On our last morning in Minneapolis, we woke up to a balmy 48 degrees. This was a welcome reprieve from our first day in Minnesota, which met us with a cold and windy 9 degrees. The dramatic swings in weather allowed us to exercise flexibility and stretch our adaptability muscles.
“Never go on trips with anyone you do not love.”
Ernest Hemingway
Our morning agenda gave time for reflection, wellness, and introspection as we prepared for our synthesis. We checked out of the hotel, played vehicle luggage roulette, and headed to the beautiful Broadhead building one last time, for a final Synthesis Session and goodbye to Minneapolis.
As we arrived at the building, we felt deep gratitude for Broadhead’s generous offer to allow our class to use their office space these past several days. In this space, we tackled challenging social issues, reflected on our experiences, and shared more than a few tears. (Not to mention, enjoyed the incredible custom sparkling flavored water machine!) The top floor of the Broadhead offices allowed us to hear one another, welcome our guest speakers, and engage in a meaningful way with our virtual presenters. The space also allowed the room for breakout sessions and a beautiful balcony for a windy city group photo.
Our class has a well-versed saying – “on time is late and early is on time” – which we all adhere to 99% of the time (and we all LOVE that!). We were ready to roll early and our fearless leaders (the great Dane, DoE, and the fabulous Judy, Programs Manager) shared an overview of the day, with some tips on what to expect as we embarked on our adventure to Washington D.C. The current national environment, being on the verge of the budget crisis and impending shutdown, has provided some additional challenges for scheduling and potential opportunities that require backup options. And yet, our class is confident that the trip will be exactly what it is supposed to be, whether the agenda stays perfectly as is or is adapted another twenty times. We are deeply thankful to the Education Team for their dedication and perseverance with the many challenges they have encountered along the way and their determination to give us the best experience possible.
We had fabulous Presiding Fellows today – Bob, Manny and Kristi – who led our group into a two-hour synthesis time block and – quite frankly – one that many of us thought would be more than ample time. Turns out, the feedback and adjustment that the Ed Team made after learning and needing more time with Class 52’s synthesis last year, was just the perfect timeframe.
We started the morning off with a question:
“Reflecting on our sessions and experiences this week, what one word describing leadership qualities resonated with you?”
We anonymously submitted our responses via a digital QR code poll on Mentimeter. Some of the answers received were words like, “community, adaptability, passion, communication, collaboration, listening, fearlessness, empathy, relationships, authenticity, perseverance, acceptance,” among others. That set the tone for our small group breakouts, where we tackled several questions as prompts for group discussion.
Once we reconvened as a class, one representative from each breakout shared our group consensus. After this, the class took some time to individually share some impactful memories of the previous few days. We love that our group has bonded so much in just the short five months we’ve spent together. Our time “living life” together this past week has further cemented that sentiment and allowed us to go deep in sharing during our synthesis time together.
Fellows spent time considering and pondering their thoughts and feelings; the overall themes of the commentaries have a range, but some definitive melodies certainly rose to the top.
Thoughtful. Somber. Introspective. Seeking. Curious. Uncomfortable. Comfortable. Distracted. Ignorant. Inequality. Lack of Education. Stories. Generational Trauma. Social Injustice.
In reviewing the overarching theme at synthesis, many shared thoughts on Thinking Academically versus Emotionally and what that might look like. Dr Tyner, one of our speakers yesterday, shared a statement that impacted us all saying, “racial injustice is a complex problem that requires a complex solution.” Many fellows, reflecting on their personal lives and finding commonalities between their own lived experiences with those affected by injustice, were deeply moved.
The impact of generational trauma expressed by those we met during our time in Minneapolis was staggering, with one presenter mentioning war trauma can be traced through three generations following the actual conflict. Several fellows acknowledged and expressed gratitude that they came from a place of privilege, having benefited from the hard-working generations that came before them. As a group, we thought spectrally, recognizing that many have not had the same advantages, as their path in life has been constrained by the neighborhood they grew up in, their socio-economic condition, and the color of their skin. We felt empowered to bring these lessons back to our communities and find opportunities to serve others.
Through this program, we are learning the importance of building relationships – of all kinds – and taking meaningful action to make a difference in the lives of others. And yet, as we heard multiple times over since arriving in Sacramento, we cannot make an impact when we don’t understand the issues. As we connected during synthesis, we were reminded of the words Officer Crystal Jones, one of our presenters, shared with us. She commented on how the laws made directly affect the community where they are enforced. Without understanding the community and keeping their needs in mind, the laws made can do more harm than good.
Once our time of reflection together concluded, the group headed to the airport to travel to Washington D.C.
We enjoyed breaking bread together at the airport inside the confines of a peaceful restaurant and our class politely smiled for the MANY photos the blog team requested of them.
Traveling as a large group in Washington D.C. has its challenges, but ultimately, we arrived safe and sound at our hotel.
Upon arrival at Dulles International Airport, we boarded the Metro and made our way to our final hotel in Washington D.C. We grabbed dinner in small groups and shared thoughts, ideas, and expectations of what the week ahead may hold.
And still, the lessons learned in Minneapolis resonate within us: if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.
Until we meet again,
Michelle Paul, Taj Samran, Katie Panici and the members of Class 53
One Response
Am I missing someone. You state 23 friends. Is this a smaller class?