CIWO hosted our 6th annual Build the Bench convening virtually on July 28-29, 2020. The convening brought together leaders from 20+ worker centers and community organizing networks from across the economic and racial justice movement to share their successes and challenges with supportive peers in this critical moment. Participants were all in to create community with each other – strong commitment to racial and economic justice poured through the digital dimensions. BTB veterans and new participants stepped up to lead sessions and discussions with an impressive depth of honesty, vulnerability, and mutual respect that bridged the physical distance.
Sessions included:
- Building Team Resilience & Re-imagining Productivity
- Leading in Complexity & Disruption
- Exploring Habits of White Supremacy Culture in Ourselves and Our Organizations
- Racial Equity and Justice Values in Practice Within Our Organizational Structures and Operations
- Peer Coaching
"Disruption is an opportunity to create openness… If you’re not failing you’re not playing big enough…” – Robin Katcher, BTB Facilitator
Feedback from the sessions have been overwhelmingly positive and reinforces how necessary these peer spaces are for participants to recharge, grow, and build their leadership in connection with others in similar positions across the movement. Thank you to the amazing leaders who took this time to gather virtually and share their experience with us to strengthen their own leadership and our movement.
We're continuing our virtual BTB connection with peer-led webinar sessions in September and December 2020.
