Time to Welcome Change

By Marisa Geitner, president & C.E.O.

Thank you for your time and investment this year as we have explored ways to Welcome: Welcome conversation, welcome community and welcome change. We have shared our experiences with welcoming behavior being the pathway to healing. We’ve learned together how to shape responsibility – all while working to let go of bias, blame and shame, which only limits us. We’ve worked to demonstrate disciplined practices of respect like smiling and making eye contact with those we pass by. Together we have shared stories of the sustainable change that comes through diverse dialogue and how our outcomes shift when we welcome a spirit of excellence. Together we are beginning to confront our fear and overcome what limits our acceptance of others. We know that the sum of our contributions builds community, no one person or organization can do it alone.

So now it is time to put our learning to the test, it’s time to welcome change. As conversations move to deeper relationships we find ourselves more routinely enjoying common places. We’ve found common ground and now it is time to drive toward equal ground. Notice when people aren’t included. Address policies and language that hold people back or treat them as less than. Talk to lawmakers, friends and family members about what you’ve learned and about what change you’d like to see. Invite others to join the conversation, experience community and work for change.

Are you ready to take that next step? We’re working on a way for you to quickly measure your progress, so stay tuned. This is important work, and we aren’t done yet.