2042 TODAY: YOUNG LEADERS RE-IMAGINING CONSERVATION with Marcelo Bonta and Queta Gonzalez of Center for Diversity and the Environment and Carolyn Finney and Ginny McGinn of Center for Whole Communities
JULY 28 – AUGUST 3, 2012 Knoll Farm, Fayston, Vermont From July 28 – August 3, 2012, Center for Whole Communities and Center for Diversity and the Environment will bring together 20 leaders within the national conservation movement under the age of 35 to spend seven days at Knoll Farm, a working farm and learning center in Vermont’s Mad River Valley. This retreat will explore how we diversify and shape the conservation movement to ally with and learn from other movements for change. We will explore the shift in leadership required to build a more resilient movement. The broad purpose of the 2042 Today retreat is to significantly strengthen the conservation movement in this country by: STRENGTHENING LEADERS: Providing individual support to leaders endeavoring to change their organizations and spheres of influence Deepening equity, diversity, and inclusion knowledge and skills, as they apply to the conservation movement STRENGTHENING NETWORKS: Establishing a vibrant and diverse network of peer leaders who can support and learn from one another Building collective understanding and awareness of historical context and diverse approaches to conservation Introducing new definitions and measures of success that foster greater collaboration and link social and environmental objectives STRENGTHENING CONSERVATION: Creating a deeper understanding of the nation’s changing demographics which have already begun to impact the effectiveness and relevancy of all forms of conservation Establishing a process for shared visioning and the development of a more compelling public narrative for the future of conservation
The challenge we address Center for Diversity and the Environment (CDE) and Center for Whole Communities (CWC) have partnered to develop an innovative leadership development program for young conservation leaders (35 and under) from all backgrounds and sectors to strengthen our collective work. Our work springs from the belief that the environmental and the social are inextricable – that no action intended to benefit the land, whether wilderness designation, land conservation, or biodiversity preservation, will succeed in the face of a suffering humanity. Nor will any project to alleviate human suffering ultimately succeed on a damaged or poisoned land. This collaborative retreat will offer the opportunity for those of us working toward wholeness in our communities to come together, create a safe space for dialogue, nurture our deepest wisdom, and begin to build meaningful bridges as we re-weave our world – for ourselves, our communities, and the land itself.
Bringing together diverse perspectives 2042 retreats allow diverse people to come together and hear one another’s stories while working through the contradictions and holding the tensions that are created by divides. While attention is paid to the challenges created by divides, we focus equally on the bonds that hold us together. We aspire to help build a shared vision for an emerging future that depends on us. We strive to ensure that each retreat’s faculty members and participants reflect the true diversity of those working in careers connected to land and community in America, whether that diversity is cultural, racial, professional or otherwise. We recognize that our capacity to learn and innovate together depends entirely on the trust that we build and the diversity of people who come to our retreats. In terms of racial and ethnic diversity, we work to ensure that at least one half of each retreat’s participants are people of color. Individual participants are never expected to “represent” a group, whether that group is the organization for which they work, the ethnic group with which they identify, a community in which they reside, or even a religion in which they practice. While attention is paid to the challenges created by divides, we focus equally on the bonds that hold us together. We aspire to help build a shared vision for an emerging future that depends on us.
The retreat experience The 2042 Today Retreat is 7days long and brings together around 20 individuals who work in a broad range of conservation fields, from urban and rural land conservation to agriculture and education. Communication during the retreat will be enriched by facilitated conversations, and by the leadership of Marcelo Bonta and Carolyn Finney along with other CDE and CWC faculty and staff. We spend part of each day renewing our ability to listen and respond deeply. We learn from one another as we spend formal and informal time, engaging in dialogue, sharing meals, carving spoons, and sharing time on the land and by the pond. The retreat provides participants with a time and place for sanctuary, to be creative, to nurture intuition, and to be in community. Nearly everyone leaves with renewed commitment and clarity about their shared values and fundamental purpose along with new personal and professional relationships.
