan LGBT and allied people, that our groups will reach out to each other and work together as never before, and that we as a state will reach out to work with and learn with groups from around the country and the world. See you at the 2007 Creating Change Conference!
