Convenings

Past Learning Exchange Reports:
Los Angeles, November 15–17, 2002

Getting Grounded

“The Other L.A. Tour” offered by SPARC!
This was an optional tour led by SPARC and visited approximately 15 murals in several L.A. neighborhoods, including East L.A., Chinatown, Skid Row, and Downtown. The group stopped afterward for dinner at El Meracado.

Opening Session
Pam Korza (PK), Barbara Schaffer Bacon (BSB), and Andrea Assaf (AA): Introductions to Learning Exchange participants, the program, and the diversity and dialogue thread.

Metaphor-Making Activity led by Judy Baca (JB): Write two moments of epiphany on your post-it notes. May be metaphoric (that would be great!), but they don’t have to be. These become metaphors even if they’re not metaphors at the moment. Statements are anonymous. Write “I learned…” As soon as you have one, raise your hand.  We’ll pick them up and post them on a wall. Once on the wall, people will be invited to come up and look at notes and categorize them. People will be asked to work together in categorizing by identifying affinities between the pieces. Categories will each be assigned a title. 

Categories were:

• Art as a revelation
• Realization of life’s mission
• School
• Music as a transformative experience
• Out of adversity
• Social change
• Community building
• Power of one
• Recognition of self in other
• Making assumptions

People were asked to move into groups by category with which they most identified or had an interest. Each group was given time to move into its own space and use the category as a topic or starting point for introducing themselves to each other, integrating the comments on the notes into the conversation. The group then reconvened and shared creative presentations of their topics and discussions.

Grounding Principles
AA: We need to lay out some grounding principles that can guide us over the course of the weekend. Some things came forward from the Story Circles. I heard:

• Listen—just listen
• Have trust in overcoming your own fear
• Listen for commonality or connection
• Appreciate what it takes for someone to tell their story
• David Campt (DC): What are some grounding principles (not rules) that we should add?

Group offered the following:

• Speak from your own experience
• Don’t edit yourself—we’re in a safe environment.
• Edit yourself: Be conscious of who is participating, and who’s not
• Keep your sense of humor
• Risk showing yourself fully
• Feel free to ask honest questions

Q: How important is critiquing each other and disagreeing?

Michael Rohd: I’m more interested in word challenge than critique.

• Be open to respectful challenges
• Feel that there isn’t necessarily one answer—often many truths
• Sometimes there’s no answer
• Engage authentically
• Assume goodwill and good faith
• If arguing: give the best interpretation to everything people say
• Take the long view; be mindful of tomorrow
• Circles are better than ranks
• Equity in time is important
• Silence is ok
• Take fresh air and food breaks
• DC: These are touchstones that we can use to check ourselves and make sure that we are bringing our best to the group.

Q: What are we going to do with these ground rules? Because right now they just sound like platitudes.

BSB: Introduction to the Difficult Moments Team. We have created a “Difficult Moments Team” to constantly watch the interaction and take responsibility for helping to get through any tough moments. No one has the power to intervene alone. If something needs to be addressed, two people on the team have to agree stop the discussion, and can make a proposal to the group about what to do next. It isn't okay if people aren't cared for, or if we don't find outlets for discussing our difficulties. If anyone feels uncomfortable with something that has happened during the convening, or feels an issue needs to be addressed, please talk with one of the members of the team.

The Difficult Moments Team members for this convening are: David Campt, Lisa Chice, Abel Lopez.