Registration is open for the second SV2 immersive learning trip to the US South. Last October, ten SV2 Partners and CEO David Onek took an unforgettable journey with Telos Group to New Orleans, Jackson, Selma, and Montgomery, into the heart of the US racial justice and civil rights movement. We visited key historical sites and met with local advocates and leaders, to deepen our understanding of American history and current realities, especially around race and justice, to then also ask what our role is in fostering equity. Getting proximate is a key SV2 practice and this trip was another step in listening to and learning from multiple community voices.
Our country continues to feel ever divided and the challenges overwhelming; though this trip is intensive, and can at times be heavy, we also witness, and experience, much hope, joy and resilience. We leave the trip better informed, inspired and recommitted to equity and to keep pushing for long overdue systemic change. We will meet courageous, visionary leaders and activists who persist despite daunting challenges who give voice to history, facts and figures as well as places. Here are some brief excerpts of the group journal from last year’s experience. I am joined by all trip participants when I say that this was one of the most rewarding, intensive and eye-opening learning experiences I’ve ever had. I hope you will join us!
We will start in New Orleans, which sits at the brackish waters of the Mississippi Delta, where so many threads of the American narrative converge: from the indigenous people uprooted from the lands, colonists escaping persecution elsewhere, to the growth of the brutal slave trade—themes now directly colliding with a rapidly evolving environment. We’ll wind our way through ground zero of the Civil Rights Movement, and in Jackson engage with leaders in the current struggle for equality and equity. We’ll make our way to Selma, diving more deeply into current approaches to confront systemic racism. Finally, we’ll conclude with a series of immersive experiences and conversations in Montgomery, home to the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice which we will also visit.
Our trip will be led and facilitated by Yvonne Holder and Greg Khalil from The Telos Group; you can read more about them on the registration page. The strength of this trip is that Telos has built up ethical, trust-based relationships so that we can learn from and engage with a variety of community leaders, activists, and local change agents. If you’ve been on any of our Get Proximate experiences you will understand what this means and how much it impacts learning.
I will also schedule some pre-trip preparation and learning sessions in August and September for those who register for the trip.
The trip dates are October 14 (New Orleans) – October 21 (Montgomery). Please join us for an information session on Thursday, July 20 from 12 – 1 pm to learn more about this immersive learning trip. This is a Partner-led event and for current SV2 Partners only. Register now to hold your spot; trip size is limited to 20 participants on a first come, first serve basis.
The info session will also be recorded if you are unable to join. Please note that this is a Partner-led event so please direct any questions or inquiries to me and not to staff – desaiparu526@gmail.com.
RSVP