First Meeting by Celeste Miller

June 1 we had a first meeting with all the partners.  Heidi from 7 Stages, Rachel from Synchronicity and Dana and Kaycee from Moving in the Spirit.  A lot of information shared, a lot of information to process.  One of the things that struck me was how differently everyone organizes their thinking and what they need as a way to mentally handle the conceptual frame of a project.  Personally, I like a schedule or calendar first so that I can block out TIME.  This allows me to know where I will be when, then I can fill in content.  I know Rachel and I think similarly - this was evident when we did "Women + War".  Heidi thinks in a nexus. All the pieces and their tangents, potentials, intersections.  Kaycee was organized with handout materials (that didn't get distributed, hmmm I need to follow up on that), and I think that these were to give information to provide foundation for understanding, and were solid, something to have in hand. To hold.  To feel solid.  Dana, among other things, wants to assure that we are all transparent, communicating, respecting everyone in the circle - and making sure that we are acknowledging all voices even those not present at the table. I know these women so well, and I love that everyone works differently.  In this particular context, I was able to sit back and feel like I could observe because my role is different.  I am not a collaborator, I am a facilitator to bring the Grinnell team into the mix of these three organizations, who just happen to have some overlapping work together this summer.
To summarize: we each approach a project of this scope with a different inclination of how to start managing the conceptual idea.  Will it be through schedule?  Through the conceptual frame? Through something solid like written information on paper? Through making sure that the moral values and tenets are upheld?  We will all get to the same place - but we need to get there differently.  This was something Liz (Lerman) made us aware of as an organization.  Trying to honor, not be frustrated by, everyone's difference.  For me, I know that on X date at X time everyone will be in the room together and the work will begin.  "Woyaya"  Great song that I know from ROOTS.  I can't find as upbeat a version the way Elise (Witt) leads it, but here goes: lyrics follow.

We are going, heaven knows where we are going,
but we know within.
and We will get there, heaven knows how we will get there,
but know we will.
yes We will get there, heaven knows how we will get there,
but know we will.

It will be hard we know
And the road will be muddy and rough,
But we'll get there, heaven knows how we will get there,
but We know we will.
woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya

We are going, heaven knows where we are going,
but we know within
and We will get there, heaven knows how we will get there,
but know we will.

It will be hard we know
And the road will be muddy and rough,
But we'll get there, heaven knows how we will get there,
but We know we will.
woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya
woyayadiyaya, woyaya,woyayadiyaya,woyaya, woyaydiyaya,woyaya,woyayadiyaya.

Lyrics by: Osibisa