RoadMap

Practicing Liberation (with Brigette Rouson + Clay Smith) Tactics for remaining resilient yet grounded during challenging times.

Let's talk about fostering connection through capacity building. We’re not only seeing the power of connection through our intimate network convenings and large-scale webinars—we’re also seeing it through our ongoing work to flank foundations. Consultant?Nijmie Dzurinko?is leading RoadMap’s third cohort in a multiyear partnership with?Ms. Foundation for Women. In providing organizing and training support to grantees, Dzurinko notes that it has been powerful for grantees to see and understand their commonalities as a way to break down feelings of isolation—to help people know that their challenges are not theirs alone and that they don’t have to figure everything out themselves. “There are foundations like Ms. that are intentional about building relationships among folks so they can relate to one another and learn from one another,” said Dzurinko. She shared that it was especially valuable for people to take a break from the headlines immediately following the election and relate to one another during the post-election panel with key Ms. grantee leadership, “Charting the Course Advancing our Advocacy”—in addition to building tactical skills such as organizational dynamics assessment and strategic visioning. Speaking of the headlines: In order to stay grounded during tumultuous times, Dzurinko recommends staying connected to other people, having real conversations about what people are experiencing, and being curious about what’s happening in each other’s lives. “We can’t just focus on the headlines and every single thing that comes across our newsfeed.”

The physical, mental, and emotional impact of the past 5 weeks has been intense. And yet, we are fortified not only by the knowledge that we are surrounded and grounded by legacies and histories of fortitude, resistance, and struggle, but by the evidence of what happens when we come together—whether that’s during smaller convenings of our?network members?or larger events such as our recent Weathering the Storms webinar. Last month, through this webinar we connected with 250 individuals from over 200 organizations across the country to provide guidance on strengthening governance and financial systems, creating a robust crisis management plan, safeguarding from possible infiltration, and more. And it was clear that we need one another more than ever—the Q&A was lively, with many folks voicing that their organizations need support. Attendees also indicated through polling that many organizations are still missing key policies and procedures. There is much work to be done, and we’re incredibly grateful to?The California Endowment?for helping us get key resources and information to so many through their generous support of this webinar. They are a valued partner, not only working with us to provide services to grantees, but also through their support of our general operations, which helps us strengthen and flank movements. Long before and long after this webinar, RoadMap is here to provide holistic capacity building support. If you are an organization that is seeking any number of the range of?services we provide?you can?schedule an intake call with us. If you are a foundation or national organization that would like to make our deep bench of consultants and services available to your grantee or affiliate partners through direct capacity building support, coaching, and/or training please?get in touch.

Let's talk about resilience through liberatory practice. The pillars of our?Theory of Change?are Relationships, Resistance, and Resilience. Through resilience, “We make a contribution that is powerful and transformative of ourselves and our clients while holding each other accountable toward the justice, equity, democracy, and the liberation of a reimagined world.” Consultant Richael Faithful shared a story about conflict transformation that epitomizes resilience through liberatory practice. A nonprofit was struggling with tensions between founders and newer team members that was related to generational assumptions and friction around change. Faithful found that in restarting conversations not around blame but change, the team was able to break down assumptions, de-escalate, and realize that people’s strategies were not that far apart—that they could disagree, but the disagreements didn’t break relationships or stop the work from moving forward. “It can humble people to explore their own egos, go deeper in self reflection, do self work around trauma, and find a way towards connection again. And these challenging things can help build resilience,” notes Faithful. There is no doubt we are amidst deeply challenging times and we are bolstered by Faithful’s observation: “These days it is easier to leave. But for those willing to stay—and for whom that is possible—I have seen beautiful things happen.” If you need additional support in your work on resilience, see our?Practicing Liberation report (link in comments).

We’re so thrilled to share our new website! There are still some ongoing initiatives, but our primary goals were to improve functionality while making clear who we are, what we do, and how deeply we value the work of flanking movement organizations and leaders. https://lnkd.in/etkVm65

WE'RE HIRING! Please see the details at this announcement and share with your networks!

Wondering how to strengthen governance and financial systems, protect your reputation and ensure compliance, and create a robust crisis management plan? Join us for this event tomorrow. We're grateful to The California Endowment, whose support is enabling us to offer this highly demanded event for free.

We have to work together to weather the multiple and intense storms that lie ahead. This means that we need to do everything we can to keep one another, our communities, and our beloved movement organizations safe. Details + registration link for this event in the comments below. And thank you to The California Endowment, whose support is enabling us to offer this highly demanded event for free.

"We know there will be chaos, displacement, and profound threats. Not all of us will survive. These times require us to remain focused, interdependent, and principled in our internal struggles and disagreements with one another. We also have to stay grounded in the histories, legacies, and wisdom of movements and ancestors who came before us. We are the beneficiaries of 'roadmaps' full of struggles waged and won." Click through to read the full reflection on practicing liberation in these times from Executive Director Lisa Weiner-Mahfuz (she/her/hers).

We asked Clay Smith, co-author of RoadMap’s new “Practicing Liberation” report (https://lnkd.in/ermiFcPF), "Is there a nugget of wisdom—from a network member or organization—that stopped you in your tracks? If so, what was it and who shared it?" Here's what he shared: I am inspired by the words of Helen Kim: “Our old system is collapsing, and it’s not clear what will replace it. We have to try new things and learn from our mistakes. We need to create the conditions for robust experiments through this work. We must have a deep commitment to a vision for transformation.”