IBS Interview Podcast: Jacqueline "Jake" Lawrence

June 4, 2023
Black Summit Interviews
Season 1, Episode #15 -  Jacqueline (“Jake”) Lawrence 

In this podcast episode, Grace Lawrence interviews JACQUELINE "JAKE" LAWRENCE:

Jacqueline Lawrence (“Jake”) is currently the Diversity and Equity Coordinator for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.

She is the former Policy Advisor on diversity management at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). A position she held for 10 years. Prior to CMHC, she was a consultant specializing in labour market research, communications and diversity strategies for clients in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.

She is also a former Parliamentary Assistant, speech writer, Executive Director of the National Women’s Reference Group on Labour Market Issues and Executive Director of the Multicultural Women’s Association.

Her passions include writing poetry, travelling, being a facilitator with the International Black Summit and serving as a co-host and producer of Black on Black, a community public affairs programme on CHUO 89.1 FM.

During the interview, we ask our guests about their lives and careers, with a focus on how they effectively use the Summit Tools and Distinctions in all aspects of life. 

For more information about the International Black Summit, please go to:

Website – blacksummit.org
Twitter – @blacksummit
Facebook – facebook.com/blacksummit/
IBS News Sign-Up – bit.ly/IBS-signup
IBS Annual Summit Event Registration – blacksummit.org/ase

The views and opinions expressed by the person interviewed are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the International Black Summit.

Transcript

[THIS TRANSCRIPT HAS NOT BEEN EDITED NOR PROOFREAD]

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Welcome to the International Black Summit. Interview Podcast this is the International Black Summit's podcast where we interview current and past facilitators and participants of the International Black Summit in order to find out how they use the tools and distinctions of the summit in their lives in their careers in their

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families, in their communities, in all aspects of life. And tonight we're interviewing one of our current facilitators.

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Jacqueline Lawrence we sometimes call her Jake, really excited to have her with us tonight.

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My name is also Jacqueline Lawrence.

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My name is Jacqueline Grace Florence, and in the summit I go by Grace.

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So we have the 2 Jacqueline Lawrence's.

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We're both from Canada, and we are going to have a really interesting conversation with Jake tonight. Looking forward to it.

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So just a little bit about Jake. Just going to read a little bit about her bio, not her long one.

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It's a short one, because she's done a lot.

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So if we read her full-by, it would take a while.

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So I'm just gonna give you a taste of flavor of who Jake is.

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So Jacqueline Lawrence lives in Ottawa, Canada, and she is currently the diversity and Equity coordinator for the Ottawa.

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Carlton District School Board. She is the former policy advisor on diversity management at the Canada.

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Mortgage and Housing Corporation, also known as Cmhc.

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A position that she held for 10 years before Cmhc.

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She was a consultant specializing in labor, market research communications and diversity strategies for public, private and not for profit.

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Clients. She's also a former parliamentary assistant speechwriter, executive director of the National Women's Reference Group on Labor market issues here in Canada, and the Multicultural Women's Association Executive Director her Passions include Writing Poetry, Traveling Facilitating

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the International Black Summit, and serving as a co-host and producer of black on black.

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A community, public Affairs program on Chuo, 89.1 FM.

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In Ottawa. So welcome, welcome, welcome! I'm so happy that you are able to be with us today.

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Jake.

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Well, thank you, Jacqueline Lawrence. Times too.

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I love it, I love it!

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So we, before we get into the nitty gritty of asking you a bunch of different questions, I want to ask if you would be willing to generate the Declaration of the International Black Summit for those of you listening or watching us on our Youtube Channel you may not be familiar with the declaration

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of the of the International Black Summit, which is something that is a foundational document and tenet for us.

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One so if you could generate us, generate that as a way to really grant the ground.

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This conversation. So I'm going to.

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Absolutely my pleasure.

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Great, wonderful. So I'm just gonna momentarily bring that up on screen.

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And here we go.

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The Declaration of the International Black Summit, we declare ourselves our community and all communities, whole and complete.

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There is nothing to do except B. We assert that we are responsible for generating community as possibility and distinction.

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We listened for, and grant being to the possibility and creation of unpredictable results, I'll work on for and for those of African descent is one of power, self- abundance, responsibility, unity, and integrity, with the possibility of being we stand for the expression of our

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spirituality, ending the murders of our men, women, and children, building economies responsive for funding our community, maintaining wellness of being in our bodies, providing human services, establishing nurturing relationships, altering the conversation, of who we are in the media, empowering our youth we declare

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that our community manifests itself in the world as a contribution in the transformation of the universe.

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Atlanta, Georgia, October seventh, 1991.

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Today, which is June fourth, 2023. Wherever people of black African descent reside, moment of silence, please.

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Hmm!

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Thank you, Jake.

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Thank you. Thank you. Did I cut your moment of silence short?

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No, not at all. I was going into my meditation mode, perfect way to start.

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I was wondering if you realized that our that our equipment might just cut out the silence.

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That's okay.

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It's all good.

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Anyway, it might automatically cut the so so welcome, welcome, welcome!

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Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

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My name's sake. So we usually start by asking our guests how you first came into contact with the International Black Summit, like what your first exposure was.

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Your first, your first event, your first conversation, who introduced you all of that?

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What was your first exposure to the International Black Summit?

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My first introduction, and I should say, Thank you for the invitation to be here to be in conversation with you.

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My first and my first introduction to the International Black Summit was the declaration of the International Black Summit.

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My good friend and co facilitator, fellow facilitator, Don Armstrong received it from Trevor Wilson, and she shared it with me, and my first reaction.

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Actually I should say that the first time I read it I read the first 2 lines about 4 times before, I continued, because I just couldn't believe the power packed the power pack.

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Hmm!

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Those 2 lines were, we declare ourselves our community, and all communities, whole and complete.

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There's nothing to do except B. Oh, my goodness!

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That just rang through it, just central through my body.

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When I read that, because that was such a counter, it was countered to so many of the negatives stereotypes of who people of black African descent are.

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Right.

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And, to begin with, we declare ourselves and all communities, whole and complete, because that's notion that we're broken.

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We need to be fixed. I had to really wrap my head around that, for I would say for a good 2 to 3 years.

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So what year would have that have been when Don Armstrong introduced to?

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That was 2,001. That was 2,001, and that, and when I read it I didn't know.

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Hmm!

