A Message from Lena Soots
September has always been a time of fresh start, new energy and excitement for me. It is hard to believe that it is back-to-school season already… and it goes without saying that this year feels very, very different. Despite all the challenges we continue to face, I am eager to share some new and exciting initiatives for the Trico Changemakers Studio.
MRU is set to begin a semester of online learning. With continued limited access to campus, the Trico Changemakers Studio space will remain closed and the Studio team will continue to work remotely for the fall semester. At this time, we will be suspending all of our community memberships and co-working activities. Although this feels like a significant loss, we are embracing the systems-change process of ‘creative destruction’ to make room for new and emerging opportunities for changemaking.
Although we are letting go of the co-working concept as it once was, we are already reimagining what a post-pandemic community hub of changemaking will look like on campus. We are excited by the possibilities and look forward to sharing our future thinking with you.
Here are some of the new initiatives we are launching and leading this fall:
ANITOPISI LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
With generous support from the Calgary Foundation, we will be launching the Anitopisi Leadership program this year. As part of our commitment to reconciliation in action and providing transformative learning experiences for students, the Anitopisi Leadership Program is situated at the intersection of reconciliation and changemaking. With a focus on building a web of Right Relations, Anitopisi is a two year pilot program that will launch in October 2020 and will welcome the first student cohort in January 2021. Each annual cohort will consist of four MRU students (Indigenous and non-Indigenous) from across campus who will learn through ceremony, research, storytelling, Elders, workshops, and more. The Anitopisi Leadership Program is led by Latasha Calf Robe.
ARTIST AS CHANGEMAKER YEAR 3
We are moving into our third year of the Artist as Changemaker project in partnership with Calgary Arts Development (CADA). Deepening our exploration of the role of artists as agents of social change, this collaborative project will continue to engage a cohort of local artists in addressing complex social challenges. We are in the process of reimagining what this program will look like in the context of COVID-19 and are looking forward to engaging our cohort of creative artists in this process. Sally Njoroge will continue her amazing work as the Coordinator of the Artist as Changemaker project.
SOCIAL INNOVATION LABS
We have experienced increased demand for our social impact facilitation services as more and more organizations, businesses and communities grapple with complex systems change. Our diverse and creative team of facilitators, designers, researchers, and students are working with organizations and multi-stakeholders collaboratives to understand and address complex social issues. We have a few community partnerships in development and will be announcing the launch of new labs in the coming months.
CHANGEMAKER CONVERSATION SERIES
One of the things we have learned over the past 6 months is that creating and holding space for courageous and meaningful conversations is important - now more than ever. Our weekly community zoom calls will be evolving into a Changemaker Conversation Series, bringing changemakers from across campus and the Calgary community into a shared space of generative dialogue, shared learning, exploration and connection. We will launch the fall conversation series at the beginning of October. Stay tuned.
We invite you to stay connected with us on social media and check our website for updates.
#changehappenstogether
Be well. Take care.
Lena.