2042 TODAY: FELLOWSHIP COMMITMENT As you consider the fellowship being offered to you, we ask you to review the following details to help inform your decision. Fellowship Conditions Committing to a Retreat: The retreat is a gift to you made possible by Center for Whole Communities, Center for Diversity and the Environment, and our many funders and alumni. It is up to you alone to accept this gift fully. We ask you to take seriously your commitment if you accept this invitation. If you cannot attend the retreat after accepting the fellowship, please notify us immediately so that we can offer your place to someone on the waitlist. Please be aware that if you cancel after June 1, your cancellation usually means that no one will have the opportunity to receive the fellowship spot that’s been offered to you. Attendance: We want you to be able to immerse yourself totally in the retreat experience, so we ask that you commit to coming for the entire duration of the retreat; anything less would be disruptive to you and to other participants. We recognize how hard it may be to leave work and family for seven days. However, we have come to realize that by committing for this period of time, participants are able to fully engage with the content and place. In accepting this fellowship, we expect you to attend for the full duration of the retreat. Costs: Thanks to several national and regional foundations, program alumni and generous individuals, we offer tuition-free fellowships to all who attend these retreats. We will cover all onsite costs of the retreat, including food, lodging and programming. We respectfully ask you to cover your transportation to and from Knoll Farm. Travel Stipends: A limited number of stipends are reserved for participants who are unable, through personal contribution or organizational assistance, to cover their transportation costs. Please contact Tatek Assefa with any questions related to travel assistance by April 30. Exploring Power and Privilege: Because our objective is to explore the many issues that hinder our ability to develop and sustain whole communities, what most notably emerges are issues of difference and/or oppression. During your retreat, the very real, too-seldom-explored, and deeply rooted issues of power and privilege in their many forms, but especially related to race and ethnicity, may take center stage at times. By addressing these issues openly and beginning to un-do them, participants develop the capacity to understand each other and connect more authentically. Group Process: Central to every group’s capacity to innovate and transform is time to play, time to express personal creativity, time to experience the poetry of the land, and time to better understand how all of these forces affect the tactics and strategies of our professional lives. We expect you to be willing and open to engaging in group process. Unplug: Our sincere intention is to provide the atmosphere and conditions for you to fully immerse yourself in this experience. To make this possible, we ask you to come to the retreat prepared to be unplugged from your cell phone, computer, and other devices. We recognize that the important work you are doing in the world and in your community, and the responsibilities of home and family, can make this challenging. Rest assured that Knoll Farm has communication capabilities available to you if needed, and urgent messages from family and co-workers can be relayed.
Physical Environment at Knoll Farm Location: Each retreat takes place at Knoll Farm, a working farm that overlooks the Mad River Valley. We are located in Fayston, which is near Waitsfield, Vermont. Accessibility: Knoll Farm is perched on a hillside and we spend a fair portion each day outdoors and walking up and down hills. The distance from one end of the campus to the other is about half a mile, up or downhill. We do provide rides up and down the hill by way of an electric buggy, but it is necessary to be comfortable and able to walk on uneven ground. Our website provides photos of the terrain (www.wholecommunities.org). If you have any questions or concerns about the physical experience, please contact Tatek. Lodging: Many participants breathe a sigh of relief when they get to Knoll Farm and realize that the tent cabins are not the tents they were expecting: think along the lines of luxury camping. Participants sleep on single or double futon beds, in either single or double occupancy tents or yurts. We will ask if you would prefer to share a tent before you come. Our solar bathhouse has indoor changing rooms, private outdoor showers, hot water, and flush toilets. If you have any hesitations regarding our accommodations feel free to contact Tatek. Food: Delicious and wholesome family-style meals are provided, prepared from produce grown here and at other local farms. Our shared meals are a meaningful part of the experience, and we eat in a historic timberframed barn in the center of the farmstead. Specific dietary needs (such as allergies, gluten-free, vegan, or vegetarian) can be cared for, provided we are informed in advance through our confirmation surveys. Getting to Knoll Farm: Center for Whole Communities is located about one hour from Burlington, Vermont, which is served by most major airlines. We will send more detailed travel instructions after you have registered and we confirm your place in a retreat. Communicating your Needs: We strive to make your time here comfortable, and we can accommodate most needs. In the months and weeks leading up to your retreat, we will be asking you about your specific needs and preferences over email and through online surveys. We ask, therefore, that your commitment to this fellowship include a good faith effort to communicate your needs – physical, dietary and otherwise – to our staff. Our ability to care for your safety, well-being and comfort depends on this.
Your presence at a 2012 Retreat would add tremendous value to this program, and to this network of leaders. We sincerely hope that you will accept this fellowship! To Accept or Decline this Invitation: Please fill out the Fellowship Response Form at www.surveymonkey.com/s/2042TodayResponse2012 or contact Tatek Assefa, Program Coordinator, at (802) 496-5690 or tatek@wholecommunities.org.