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I think I got it about maybe about 2 months before the summit, and all I knew was that I had to be at the Summit cause I was just like blown away that I didn't know black people were having this type of conversation, and I've always been drawn to transformational conversations, but i've never had

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it with black folks leading, it being in charge of it.

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And directing it, based on our own lived experiences. And so that's Summit was my first summit was in Memphis, and you know it's one of these things that what I started to get present to was when you declare a thing I didn't even know this is what this whole

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process was until I got there, when you declare a thing, things move and really expeditious ways, because of all the years that that possibility could have existed.

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It was one of the toughest years of my life. One of my aunts was diagnosed with cancer.

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We had brought her up from Jamaica for treatment.

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The medical bills were exorbitant beyond belief.

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So, and I was going. I live in, but my family lives in Hamilton, so I was going home every weekend or every second weekend to support, taking care of her.

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So there wasn't nothing in the to say.

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Oh, I'm gonna go to Memphis. But that declaration called me into that space, and it has been life changing.

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So how did Don? I will mention for anybody listing. We have.

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We have an interview, a podcast. Interview with Don Armstrong, and we also have one with Peter Trevor Wilson, that you mentioned.

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So if anybody's interested in finding out more about both of those facilitators of the International Black Summit, please feel or feel free to check out our other podcast episodes, interviewing them.

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But interesting. You say that you received the declaration from Don about 2 months before that year's annual summit event. Did she?

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Did she just bring it up in conversation? Did she email it to you like what was?

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Yeah. She had received it from Trevor, and then she was sharing with me because she thought it was so powerful, and she thought I would appreciate it and it was correct on both.

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Hmm!

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On both sides. And so we started having the conversation about that declaration even before landing in the space of the summit.

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So just to to start pulling it apart, teasing it apart, you know, just having it resonate through my body. That's how I started my conversation with the summit.

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And so based on that document and that introduction to the conversation as expressed in the document.

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Absolutely.

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Is so interesting that you started this session with generating the declaration, which isn't something we do every session.

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Sometimes we end with the declaration, sometimes we, we haven't even had the decoration in the interview.

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So it's so interesting that that naturally showed up for us.

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Absolutely.

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This in this episode, so you're introduced to it.

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You decide to go to Memphis? What do you find at the annual summit event in Memphis?

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What occurs for you? There!

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I was at that summit in Memphis. It was great.

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Oh, my goodness! Black people! Black people, black people having a have a transformational conversation, and you know I live in Canada, and that's the time, I mean, you know, 20 years ago, my goodness, company was 20 years now, 20 years ago.

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In Ottawa. Yeah.

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Our population here was very small and in Ottawa yes, and so to be in a space.

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I think at that summit there were, you know, got 200 300 persons in that space, but it was the energy of the space that got me first.

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It was the energy, the the welcome that was there, the diversity within the space of black folks, I mean, there were folks who, from you know, the Continent.

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There are folks from the States. There are a couple of folks from the Campbean, because even in my first small group there were Miss Gums from Anguilla, a couple of from California couple of folks.

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One person from California, one person from the deep South Mississippi.

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Myself, and I forgot where the fifth person was from.

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But it was just so fascinating to me. Different socio economic backgrounds, diverse spiritual practices or religions, different.

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Just such rich diversity that you know different levels of awareness in terms of transation.

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But it was all this incredible space, this energetic space that I've never been in a space like that before.

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And what was so fascinating to was, I was.

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I was just breaking up with someone, and so that conversation that was generated about Black Woman and black men was really quite powerful for me, because it spoke about how we honor each other, how we respect each other.

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And Trevor will have Peter Trevor, Peter, Peter Trevor did a number on me because I was just blown away, because I never really closed a relationship before and it's so happen that this person is gonna be in Atlanta.

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And I was going to Atlanta afterwards and Trevor sat down with me, and just supported me, and of course, now I understand the distinctions and just clared with me as things had come up for me during that whole conversation, and and that he said something to me i'll

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never forget. He goes. You're gonna have to tell him that you still love him.

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Hmm!

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Are you crazy? But it was one of the most healing things I ever did was to, you know, to leave a relationship with love versus leaving it with anger and Angst, and you know things left unsaid, and so to have that opportunity when I got to atlanta to do that I

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mean I don't think he realized how much that shifted, how I completed, how I complete relationships.

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Just leaving it with everything intact. The person's dignity intact, my dignity intact, and just be okay with, you know I can honor you, even if we're not together.

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And it's just been a beautiful space, but I have to say one of my other memories of the space was, I'll be forever remembering Kenneth Young, one of our senior facilitators who made his transition when he was demonstrating the distinctions

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bump up against by doing the bump on stage and.

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Well, say a little bit about, you know you've already begun to talk about a couple of the distinctions, 2 or 3 of the distinctions of the International Black Summit, you know, distinctions are our words or terms that we use typically just regular English words that we actually have a unique approach to

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you a unique way of distinguishing those terms. In any unique way of using those terms in order to move a conversation forward, or in order to breakakeake open something for ourselves, or move ourselves forward so so you've talked you've talked about clearing which is one of our distinctions.

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We've talked about completion, which is one of our distinctions.

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You've talked about bumping up against, which is one of the summit distinctions.

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So say a little bit about bumping up against.

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Well, you know, I remember, and I love the distinctions, because those tools and technology have really supported me to not only the distinctions themselves, but our questions and the declaration continues to give me access to explore and to excavate my life in ways that is beyond

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recognition right now. So bump up against. When Kenneth, when Kenny .

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Was demonstrating it, he gave the image of being in a room, and you know we know the layout of the room in terms of the furniture, etc.

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And yet, if we enter that same space in darkness, if someone has moved the furniture at some point, then we start bumping up against.

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And you know, if so, the path is not as clear as we originally thought.

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It was, and I remember him doing that. And I'm like, Oh, my goodness!

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This is what happens to me so many times in my life, where I bump up against things that I think I know.

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Hmm!

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I thought I had it, but something has shifted, and I wasn't present to the shift that occurred, and so I started to just apply to different things in my life in terms of just being able to notice another distinction that we notice when things shift.

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Or change and how I navigate or move with them.

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Sometimes I may have to get myself reoriented to the new lighting that's in the space to be aware of them, or I just have to simply be able to make the necessary adjustment in other ways.

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So that distinction really shifts my ability to just be aware of things that I may be bumping up spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, so that I am.

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I can then be able to clear a path, to move forward.

