Imagine a conference where people are still talking about some of the conversations and experiences a year later, using words like ‘magic’ and ‘transformational’. At the SeaCHANGE Conference, we created a space where people of different identities, races, and ages could get into deep conversations that generated mutual understanding. Artists who attended said they felt regal, in how they were honored and appreciated; young people of color said, that for one of the first times, they really felt seen and heard. We wove the arts throughout. In this episode, Victoria Carrington, Robert Sapiro, and Beth Tener explore how we created the conditions for the magic that unfolded and the ripple effects since. May 25, 2023
The SeaCHANGE Conference web site has information on this year’s event and a video, photos, and quotes from the 2022 gathering.
The three SeaChange Conference hosts were:
Kinship: A Hub to Amplify the Power of Community: This is Beth Tener’s current initiative (with logo designed by Victoria Carrington.) Her facilitation work can be found at this web site: New Directions Collaborative. It includes blogs and a Resource page on the processes used to design and host the SeaCHANGE Conference.
Green Acre Bahai School of Learning – You can learn more about Green Acre and see photos of the campus, where Robert Sapiro is the Executive Director.
Theater for the People – Najee Brown is Founder and Artistic Director of this BIPOC-produced, touring theater company based in New England.
Victoria Carrington’s graphic design firm is Lilac & Aspen, focused on web site design and branding.
The painting Unbound by Arya Badiyan can be seen on her web site.
Here are some resources on the conference methods we used:
Conversations Connect Across Silos
Making Large Events Participatory
Time to Rethink Brainstorming – overview of the 1-2-4-All conversation approach we used.
The Art of Hosting and Harvesting Conversations that Matter
Liberating Structures – great toolbox of methods to bring life to your gatherings
Audio editing by: Podcasting for Creatives