My Dear GFM Colleagues,
As we continue to grieve and lament racial injustice, political division, and a prolonged health pandemic; as we seek unity and greater understanding between and amongst ourselves across our nation; as we hope to become a GFM community, that reflects growing diversity and foster an atmosphere of inclusion, I’m thrilled to announce that we will be able to offer SHIFT Training for GFM staff April 27-29, 2021!
PLEASE SAVE THESE DATES
April 27-29, 2021
As we have witnessed over the course of the pandemic, the un-United States has nurtured an uneven understanding, inconsistent testing, and unequal accessibility to treatment for COVID-19 across our nation. One realizes that the lack of a common approach to preventative measures has not served us well in combatting much less defeating this virus. Here is an opportunity for us to renew our commitment to pursue ethnic reconciliation and justice and to help eradicate the virus of -isms in ourselves and areas of influence in a concertive way.
GFM is the most diverse InterVarsity sub-community (in time zones and geographical subcultures) we can learn about and combat the virus of -isms and inequality together. As one of the arguably more critically thinking communities in InterVarsity, we can help Ram Sridharan and his team refine an already well-crafted training curriculum for our younger undergrad staff colleagues/siblings.
This three-day training event will give the whole GFM community (campus ministers, managers, national leaders, Ops directors, administrators, and many key volunteers) the chance to experience, debrief and navigate issues of diversity and power together. We will share a common experience, which will enable us to grow together (with a common language and a common goal in GFM), in organizational health and as an increasingly caring community.
The National Diversity Department will accommodate our great numbers by running four cohorts of thirty (three concurrently and one that accommodates the PST and HST time zones). A handful of you (per RD recommendation) will have the opportunity to become deputized as national SHIFT trainers.
Because of the richness of the content and depth of sharing, we ask that you do not schedule other events on these training days (5.5 hrs, 5.5 hrs and 3.5 hrs), so that we may immerse in the training fully and allow the Holy Spirit to transform us as individuals and as a community. This is not a one-off event. Our hope is that we will continue to process and build off this great content in local, regional, and national team gatherings. Please see the attached PDF for details or contact Marcia Wang or your RD with questions.
– Marcia Wang, on behalf of the GFMLT
