I led a short workshop tonight on behalf of the League of Women Voters. Though it was really a pet project of mine after I got connected with the artist Rebecca Carlton and the “Are We Listening?” installation. Because of our “Words Matter” event back in February, a follow-up event seemed like it made perfect sense. After all, the words we use, the experiences we share, and how we hear and see each other . . . it’s all tangled up in creating a sense of belonging in our community.
This comes at a pretty turbulent time in my life so I tried to design a low-key event. A workshop with self-reflection and journaling and the small group discussion set in the middle of the art exhibit so we could draw inspiration from the space. The prompts and discussion were around times we felt seen by others, times we felt misunderstood, and what an inclusive community looked like to us.
We only did light promotion (an email, a social media post), and on a Wednesday night at the beginning of a busy summer, I honestly thought no one was going to show up. Maybe just me, my mom, and another League member. And that would be fine. We could have a small group discussion and I’d be perfectly happy not having to perform for anyone.
In the end, we had fourteen people, so at least ten more than I was expecting! It turned out to be a good group size to spread out in the space and have three small group discussions. I don’t think tonight changed anyone’s life but I thought it went well overall, there were active discussions and good connections made, and I was glad to share this incredible exhibit with more people. And a couple of people signed up to learn more about the League so that’s also a win for the organization.
Now, I’m glad it’s behind me. My future self will thank me for not committing to leading any events for a while.
With Love,
Natalie