Throughout October and November, IMPACT’s Racial Equity Network Builder, Yesenia Regalado facilitated discussions on the book Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by adrienne maree brown. The book is considered essential reading by many active in organizing for social justice.
Yesenia facilitated book discussions over five bi-weekly online sessions, which were intentionally designed as drop-in spaces to maximize flexibility and ease of participation (although participants were asked to pre-register). The session topics ranged from decentralized leadership to meaningful collaboration, from transformative justice to the power of collective ideation.
Group size was intentionally kept small to allow room for as many voices as possible during the discussions.
Here’s a sampling of what participants had to say about their book group experience:
What drew you to participate in the Emergent Strategy book group?
“I participate in IMPACT to help me continue to grow and explore my role and responsibility striving for a community that is strong because it has full access and equity for all. I have owned the book Emergent Strategy for years, and had read it, but reading it with others within IMPACT allowed me to access the writings in a new, deeper way.” —Becky Sherblom
What did you appreciate most about the book group space?
“It was … so important that Yesenia framed it as a space to come to even if we did not read the full text. That sense of safety and welcome was an important aspect of the whole experience. It allowed all of us to show up as ourselves and open ourselves to what each of us brought to the space ̶ aligned with a core principle ‘there is a conversation in the room that only these people at this moment can have. Find it.'” —Mary Hart
What was your biggest takeaway from your participation?
“adrienne maree brown’s writing is refreshing and in some ways familiar. brown’s principles of emergent strategy resonate with how I think about the growth and healing of individuals and groups. These conversations and brown’s work moved me off center to where I like to be: one foot on the ground, the rest flying and trying to find the next place to land. brown says that ‘what you pay attention to grows.’ This is a profound statement that points to a way to sustain our work and one another.” —Naomi Nim