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Another distinction. Hmm, so you said thank you for that.

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So you said that there was you've been using these distinctions in your life that your life is.

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I'm not. I don't recall the words that you use, but, like your life is a new life, like undistinguishable.

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Unrecognizable. 20. Yeah, I know.

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22 years now, I mean, we're talking 2022 years ago.

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I think it's like 5 versions of myself since then.

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So so so take me through a couple of those versions like who you were in 2021 versus who you are now, and how and how the tools and distinctions have health.

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You create and get to where you are and who you are.

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Now!

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Well, in 2,001, I would say that I was a very introverted.

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I used to think I was shy, but I've since discovered I'm more an introvert than shy.

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How would you? What's the difference to you between introverted and shy?

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The difference with an introvert is just a keen observer, whereas someone is shy is kind of timid or afraid to approach people.

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I'm not I'm not afraid to approach people or speak in front of people, but I am reserved somewhat in terms of how I like to move in the world.

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I like to observe things, and then step in, test it.

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Okay.

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That kind of thing. So it's kind of a my reflection.

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I like to think and reflect before I act, and a shy person hides more, and I have some tendencies for that.

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But it's I'm more on the introvert side than the shy side.

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So I was very introverted, and I was.

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Seeking approval, I would say, to be myself.

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Hmm!

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I was. You know I grew up in a I grew up in a Caribbean household traditional Caribbean household, where you know the good old rules were speaking to their spoken to speakers spoken to speak when you're spoken to you know the good girl image and all of

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those things. And so some of them were not in alignment with my spirit.

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But you know I was following along because those were the rules.

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But there were things that were just not a they were just not me in some ways, so I'm a little bit conservative on somethings.

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But I'm a little bit more liberal or expressive in certain ways, and so what I didn't know was how to express myself or how to access ways of expressing myself in a way that was truly from my own my own voice.

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Let's say. And so what the summit gave me.

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It just even even that one on one conversation with Trevor.

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Was to really give me access to myself, my own thoughts, my own feelings, and not just access it, access it, but to honor it, and to pay attention to it, and then honor it, and so you know, from the get-go just starting to use those particular techniques and the encouragement of the support to

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speak what's there for me to start here? My own voice, and to be able to trust my voice was quite significant, and that, you know, led not only to having conversations with persons in different ways, but it also led to me actually I would say, coming out of the closet, with my own poetry.

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Because I've been a poet for many years, but it wasn't until we did a summit share in that.

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I actually kind of came and read out loud one of my poems, and so I was just taking these incremental steps to be fully self-expressed.

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I think, one of the most extraordinary summits from me actually sometimes say there was Jacqueline Lawrence before Ghana, and then Jacklin Lawrence after Ghana, and the reason for that.

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Hmm! Now Ghana was 2,004, I think I think Ghana was.

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Ghana was 2,005, 4. So 3 years after your first summit, okay.

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Pardon me. Hmm, yes, 2,004. Yes, Major Major, change, because that's Summit.

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When we came out of that summit with the declaration, I am enough.

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Hmm!

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Oh, my goodness! It opened a whole floodgates of spaces that I wouldn't now that I would then trust my voice.

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Trust the spaces that I entered in terms of what I had to say.

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I'm not saying that I I was doing it.

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Afraid. I wasn't scared, but I was doing it afraid rather than edit myself, or stop myself from saying something.

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And that's Summit in particular. It, I would say.

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The velocity of changes in transformation in my life shifted because once I really started to anchor, I am enough, and this is why that's so important, because, you know, I was never affirmed in terms of being beautiful or smart.

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So there were a lot of knots in my life, so to speak.

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You know I'm not enough. I'm not beautiful.

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I'm not, you know, not smart. All these knots I could go through a lot of them, but that expression of I am enough, or that declaration.

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I am enough, completely shifted so many things internally from.

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So you know you mentioned that that out of that annual summit event 2,004, that there was a declaration out of that year.

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So each year again in the summit, in the annual summit event, we leave the annual summit event with an inquiry or a declaration for that coming year, and we engage in that inquiry as part participants and as facilitators for the court over the course of that year

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until the next summit event went, and we leave the next summit event with a new inquiry or engagement, or declaration.

00:24:27.000 --> 00:24:40.000
So you mentioned that one. So I'm curious. Are there other annual questions or annual enquiries that really more significant or noteworthy for you?

00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:48.000
Oh, my goodness! There's so many, I think every year has it's has its own.

00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:51.000
It takes me through some work because I I take notes.

00:24:51.000 --> 00:24:58.000
I work through them for the year.

00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:07.000
I think it was in.

00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:08.000
2,002!

00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:11.000
Actually the Toronto Summit. I'm gonna go back a little bit, and that the second summit, 2,002.

00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:15.000
That question was, what is available? Well, actually, let me talk about Memphis is the question, because that really triggered it.

00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:24.000
What is available by consciously owning all I create.

00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:25.000
That's a good one.

00:25:25.000 --> 00:25:27.000
Oh, my goodness! I have never thought of again! It's coming back to this declaration space.

00:25:27.000 --> 00:25:43.000
But when you now add the declaration of the International Black Summit, combined with this question for me, what is available by consciously owning all I create.

00:25:43.000 --> 00:25:50.000
That I am the creator of my life, to be able to take ownership of that.

00:25:50.000 --> 00:26:03.000
It took me couple of years to be fully present to that, but that started a ripple effect that continued with Toronto, which was what is available in noticing all that I create that keeps me unconscious to the one that I am I'm telling you.

00:26:03.000 --> 00:26:32.000
This was this was just escalating, you know more and more of myself, and so you can see how the combination having worked through those kinds of questions that when we got to Ghana in 2,004, the IM declaration was just so powerful because the before the I am enough declaration there

00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:41.000
was a statement in Ghana which was, I am complete on who I know myself to be, and that's why I say this before gone, and there's an Afghan.

00:26:41.000 --> 00:26:42.000
Hmm!

00:26:42.000 --> 00:27:06.000
I declare that I am enough, and so each year has just taken me more and more, I would say, from looking outside to the world for validation, and then starting to look internally to vet to give value to myself, and to be present to my own value and worth, you know still a work in progress

00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:11.000
in in many areas. But I've seen this impact, my my writing.

00:27:11.000 --> 00:27:19.000
It has impacted my career. Trajectory. It has impacted how I communicate in my relationships.

