In this second blog post, which is part of the Learning Journeys multi-media kit, we dive deeper into what it means to be in relationships that simultaneously honour unique, individual strengths, and magnify the value of collective creation. In a reflective and amicable conversation, our guests Andrea Solnes (Learning Journeys Lead) and Lidiane Baretta (Immigrant Women Advisory Committee, IWAC, Member) share the processes and lessons of a strengths-based approach in project development. Podcast host and fellow IWAC member, Tina Balachandran, invites us all to pay attention to the gems that our guests offer about what is required for each of us to be compasses for one another, and most importantly, what it means to build human-centred projects in the face of uncertainty and constant emergence.
Lidiane takes us on a journey through vast and open landscapes, as she describes the ebbs and flows of cultivating trust, communicating effectively despite language differences, forming lasting friendships, and finding confidence and courage in leadership. As a newcomer and member of IWAC, Lidiane was at first nervous about the idea of working alongside service providers, community partners, and other newcomer women, to co-design and prototype community projects. As she describes, her initial challenge was finding a voice of her own in the midst of a new culture, community, and ecosystem.
“At first, I thought about giving up … and felt like a baby babbling.” Lidiane
Emergence was scary; emergence felt like moving through difficult terrain, with unpredictable weather, and inadequate gear. At the same time, emergence was a call for creative and collective imagination, where IWAC members had space and an abundance of time to give language to their needs and name their priorities. Learning Journeys, according to Lidiane and Tina, was the balance between these swings of emergence. This two-year journey was the grounding cord that offered IWAC members the opportunity to pause, breathe, and be together; to know that they were not alone in navigating the complexities of settlement, belonging, and finding home within.
In this call to hold space for one another while moving through the unfamiliar terrain of settlement in Canada, Learning Journeys participants and leads shared that they drew their strength and inspiration from the relationships that they formed, which were founded on curiosity, courage, and care. Andrea speaks to her own unfolding; the process of re-imagining what her role was as a lead, releasing her expectations for the project outcomes, and re-strategizing responses to emerging needs. Here, she underscores her call as a lead to “move at the speed of trust,'' and focus on supporting IWAC members to feel confident in sharing their perspectives, show up as leaders, and work alongside one another to design and test project ideas that catered to their communities’ greatest needs. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Andrea recalls the ambition that IWAC members showed in continuing with their projects, as they picked up the baton when service providers and community partners stepped away from Learning Journeys due to increased workloads. For Andrea, these past two years have been a call to remembrance; a reminder that relationships which are well-tended and nourished are the birthplace of generative, care-centred, and transformative creations.
As we close this reflection piece, and orient ourselves to continue the meaningful projects whose seedlings have been tended to over the past two-years, we honour the lessons of our winding paths. As leads, IWAC members, service providers, and community partners engaged in Learning Journeys, developing reciprocal and respectful relationships has been a call to bravery. Many times over we realized that we did not have all the answers, and could never prepare for all uncertainties. It was in these moments, when courage called out and we amplified each other’s voices in response. We showed up in the face of unpredictability and daunting tasks - and sometimes, we forgot our strength and resilience. Yet, through dedication to trust, radical re-definition of what connection feels like, patient communication beyond the confines of language, and firm belief in the strength of our interdependence, we co-designed spaces and systems that honoured our highest priorities, and centered our capacity to be leaders in our own right.
Written by: Njoki Mbũrũ (she/her)
Date: March 16, 2021
Podcast source: https://learningjourneys.wixsite.com/learningjourneys
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