2014 Windcall Residency for Transformative Organizing

I’ve received great news – I’ve been awarded a 2014 Windcall Residency in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state to pursue resilient, healing and transformative organizing!

As you may know, the Windcall Residency Program is a nationally recognized and pioneering leadership renewal program. It is one of the most powerful programs that many of its 450 alumni – all seasoned labor and community organizers – have utilized in their organizing lives. It targets organizers who work hard on all dimensions of strategy, community building, organizational leadership and movement building, but often skimp on the reflective time needed to sustain high-quality and strategic leadership. People who we know who have been Windcall residents include Rinku Sen, Alicia Garza, and Lynn Lewis.

This opportunity cannot come at a better time. As I transition out of living as an undocumented migrant for 15 years, and organizing a movement with undocumented immigrants for over 7 years, I am wondering more than ever how to continue to elevate the voices of the most marginalized, how to continue to strategize and build movements, while using my new career as an attorney to build a model for accountable community lawyering and social justice.

It is a real honor for me to receive this award and the timing could not be better. At Windcall, I’m looking forward to stepping back, taking a break, and catching my breath – in a place where I can stretch out and see the far horizon. At Windcall, there will be plenty of time in nature, time to talk with a small cohort of other organizers, detoxify from unhealthy organizing spaces, and I’ll have access to creative and reflective activities such as art and yoga. I’ll also have time to reflect and write, and hopefully, finish the book I’ve been working on for a while. And, I’ll have access to a professional coach to support me in reaching my goals.

The three-week program is free, except I have to cover most of my travel to and from Washington state (approximately $400). Could you support me with a donation of $25, $50, $75, $100? 

Alternatively, if you have frequent flyer miles to donate that could cover me one-way, that would be a tremendous help! Just drop me an email via the contact page, and we’ll see if we can make it work.

Your contribution will be supporting my work in a different way by helping me be as strategic and fresh in it.

Many thanks for considering my request.