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Fall 2021 WIN Week: Highlights and Bright Spots
For joy.
For hope.
For resistance.
Fall 2021 WIN Week

For all those who attended Fall WIN Week 2021, we'd like to say thank you.

Thank you for making Fall WIN Week 2021 an amazing experience of reflection, dialogue, joy, hope and resistance.

For all those who were unavailable to attend, know that you were sorely missed but we'd like to offer you some highlights from the WIN Week celebration! Each of these highlights was written by a different intern who attended the WIN Week session. We hope that by seeing these events through fresh eyes, you may find a new perspective on what you may have already seen.

Please enjoy this selection of highlights from each WIN Week event!

Strategic Planning Meeting
Strategic Planning
Literrius Miller

At the WIN Network’s strategic planning meeting, members gathered via zoom to re-examine and enlighten each other on the values and goals of the WIN Network community. Achieving equitable outcomes and delivery of these equitable services are the chief goals that these organizations aspire to, and members gathered thoughts reminiscing on how they have worked towards these ends over the past year as well as brainstorming how to better achieve them in the year to come. Individuals highlighted the necessity of working now to avoid future adversity, as many had noted through their discussions that these roadblocks would get mightier if they stopped their efforts even for a second and allowed opposing forces to gather their resources and stamina.
A Reckoning in Boston
A Reckoning in Boston
Abeeda Hussain

A Reckoning in Boston, directed by James Rutenback, documented the struggle for economic and racial justice in Boston. It follows the story of Kafi Dixon, who is also a producer of the film, and Carl Chandler during their time of enrollment at Clemente Course in the Humanities. While this film touched on many things, quotes about Socrates and Glaucon on community and social contracts were repeatedly brought up, and I consequently found myself scrutinizing how I engaged with my communities. Community is where it all starts. None of us are individually self-sufficient. Collectiveness is essential for us to thrive. Injustice only survives because people begin to feed their beasts, as touched upon in the film, instead of feeding their humans, which in turn benefits their neighbors.
Arts and Dance Night
Arts and Dance Night
Abeeda Hussain

The Arts & Dance Night was a wonderfully creative and uplifting space to come and belong with one another. Within this work for the fight for systemic change, a sense of belonging to those you work with is imperative to bring about transformational change. Collaboration is not solely about putting brains together for solutions and sharing resources, but it also about celebrating, inspiring one another, and creating in playful, joyful ways. The best collaborations are done when individuals can genuinely connect with one another — and what better way to get connected by getting the same dance moves wrong and laughing through wheezes?
Community Session
Community Session
Gaby Rojas

"Where are you seeing renewal show up in your work?"

The question threw me off.

I spent a few seconds considering it over in my head, and wondered why it had thrown me for a loop before the answer came to mind. I wasn't thrown off because I hadn't experienced renewal in my work. But because I felt as though my work is renewal.
Assuring the Right to Vote for Everyone
Assuring the Right to Vote For Everyone
Gaby Rojas

Going into the session, I saw a very clear image in my head.

That image was one of the American flag, on a pole, being used to ram into the windows of the Capitol building.

Our democracy saw an attack on free and fair elections in the last year and since then, I have had a passion for voting rights as I never have before. I went into this voting advocacy event with a heart full of fire and the image of violent wrongdoings burned in my brain...