00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:33.000
It has impacted the risk that I take cause. I used to be very timid about taking certain steps, and you know, taking certain risks in life.

00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:43.000
And now I think I take calculated risks, but it has really shifts the trajectory of my life, and I think one of the other declarations.

00:27:43.000 --> 00:27:47.000
I can't remember what year it was, but be with what is that?

00:27:47.000 --> 00:27:53.000
Played a number on me, because I think part of the conversations that generated.

00:27:53.000 --> 00:28:00.000
That was, you know, part of this thing about what you're thinking, or how you hold.

00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:21.000
Something can be the very thing that holds you in a particular place of pain or state, and that woke me up because it there were so many things that were happening in my life at the time in terms of things again, that I needed to release in terms of thoughts in terms of beliefs that

00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:39.000
I've had, and so I was able to again sit inside of that those questions because a declaration these things don't happen overnight, but you know, sticking with them over the years, they have certainly continued to support me, as I said, to be more introspective, and internally

00:28:39.000 --> 00:28:44.000
driven versus being externally motivated.

00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:55.000
You know, it's interesting. You talk about some of those, some of those questions, declarations from the early 2 thousands, which is also around.

00:28:55.000 --> 00:28:56.000
When I was introduced. You know the International Black Summit has been around since 1990.

00:28:56.000 --> 00:29:03.000
One, as stated in the Declaration that you generated at the beginning of the episode.

00:29:03.000 --> 00:29:04.000
But but I my first summit was in 1999.

00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:16.000
Yours was first summit was in 2,001, and those first summits for me also had that same kind of major impact.

00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:35.000
I remember that one about, you know, consciously owning all that I create and had me really look at how, up until that point in my life, you know, tonight we are interviewing Jacqueline Lawrence and I'm a Jacqueline Lawrence so I'm jumping in

00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:36.000
here!

00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:59.000
Jacqueline Pie.

00:29:59.000 --> 00:30:05.000
Absolutely.

00:30:05.000 --> 00:30:06.000
Absolutely.

00:30:06.000 --> 00:30:10.000
And I I remember thinking about how I had up until that point in my life, being living a life that had been had been driven by factors that were not always coming from me making choices that were not necessarily reflective of my own authentic desires and and and then out of

00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:14.000
that? Really looking to say, Okay, this is my life. I get to create it.

00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:31.000
Exactly, exactly.

00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:32.000
Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely.

00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:36.000
How you know, and I'm going to consciously own that even though I am here now because I was following the influences of society or family, or whatever it may be, to own that I that I stepped into that like, I didn't have to right so owning that that you know so

00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:39.000
and so my one of my shifts was that I changed careers around that time I left the practice of law and went into something else. You know.

00:30:39.000 --> 00:31:03.000
So all of all, of what? What becomes available by really being able to take on and look at what, how we can use all of these different tools. The annual question that that declaration, the distinctions, all of that you know conscious ownership being another one of our distinctions.

00:31:03.000 --> 00:31:19.000
And I think you know Jackie, I think it's so critical what you're saying, and what I'm also trying to share with folks is this, that particularly to get me? If you look at the history of people black African descent there has been this constant barrage of you can't you don't

00:31:19.000 --> 00:31:39.000
know how it's all negative, and to be able to find out that you know I can take ownership of myself, and we've had so many people in history who've shown us that, including people in our own families who have shown us that but when you get that message for yourself personally and you start living

00:31:39.000 --> 00:31:50.000
your life through those particular lenses, and you start being able to set your own path.

00:31:50.000 --> 00:31:54.000
I don't. You know, if that's not freedom, I don't know what freedom is.

00:31:54.000 --> 00:32:04.000
You know, it's interesting because it takes me back to the beginning of the Declaration, where it says, we declare ourselves our community and all communities, whole and complete.

00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:10.000
And you like you said it's a declaration we're not waiting for any else to tell us that we're whole and complete.

00:32:10.000 --> 00:32:11.000
Nope, Nope.

00:32:11.000 --> 00:32:18.000
You you can, you know, like. So it's no longer this seeking for the external validation right?

00:32:18.000 --> 00:32:19.000
No!

00:32:19.000 --> 00:32:32.000
That some some of the might do. I mean, it's a human thing right to to.

00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:33.000
Hmm, exactly.

00:32:33.000 --> 00:32:38.000
It's a human thing, but especially when the valid, when the validation is for me to be less than who I am or when the when the accolades are for things of what someone else thinks.

00:32:38.000 --> 00:32:44.000
I things I am, but not necessarily at the same level as they are.

00:32:44.000 --> 00:32:45.000
Oh, no! I get to determine that I get to decide that I get to.

00:32:45.000 --> 00:33:07.000
I get to tap into the potential off the Creator to create my own space, my own life, and to really listen for what I'm what purpose I'm here, and that's why I think you know, it's not just the sense of the declaration. Itself.

00:33:07.000 --> 00:33:19.000
But the fact that this, the international Black summit, exists such that we, the participants, can bring into being their vision for themselves.

00:33:19.000 --> 00:33:29.000
The black community of the world. That vision is so critical because I think that gives us at least it gives me.

00:33:29.000 --> 00:33:35.000
That space that I can anchor and check in with myself in terms of what am I listening for?

00:33:35.000 --> 00:33:41.000
Doing, being in terms of, as I said, career, as you know, relationships.

00:33:41.000 --> 00:33:51.000
All of these things. It has given me these amazing milestones and varieters to check in with myself, to see is this, is this what my heart desires?

00:33:51.000 --> 00:34:00.000
Is this? What's between my head and my heart in terms of that, you know, gives me joy that gives me that I'm grateful for that.

00:34:00.000 --> 00:34:06.000
I'm at peace with. It's a totally different come from for me. With that.

00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:24.000
So let me ask you about your professional life, you know, and using these distinctions in your professional life, like I know we're both professional women in the Canadian context, and we walk in to rooms, being the only a black person in the room all the time.

00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:28.000
Oh!

00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:29.000
Right like all the time, and sometimes the only woman in the room all the time.

00:34:29.000 --> 00:34:34.000
Why did? Why was I celebrating black people, black people, black people?

00:34:34.000 --> 00:34:58.000
Right all the time. So so I'd like to hear about your own experience of using these tools, and how you use them as support for yourself as you use them as support for yourself as you move in the world, and as you move in certain spaces, with with grace, and elegance and

00:34:58.000 --> 00:35:03.000
empowerment. So what shows up for you in that realm?

