Reflections from the Road
As my plane takes off, heading for home, I am sitting here reflecting on the incredible experience that was PoCC, 2017. I am in awe of this entire conference, from the number of people present, to the speakers and the workshops, to the sessions. Everything about these past few days has either challenged me, affirmed me, enlightened me, or just made me feel whole. I was chatting with a new friend last night and this person asked me what my favorite or most memorable moment was from the past few days. I had to sit with that for a moment and sift through all the memories that I had made while here and finally settled on this…what was most meaningful for me was the incredible sense of intentionality that surrounded all of the conversations that I found myself in.
It was incredible to be able to start up a conversation with someone who I didn’t know and dive right into a difficult conversation or topic without missing a beat. It was as if we could just sidestep all of the niceties of normal conversation and dive in because each person immediately recognized the intent without question. This was the most meaningful part for me because this is where you can ask the difficult questions and really begin to understand the experience of the other person and begin to do the hard work with that reality. The candid nature with which these conversations evolved was not unique and happened over and over again, throughout the entirety of the three days that I was at PoCC. This conference was made up of 6,000 people who were genuinely there to listen, learn, rededicate, and once they return home, lead. At PoCC, when people come, they come to work, and that collective truth is what allows this conference to be so formative and powerful for people. It’s also the reason why people go back year after year after year. It is an ever-growing family that provides the time and the space for people to let their guards down, to know that they are seen, heard, valued, and loved. Being immersed in this sea of colors, religions, and orientations made me feel more connected to the human spirit than I have been in a long time and for that, I am incredibly grateful.
In the next few days, I will find myself moving from awe and excitement to wonder about how I will use this experience to better myself as a person and as a professional. One thing that we have been focused on within World Leadership School is our definition of diversity and equity and where it fits within our mission to “empower students to find innovative solutions to the world’s pressing problems.” In order for students to be the critical thinkers and problem solvers that we want them to be, they need to feel valued and included. Schools are dedicated to improving the diversity and equity within their walls and their communities, and our goal is to help with that mission. It is our hope that this thread of diversity and inclusion will be seen as woven through all the work that we do with schools and with students.
What I intend to use as my action step after reflecting on my time at PoCC is to continue to develop and define our curriculum around the issues of equity and social justice; to create a framework for our teachers and instructors to help support them as they work with their students, both in the classroom and in the field; and to help these same educators teach their students to create the same inclusive and equitable environment. This work is far from over for all of us, but this conference gives me hope that we are closer than we think. So, in the words of Dr. Anita Sanchez, until next year, my new friends, practice forgiving the unforgivable, lean into unity, believe in the power of healing, hold tight to your hope, and above all else, teach our children well.
— Shayna Cooke, Director of Educator Development, World Leadership School
