Launched in 2021, the Navigating Change initiative was developed by Aurora Commons and Change Elemental in partnership with the Ford Foundation’s Civic Engagement and Government program to explore how groups in the civic engagement field are building organizations that both advance and embody equitable democracy. The initiative convened nearly 200 civic engagement and democracy organizations who are already experimenting with ways to transform their organizations and their work, and who sought resourcing to deepen the mutual learning about what is working to advance change. Through this mutual learning, they aimed to build the relationships necessary for interdependent transformation that embodies an equitable, democratic future in the present moment and for the long haul.
In media projects, ten Content Fellows share their particular experiences and lessons learned with navigating changes they believe are necessary for equitable, democratic organizations who are embodying the future they’d like to see. Here we feature three pieces that uplift learnings about nurturing leadership structures for co-governance and shared power and catalyzing leadership transitions that create the conditions that support executives of color to advance their visions and thrive.
Fabienne Doucet, PhD, Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools – “Reflecting on the Completing Ones” is a summary of Dr. Doucet’s learnings, collected wisdom, and resources for new EDs and fellow BIPOC leaders navigating transition.
Jennifer Epps-Addison, Former President and Co-Executive Director of the Center for Popular Democracy and CPD Action, Currently at Synergy Power Consulting – “Meeting the Leadership Moment” is a series of virtual fireside chats around what’s needed from executive leadership to meet the moment organizations are facing and to think collaboratively and strategically together toward a liberated future.
Sara Suzuki, CIRCLE @ Tufts University & Stephanie Guirand, Ph.D. Candidate at Goldsmiths, University of London, in the Sociology Department – This collaborative blog post “Making Sense of the Alternative Highway,” explores perspectives on organizational changes viewed as structures vs structurelessness.
We invite you to check out other learnings from the content fellows on aligning operations with values and bridging conflict, and learn more about the Navigating Change Initiative!