00:35:03.000 --> 00:35:26.000
Well, you know before. So when I was introduced to the summit, the International Black Summit, I was working at the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation as their their policy advisor on on diversity, and what was so interesting this is a Federal agency within the

00:35:26.000 --> 00:35:45.000
Canadian Government. And so we had about 3,003, 3 to 4,000 staff, and the program that I was leading was, you know, to really get our employees aware, increase their awareness around the diversity of economic equity.

00:35:45.000 --> 00:35:53.000
Specifically so that we're able to serve all Canadians, including those who are racialized, indigenous, and racialized.

00:35:53.000 --> 00:36:05.000
And one of the things, particularly after I came back from Ghana.

00:36:05.000 --> 00:36:06.000
Yeah.

00:36:06.000 --> 00:36:10.000
So I was there about 3 years before. No, no! What we went to gone in 2,004, so I was there since 1998.

00:36:10.000 --> 00:36:11.000
That's 6 years. Okay, hmm.

00:36:11.000 --> 00:36:23.000
Whatever the math is, and there was some struggles to get the process moving forward, because, you know, folks thought they were way ahead of the game than they were.

00:36:23.000 --> 00:36:43.000
But to really integrate equity and diversity and inclusion principles into the business of of of a Federal department or Federal agency proved to be more challenging because folks we're a little bit resistance, let's say, on I would say even more

00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:49.000
fearful of not knowing what to do, and fearful of not knowing how to do it right.

00:36:49.000 --> 00:37:08.000
So when I came back from Ghana I noticed that I shifted in terms of how I heard people because I don't think I really paid attention to the fear construct that was happening in the space I was actually taking it as oh, I'm not doing something right up to that

00:37:08.000 --> 00:37:14.000
point, and when I came back from Ghana, that whole thing about I am not enough.

00:37:14.000 --> 00:37:22.000
Expanded my view in terms of what if I have felt I'm not enough do other people feel as though they're not enough with this diversity, conversation?

00:37:22.000 --> 00:37:32.000
And so I started to design training in a different way. I started to really look at diversity, equity, and inclusion as a transformational tool.

00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:38.000
Hmm!

00:37:38.000 --> 00:37:39.000
Hmm!

00:37:39.000 --> 00:37:40.000
And so I began to design my training from an information based with transformational base and make it more experiential.

00:37:40.000 --> 00:38:02.000
And so I would then invite people to be in a space and create a safe space for them to have those conversations that they are afraid to have with other people, or even with their groups, and I began to coach people rather than just have them come into a space, if they were not comfortable to come into the space.

00:38:02.000 --> 00:38:11.000
so I started using the distinctions like clinging, like noticing, like alignment.

00:38:11.000 --> 00:38:23.000
And it's shifted. The energy of the spaces because it wasn't a blaming off the historical wrongs that have happened to people of African descent.

00:38:23.000 --> 00:38:40.000
Black African descent. It was now about, how do we collectively identify the issues and identify how this does not serve everyone, and particularly that year?

00:38:40.000 --> 00:38:45.000
Again, with Ghana, that that preference to it in terms of I I release. What was it?

00:38:45.000 --> 00:38:48.000
Said, I am complete on who I know myself to be.

00:38:48.000 --> 00:38:51.000
I'm complete on who I know myself to know.

00:38:51.000 --> 00:39:11.000
I started inviting people to complete on practices that does not service to complete on policies that do not serve us, and to really start revising and looking at things with a different lens because of the time we had the tagline that we're serving all Canadians and I started doing show

00:39:11.000 --> 00:39:21.000
research that we were not reaching the full diversity of Canadian population, and so that does open and expanded my eyes to that.

00:39:21.000 --> 00:39:33.000
And then that just led to me over the years, becoming more intentional, and I would say, now where I am with that work is still holding diversity, equity, inclusion, as a transferational tool.

00:39:33.000 --> 00:39:40.000
But now what I've done over the years is now become more conscious, and be more intentional with it.

00:39:40.000 --> 00:39:50.000
Be about systemic changes and systems, changes and structural changes, you know, in policies, procedures, practices, and behaviors.

00:39:50.000 --> 00:40:03.000
Because now I work in the school system and recognizing that behaviors are one of the biggest barriers that particularly indigenous and racialized students experience.

00:40:03.000 --> 00:40:07.000
And so it has evolved as I've evolved.

00:40:07.000 --> 00:40:14.000
Using these tools. My work has evolved you know, and I said earlier that I was, I'm very.

00:40:14.000 --> 00:40:24.000
I was very timid when I well, I was more of a.

00:40:24.000 --> 00:40:25.000
You said you were Introverted.

00:40:25.000 --> 00:40:47.000
Not to me, but I I was. I was an introvert, and what I started noticing was that I was seeking opportunities now to be able to dance with the possibility of how we can co-create and create spaces of community of practice to

00:40:47.000 --> 00:40:52.000
ensure that it's not me, because I hold the position of diversity.

00:40:52.000 --> 00:40:55.000
Equity, coordinator, or advisor, but it's how do I support our system?

00:40:55.000 --> 00:41:25.000
Leaders to be able to do that work. It's been a slug, but but these tools have really helped me, and I really enjoy utilizing them, to be able to make that happen.

00:41:26.000 --> 00:41:27.000
Hmm, hmm!

00:41:27.000 --> 00:41:39.000
One of the things I do, for example, currently, with my team, I have a I have a group of employees who work with me about 35 of them, and we meet on a monthly basis, and we clear before we change each meeting and what continues to amaze people is how much we get done.

00:41:39.000 --> 00:41:40.000
Right.

00:41:40.000 --> 00:41:42.000
It may take us an hour to clear, but the last hour, how much we're able to achieve is phenomenal, and so, you know, they take a minute to get themselves to be present.

00:41:42.000 --> 00:41:55.000
And it's just absolutely amazing what we get done and how we actually go deep in terms of being able to identify issues and to find possible solutions for them as we as we do this work.

00:41:55.000 --> 00:42:01.000
So those are just a couple of examples.

00:42:01.000 --> 00:42:11.000
You know, as as you say, that I'm reminded of how many times I've seen things not move forward or organizations.

00:42:11.000 --> 00:42:12.000
You know I'm a management consultant in my own life, right?

