Here at the National Fund, we’ve been buzzing with excited energy — wrapping up projects, kicking off new ones, and of course our favorite part of each year, gathering our sites for our annual Network meeting!

This year we gathered in beautiful San Juan, Puerto Rico where we encouraged our Network members to relax and recharge as we engaged in conversations about how we can collectively achieve our mission of advancing racial equity in the workforce. Network director Hollie Marston once again created a unique convening space for us to build trust and be bold together as we strengthened connections and surfaced ways to support each other in our work.

Throughout our two days together, Network members engaged in peer-to-peer talks around critical issues they were grappling with, and then we rolled up our sleeves and dug into key questions that will help to shape the National Fund’s next strategic plan. We also got to do something a little different, diving into an illuminating, interactive session on co-creation led by human-centered design expert, Erick Serrato.

Erick challenged us to consider how we can do our work better by using co-creation principles to meaningfully engage the people whose lives are at the center of what we’re trying to achieve. We learned that co-creation is not as easy as it may sound, but it’s necessary to accelerate towards real change.

As the Network gathering wrapped up and we said our goodbyes, I once again came away energized by the conversations, challenged by hard questions, and deeply grateful that I get to lead this organization as we shift toward the next iteration of our work.

We’ve got so much in store for the rest of 2024. Next up — registration for SHIFT: Toward an Equitable Future opening later this month. Sign up for updates so you can be first in line when the registration link drops!