Statement of Support Progress Update
Diving deeper into support for this year’s summer programs has broken open the heart of Journeys for me with new clarity. Seeing the incredible dedication of staff and guides, the trust and vulnerability of participants and their families, and the stewardship of the Board and the wider Journeys’ circle, spiral into being as a newly woven tapestry of heartfelt community.
Even as we celebrate the beauty and balm of connections within the circle, the emergence of authentic community by its nature invites the questions: “Who is left out and why? How do we re-dedicate our work to opening even wider circles?”
Last summer, the Journeys Board committed to action and ongoing communication on its efforts to overcome unconscious bias, racism and other forms of oppression in ourselves and the circles of this organization, while staying grounded in Journeys’ vision and mission. To this end, we want to continue to report progress on our Board Action Plan.
Board Action Plan
Conduct a JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) assessment working with external consultants to discover and reduce barriers to diversifying the Board and staff
Provide opportunities for field staff, administrative staff, committed community members and Board to engage in heartfelt discussions of race, power and privilege and participate in professional anti-oppression training
Partner with connected organizations to improve outreach to marginalized communities
Report progress on this work to stakeholders on a regular basis
Progress on Action Plan
March 2021
Board and Staff engaged in reflection and discussion as part of a multi-session training on Gender Identity and Wholistic Sexuality led by J Mase III. These conversations allowed time to unpack and examine assumptions, structures and language related to gender-identity and sexual orientation in Journeys’ work. Doing so helped us think more deeply about how we hold open the space for young people as they grapple with gender and sexual identity, how we attract and inspire Guides equipped with the experience to mentor them, and how we support families deciding which trips would best serve their youth in this regard.
April 2021
Board and Staff worked with Darcy Ottey and Kruti Parekh from Youth Passageways Education and Consulting Collective, on Transformative Justice and Repair Work. We explored principles of transformative justice in relation to our community’s historic and recent conflicts, with a focus on Journeys’ current processes and practices. These conversations revitalized a commitment to deepen Journeys’ capacity to repair the threads of connection inevitably frayed and torn as we lean into community. We’ve begun immediate work refreshing our conflict resolution processes and exploring an Elder Initiative that would include a non-governing council of elders offering support to Guides, Staff and Board on an as-needed basis.
May 2021
Janis Avery, the former CEO of Treehouse for Kids and a consultant on Social Justice and Equity issues, met with Staff and Board to provide input and resources for reducing barriers to diversity for Journeys’ Board, Staff and Guides. A Board Development Steering Committee was formed to identify, cultivate and recruit Board members who will bring diverse perspectives and experiences, and fill gaps in expertise. Focusing on fostering relationships, the Steering Committee has begun work to identify and reach out to BIPOC, Trans and Queer organizations, and individuals who are currently working in or with wilderness-based, youth service organizations. The goal is to build long-term relationships of mutual support as a foundation for possible recruiting to serve on the Board.
As all this continues to unfold, the passion and creativity of a Journeys’ summer highlights the transformative power of community and further energizes this work. I’ve experienced firsthand the dedication of Staff, Guides and Board to the continued learning and effort required to progress along this path. We’d also like to invite the extended Journeys’ community into this process, beginning with the summer closing ceremony and relaunch of Heart of Journeys gatherings (Saturday, September 4, 2021, 4-8:00pm at Songaia) as we continue to open our circles even wider.
In community,
Brian Bansenauer, Board of Rite of Passage Journeys