00:42:12.000 --> 00:42:20.000
I'm working primarily now with nonprofit organizations, sometimes with government agencies.

00:42:20.000 --> 00:42:31.000
And how many times an organization will seek to, or a group or a team will seek to move forward on top of junk right?

00:42:31.000 --> 00:42:42.000
So there's the junk that's here, and the organization or the team, or the group is wanting to move forward without acknowledging the junk like, let's just put on top of the junk.

00:42:42.000 --> 00:42:47.000
Let's add another layer to the junk let's add another layer to the junk like, let's just put on top of the junk.

00:42:47.000 --> 00:42:48.000
Let's add another layer to the junk let's just put on top of the junk. Let's add another layer to the junk.

00:42:48.000 --> 00:42:55.000
Let's add another layer to the junk without actually being willing to lift up the hood.

00:42:55.000 --> 00:43:11.000
Take a look under people being fearful, not feeling like they're enough having timid and not wanting to look under the surface.

00:43:11.000 --> 00:43:12.000
Alright!

00:43:12.000 --> 00:43:14.000
Not wanting to be being fearful of looking under the surface.

00:43:14.000 --> 00:43:25.000
But when you do that and clear, you know, once you have a clear space, being able to move forward with real speed becomes possible.

00:43:25.000 --> 00:43:26.000
Oh, it's phenomenal but you know one of the things.

00:43:26.000 --> 00:43:34.000
So sometimes I also align diversity, equity, and inclusion.

00:43:34.000 --> 00:43:36.000
Principles with Change management strategies. Because that's what you're actually doing.

00:43:36.000 --> 00:43:44.000
You're shifting and changing the the culture. Really?

00:43:44.000 --> 00:43:47.000
And you know it's never a straight road.

00:43:47.000 --> 00:43:53.000
I mean, it's you go up and down, up and down, up and down, I mean. And you know you have one.

00:43:53.000 --> 00:43:59.000
Administration changes, things change. So it's a constant change that you're navigating as well.

00:43:59.000 --> 00:44:10.000
And if you follow most change management cycles, I mean the space that you you're default, and you start in space is really your comfort zone.

00:44:10.000 --> 00:44:15.000
Whether it's beliefs or values that you have or hold that you've been conditioning.

00:44:15.000 --> 00:44:18.000
You've been using it, for, you know, umpteen years of your life.

00:44:18.000 --> 00:44:25.000
It has worked for you. It's kept you safe in whatever capacity safety is for you.

00:44:25.000 --> 00:44:37.000
But one. Again you start aligning, using these distinctions from myself to clear myself into heat, because the moment you step out of your comfort zone you're into the fear zone.

00:44:37.000 --> 00:44:40.000
Because you're in the unknown, and the unknown is scary.

00:44:40.000 --> 00:44:53.000
So part of what I do is to support folks, to move from the unknown, being a scary space to it being a space of curiosity, especially when I do one on one training with them.

00:44:53.000 --> 00:44:54.000
So do you have.

00:44:54.000 --> 00:45:05.000
Senior members, because that sense of getting them to be comfortable and to be moved from a space that is, you know, to say, face all of that, to be really about curiosity like what aspect of this work are you most fearful about?

00:45:05.000 --> 00:45:16.000
What aspect of this work would really be significant for you to shift and change, to move.

00:45:16.000 --> 00:45:34.000
How the particular priorities you have on on your table, on on your plate, such that it can actually serve the full diversity of our student population when we make it to those 2 steps and then they step into a learning space that learning zone.

00:45:34.000 --> 00:45:39.000
Next. It's amazing what you can see shift and change, you know.

00:45:39.000 --> 00:45:44.000
Are there particular distinctions that you that you use more or favorite distinctions that you use in this work?

00:45:44.000 --> 00:45:50.000
Summit Distinctions.

00:45:50.000 --> 00:45:54.000
Clearing is clearing as a solid one, because I do so.

00:45:54.000 --> 00:46:00.000
I do say the word class, and I'm offering you a clearing space so that we can see what's there for you.

00:46:00.000 --> 00:46:06.000
Noticing is another one that I invite them to notice what's there for them.

00:46:06.000 --> 00:46:27.000
Bumping up against I use sometimes in terms of when there are when there's particular when change is not happening, or shifts are not taking place in a, particularly when there's an urgent matter at hand, and there's some seeming resistance.

00:46:27.000 --> 00:46:32.000
There, listening, authentic listening is one, because I think one of the most amazing thing about the tools that we've generated.

00:46:32.000 --> 00:46:44.000
I mean, we're so bloody brilliant sometimes I wonder if we recognize how blooded we are in this conversation, but authentic.

00:46:44.000 --> 00:46:45.000
The conversation is brilliant, for sure.

00:46:45.000 --> 00:46:54.000
Listening, where we're listening without judgment. We're listening for that space for people to.

00:46:54.000 --> 00:47:04.000
I'm listening for the access points for people to feel heard, for people to feel as though I'm not judging them, for whatever their beliefs or values are.

00:47:04.000 --> 00:47:28.000
But I can speak to the account abilities that would shift, how they do their work better, and I can speak to it from a human rights perspective in terms of what that means in terms of the accountabilities that would put the organization that risk perspective in terms of what that means in terms of the account abilities that would put the organization that risk and that it would be their

00:47:28.000 --> 00:47:29.000
Hmm! Do you use vision at all?

00:47:29.000 --> 00:47:32.000
accountability. So it's really deep listening. Hmm!

00:47:32.000 --> 00:47:34.000
Do you use vision at all?

00:47:34.000 --> 00:47:47.000
I use vision? Yes, I've been using that more with the systemic moves, because I'm actually in the process of designing and creating a whole way of supporting system leaders to think through equity.

00:47:47.000 --> 00:47:59.000
But so it's not a one-off, because one of the things that Covid did, you know Covid is a shift of the dynamics of diverse equity and inclusion in 2 ways.

00:47:59.000 --> 00:48:04.000
On one hand it is exposed. All the inequities, and so equity is no longer on the margins.

00:48:04.000 --> 00:48:12.000
It has to be from the center. And some people resist that, because, hey, this, that's a natural part.

00:48:12.000 --> 00:48:26.000
It's the comfort zone thing, and then it also expose the fear factors to another level where it's the the tractors from who are fearful of change.

00:48:26.000 --> 00:48:37.000
Seeing everything that is changing around them, to be an invasion of every race, every every religion, all of those things.

