Hello DDCSP Fam,
Shaping the future of the Alumni Network has been a rewarding journey with all of you. With Storm as my partner in crime under Sydney’s guidance, I am grateful to have deepened connections or formed new ones with my peers, my friends, my colleagues — this community. Whether it’s a meetup, a knowledge share, or a chance encounter in the wild, I have cherished each and every interaction with our community. I brag graciously that no matter where I go in the country my community would show up if I ask. My favorite part of travel is getting to see you all.
Starting on the Alumni Council over two years ago, I co-led the Knowledge Share work with Storm which bolstered my fellow Council members. I recall being immensely proud during our final town hall because I also got to experience the outcomes of all the work my colleagues completed to support the Network. From the census to mutual aid to administrative duties, I was proud to work alongside the last (for now) Alumni Council.
I knew when I signed up for the self-governance role that it would take time to transition the Network to self-sustaining. Thankfully, the Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) also recognized that and provided space and resources for research and education that we would share with alum. Homecoming was a restorative and healing retreat that reinforced my commitment to seeing this community prosper. My time as a scholar was instrumental to finding my voice, identity, and confidence as a Black woman in the environmental space. I was angry returning to my PWI after my first summer in Ann Arbor because it was a stark reminder that the intentional community-building during DDCSP was a labor of love that many institutions refuse to do.
Attending Homecoming was like returning to a safe space in which my existence was politicized, policed, or rejected. I reunited with my cohort, made new friends, and enjoyed the healing elements of nature. The feelings evoked during that retreat helped me stay the course with the self-governance work because I knew how committed alumni were to the community we co-created and nurtured. I didn’t want to leave.
Riding the wave of Homecoming, Storm and I scheduled guest speakers versed in self-governance and equitable voting, office hours, town halls, and regional meet ups. These meetups were in Chicago, New York City, Seattle, Phoenix, Washington D.C., and anywhere else Storm and I would like to engage as many members of the Network before the vote on the transition plan. We had a whopping 198 votes across all cohorts and regions!
Now, the new Steering Committee is tasked with implementing the self-governance structure Storm and I worked diligently to create. I’m excited to see the direction the Steering Committee takes and continue being an active and engaged member of the Network. Thank you for the support, encouragement, and community since this journey began.
Best,
Tonyisha