Programs June 3, 2024 We are practitioners with a goal of fostering liberation through belonging and equity in the work of Appreciative Inquiry and related transformational processes. We aim to be a DEI and social justice learning laboratory focused on creating environments where all individuals feel valued, respected, and empowered. Central to our work is recognizing and naming the influences of power and privilege on our appreciative inquiry work and making the invisible visible. Our Commitment We are committed to grounding our conversations in Appreciative Inquiry (AI) practices and frameworks, ensuring that our approach reflects the tools of our trade. By centering our discussions on AI principles, particularly in our work on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), we pledge to use tools and processes that exemplify AI in action. People who engage with us can count on a consistent, strengths-based approach that seeks to inspire positive change and foster collaborative dialogue. We currently do this through three pathways: Staying in Conversation: We engage in conversations around power, privilege, invisibility, and identity. We stay engaged even when topics are difficult. Actioning and Experimentation: We learn from each other and our lived experience, generate ideas, offer feed forward and thought partnership, iterate on what works, and co-create processes that model what we want to see in the world. Leveraging and Creating Learning Resources: We compile and amplify existing resources helpful to understanding this work, as well as document our own group learning, with a goal of providing practical and tangible learning to practitioners interested in bringing this work into their practice. By doing these things we are a space where practitioners can come to “charge their batteries”; access information, insight, and support; and grow and change in their practice. How to Participate To participate, we encourage you to read and be prepared to operate within the container agreements we have set forth (courtesy of Spaciousness Works), as well as review some of the below resources on Appreciative approaches to equity and belonging. SPACIOUSNESS CONTAINER AGREEMENTS FOR DIALOGUE Be Brave Not Perfect Speak From The I Acknowledge The Intent But Own The Impact Assume Best Intentions Listen To Understand Not To Respond (listening outwardly) Be Curious About Your Feelings & Thoughts (listening inwardly) Confidentiality: Non-attribution The Conversation Is the Action Be Okay With Non-closure Be Prepared To Be Surprised RESOURCES Critical Appreciative Inquiry – Social Justice and Appreciative Inquiry, Dr. Joan McArthur-Blair & Dr. Jeanie Cockell Appreciative Inquiry in a Broken World, post by David Cooperrider A Social Justice Organisation Remembers Their Resilience, Tanya Cruz Teller and Marlene Ogawa The AI Practitioner Journal Nov 2022 Issue, Learning and Leveraging Generative Approaches to Intercultural, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion This group meets approximately monthly. Check out our Events Calendar or the registration page (below) to learn about what we will discuss in upcoming conversations and to register to be emailed the zoom link. Register Here
