Inquiry into the role of bridging in systems change
What’s the deal?
Bridging across differences is a core skill in systems leadership, yet as a field, there are gaps in understanding this practice from non-dominant spaces.
The emerging field of systems change has been, to date, largely dominated by western, white, and academic world views.
There are many systems leaders who are centered in community and working in ways that weave together systems change practices and diverse lineages and ways of knowing. Indigenous, feminist, intersectional and social movements for justice are at the forefront of this work.
People who bridge can be visionaries, leaders, movement builders, and innovators. They may have experience code switching, translating, moving across “borders” to engage broader system actors in their work. They draw on multiple ways of knowing and different practices. They are deeply in the middle of a complex initiative and are facing multiple challenges in doing this work.
This inquiry aims to connect and pay attention to the work of bridging from and between leaders who are doing systems change but might not it that. This includes leaders who are working from non-dominant spaces and communities, who are working to ‘bridge’ across communities, across dominant power structures and influence across the incumbent systems. Even if these systems are not designed to serve them, to the contrary often designed against them.
The bridging inquiry will explore questions like: What is the experience of bridging for systems change? What are the challenges, key insights, patterns and opportunities in bridging practices towards systems change?
Who is this for?
We have convened a Cohort of incredible leaders who will all be hosting a deep dive into the role of Bridging for systems change, in their context.
They include:
Tanya Birl Torres Bridging as codeswitching in the life of an Artist.
Jorge Salazar Can the Global South contribute to the struggle for Liberation and Decolonization in the North?
Luis Tapia, exploring bridging at the intersection of racial justice and systems change in the US
Tatenda Muranda how the act of telling can be part and parcel of the process shifting systemic approaches to community and relating.
Gabriela Alvarez Castaneda bridging art and social justice in Central America
Iman Bibars, bridging women social entreprenuers in South East Asia and The Arab World
Terrellyn Fearn, exploring rematriation as bridging cultural and linguistic ethical standards and International systems change practice.
Tatiana Fraser bridging feminist practice and systems change
The team behind this
Tanya Birl Torres (So Humanity) and Jorge Salazar (Community Activist and Trainer) have joined The Tatiana Fraser and Rachel Sinha of the The Systems Sanctuary to design and facilitate this work.
“We’re in an age of uncertainty with a pandemic and the call for racial justice. We are trying to build a different way.”
— JORGE SALAZAR