00:48:37.000 --> 00:48:58.000
So now you have persons who before, who may not have thought that they could do equity and inclusion, feeling more fearful, or wanting to go back into their comfort zone, but recognizing they cannot do that, because if they're not really putting an equity lens to their work, they're actually being more of

00:48:58.000 --> 00:49:11.000
a disservice. So folks are in somewhat of a quandary in some ways, but it is what we're finding that we're doing now is developing tools to be able to support folks to be able to do that more effectively.

00:49:11.000 --> 00:49:12.000
And those tools may be protocols. Those tools may be, you know, training design in a different way.

00:49:12.000 --> 00:49:26.000
So it's but all of all of these technology that I've learned in the summit have just been instrumental in shifting my listening.

00:49:26.000 --> 00:49:32.000
How I listen to people, and how we can move situations forward.

00:49:32.000 --> 00:49:38.000
So let me ask you. Thank you for that. Let me ask you about this year's annual summit event.

00:49:38.000 --> 00:49:46.000
So you know, as we have every year since the 1991, we're going to have an annual summit event and it's the first full weekend in August.

00:49:46.000 --> 00:49:55.000
Every single year, and for those who are listening, and if you're interested in joining us, we're having our annual summit event the last couple of years.

00:49:55.000 --> 00:49:59.000
It's been virtual on zoom because of the pandemic.

00:49:59.000 --> 00:50:03.000
But this year we're coming back in person again, and we're having a hybrid event. A 3.

00:50:03.000 --> 00:50:07.000
And a one event with 2 physical locations plus virtual.

00:50:07.000 --> 00:50:13.000
All operating together as one event right? So we're having the Antigua location.

00:50:13.000 --> 00:50:23.000
The Buffalo, New York location and the Zoom virtual location, all operating together as one event, the first full weekend in August.

00:50:23.000 --> 00:50:33.000
So. So we have a an inquiry that we're looking at leading into this year's annual summit event.

00:50:33.000 --> 00:50:34.000
Hmm!

00:50:34.000 --> 00:50:38.000
How has your engagement been with this year's enquiry?

00:50:38.000 --> 00:50:43.000
That is just knocking me upside down in 10 ways.

00:50:43.000 --> 00:51:04.000
And I love it. I don't think it's ironic that the first year again that it was that question around consciously owning all that I create this year's question declaration, inquiry as I'm Brace.

00:51:04.000 --> 00:51:08.000
Oh, I was about to repeat enough one it it's the I am!

00:51:08.000 --> 00:51:17.000
This conversation at the end for me. Sorry I've just lost track of the quest of the depth.

00:51:17.000 --> 00:51:18.000
I? I can get it in a moment. But what's what's your experience being?

00:51:18.000 --> 00:51:29.000
Yeah, my experience with it has been getting present to what I say after I am more so than ever before.

00:51:29.000 --> 00:51:38.000
So what are the things I used to say? For example, I'm tired.

00:51:38.000 --> 00:51:39.000
Hmm!

00:51:39.000 --> 00:51:43.000
I try not to say that anymore, as I feel tired, because again I am is another way for me to hold declaration.

00:51:43.000 --> 00:51:53.000
And so it is inviting me to be present in a way that I've never been present before.

00:51:53.000 --> 00:51:58.000
I have done some work on IM statements in the past, but I had a very long list of.

00:51:58.000 --> 00:52:10.000
IM statementments this particular query as I become present to I am, what is it to rest in the?

00:52:10.000 --> 00:52:16.000
I am as Thanksgiving. It's get that rest in the I am.

00:52:16.000 --> 00:52:33.000
This is really doing a number on me. It's not just to get the I am, but to rest in it, to trust it, to surrender to that is, that is, that is just.

00:52:33.000 --> 00:52:34.000
Oh, my goodness! So the farthest I've gotten so far is, you know I am grateful.

00:52:34.000 --> 00:52:47.000
I am kind, I am love, I am joy, I am peace to rest in that, and to trust that.

00:52:47.000 --> 00:53:00.000
And there are all kinds of other things. But I really am inching through it in a way that really honors the essence of of what is being revealed for me.

00:53:00.000 --> 00:53:08.000
And so I wanna it's being intentional for me to be very intentional to speak.

00:53:08.000 --> 00:53:13.000
What is I am for me?

00:53:13.000 --> 00:53:22.000
I got it. Thank you, you know. And so, going into this year, have you decided which location you're going to be at this year?

00:53:22.000 --> 00:53:24.000
I've been buffalo.

00:53:24.000 --> 00:53:33.000
Oh, you'll be in Buffalo. Okay, close, not far from I'm in a Toronto. So some Torontonians think of Buffalo like a suburb of Toronto.

00:53:33.000 --> 00:53:34.000
Right, I'm passing through Toronto.

00:53:34.000 --> 00:53:36.000
Hamilton, Buffalo.

00:53:36.000 --> 00:53:39.000
Fly out of the buffalo airport like it's a.

00:53:39.000 --> 00:53:41.000
Yeah, I mean, growing up in Hamilton is just, you know, down the road.

00:53:41.000 --> 00:53:46.000
So!

00:53:46.000 --> 00:53:57.000
Right? Right? Right? So what are you hoping for yourself out of this year's annual summit event?

00:53:57.000 --> 00:54:01.000
Wow!

00:54:01.000 --> 00:54:11.000
Leading up to the summit. I've been really listening for new creations in my life, and new spaces to explore.

00:54:11.000 --> 00:54:15.000
So I'm listening for.

00:54:15.000 --> 00:54:24.000
How the IM statement are going to be a critical driving force for whatever I do or who I'm going to, who I'm becoming.

00:54:24.000 --> 00:54:25.000
Let's say, and how those IM statements are driving me through that process.

00:54:25.000 --> 00:54:40.000
So I'm just really looking to be anchored more into that, and to really learn from other folks in terms of what their IM journey has been.

00:54:40.000 --> 00:55:00.000
And I mean part of the you know the unpredictable of the conversation of the summit is that you just don't know what gems you're going to get, or what's going to crack you open, and so I look forward to the surprise of whatever that is and at.

00:55:00.000 --> 00:55:10.000
The same time, I'm just looking to to share and to be present to what this rest in the I am.

00:55:10.000 --> 00:55:11.000
You know, it's interesting. A deeper cut, you know.

00:55:11.000 --> 00:55:12.000
This will give me access to a deeper cut.

00:55:12.000 --> 00:55:14.000
It's interesting because one of the things I like about this year's inquiry and the Am.

00:55:14.000 --> 00:55:18.000
Statement is for me. I really, I really relate to that.

00:55:18.000 --> 00:55:31.000
I am statement looking at this inquiry from the through the lens of the power of language and the power of declaring our identity, and who we are.

00:55:31.000 --> 00:55:33.000
Absolutely, absolutely.

00:55:33.000 --> 00:55:38.000
And so, as we speak, I am that are empowering like you did.

00:55:38.000 --> 00:55:50.000
I am love, I am peace. I am brilliant, I am. You know what I mean.

00:55:50.000 --> 00:55:51.000
Yeah.

00:55:51.000 --> 00:55:59.000
Like as we speak, that as we declare that as we live into that as a foundational identity, as opposed to what we many of us, anyway, and I know I have done this speaking negative things completely unconscious, you know what I mean.

00:55:59.000 --> 00:56:00.000
Absolutely.

00:56:00.000 --> 00:56:03.000
Oh, I'm such a bozo! I made another mistake.

00:56:03.000 --> 00:56:06.000
Oh, I'm so oh, I'm so slow! Oh, I'm so you know what I mean.

00:56:06.000 --> 00:56:07.000
Yeah, exactly.

00:56:07.000 --> 00:56:21.000
And those things make and giving that giving, that disempowerment, energy as opposed to, as opposed to speaking things that are empowering and giving that energy and expanding that in who we are, and in our world.

00:56:21.000 --> 00:56:22.000
So I think, just yeah.

00:56:22.000 --> 00:56:25.000
Absolutely. And that's what I was founding when I was saying things like, I am tired.

00:56:25.000 --> 00:56:29.000
I am, you know I'm so this I was draining myself.

00:56:29.000 --> 00:56:33.000
That's one of the things I've noticed. And so that's what I said.

00:56:33.000 --> 00:56:39.000
I'm being intentional as to what I do put after the I am, and I wanted to be a small list to now, because you just said the keyword.

00:56:39.000 --> 00:56:44.000
I think one of the things again coming out of, I think. Tie!

00:56:44.000 --> 00:57:03.000
I think you know the twin pandemics of Kovat and antibod racism and racism, and all its manifestations, has really issued an invitation for us to reimagine or recreate our lives in different ways, and so I almost feel when you ask me the question about

00:57:03.000 --> 00:57:14.000
the IM statements. I I believe, from myself. Let me speak for myself, that this is actually laying the foundation for the next reiteration of my life.

00:57:14.000 --> 00:57:18.000
That's how significant this year's question is for me.

00:57:18.000 --> 00:57:26.000
It is giving me it is giving me. It's like a the IM is giving me the blueprint for the rest of my life.

00:57:26.000 --> 00:57:34.000
And so that's the intentionality for me in terms of what is, gonna be my foundation.

00:57:34.000 --> 00:57:40.000
Moving forward because it has.

00:57:40.000 --> 00:57:49.000
The time is now, the time is now so and I think it's just an exciting time to be a person of black African descent, and to be in this conversation, and to have these tools.

00:57:49.000 --> 00:57:58.000
Such that we can create our lives and ways like never before.

00:57:58.000 --> 00:58:05.000
Yes, absolutely. I keep talking about the the the Wakanda of the Diaspora right?

00:58:05.000 --> 00:58:13.000
Oh, absolutely absolutely.

00:58:13.000 --> 00:58:14.000
It's not mythical. It's real baby.

00:58:14.000 --> 00:58:16.000
Like we create a diasporic Wakanda like a condo, doesn't have to just be this one imaginary place on the.

00:58:16.000 --> 00:58:17.000
It's real.

00:58:17.000 --> 00:58:24.000
If we could actually have it be real in the world throughout the diaspora absolutely.

00:58:24.000 --> 00:58:25.000
It is. So I do. Wanna take.

00:58:25.000 --> 00:58:31.000
It it is. Oh, my goodness! That's what excites me about this conversation, because I do think like I've seen this conversation heal.

00:58:31.000 --> 00:58:32.000
I've used this conversation to be part of my healing journey.

00:58:32.000 --> 00:58:38.000
What I went through. Some health challenges. I've seen.

00:58:38.000 --> 00:58:57.000
I've used those tools to clear myself, to prepare myself for surgery and to support me.

00:58:57.000 --> 00:58:58.000
Hmm!

00:58:58.000 --> 00:59:01.000
After that I've seen when we were in Ferguson, how that the just repressing the declaration, provided he started a healing journey for some of the folks, even if they never steps foot into into the summit space itself.

00:59:01.000 --> 00:59:09.000
There is something about the work we do that is healing, empowering.

00:59:09.000 --> 00:59:10.000
Hmm!

00:59:10.000 --> 00:59:15.000
It excites me because it really has given life to my life in so many ways, and these tools are no joke.

00:59:15.000 --> 00:59:21.000
Once you use. It's just absolutely magnificent how they just transfer.

00:59:21.000 --> 00:59:25.000
They have transformed my life, that's all I can say.

00:59:25.000 --> 00:59:26.000
They've transformed my life.

00:59:26.000 --> 00:59:27.000
Yeah. Absolutely same here for me. Absolutely true for me.

00:59:27.000 --> 00:59:37.000
Too true for me, too. I wanna go back to when you joined the facilitator body.

00:59:37.000 --> 00:59:38.000
Hmm!

00:59:38.000 --> 00:59:39.000
What? Why did you know you are kind of? You're a facilitator.

00:59:39.000 --> 00:59:43.000
Now you're an active facilitator. You have been for years.

00:59:43.000 --> 00:59:53.000
You're going to be one of the facilitators at this year's annual summit event.

00:59:53.000 --> 00:59:54.000
Hmm!

00:59:54.000 --> 00:59:55.000
What had you choose to become a member of the facilitator body, and to go through that training?

00:59:55.000 --> 00:59:58.000
And when did you do that?

00:59:58.000 --> 01:00:09.000
I stepped up to be a facilitator in Birmingham.

01:00:09.000 --> 01:00:10.000
Alright, and.

01:00:10.000 --> 01:00:23.000
What year was that? Birmingham? I, the facilitators, that I have the pleasure of guiding me, holding space for me to discover?

01:00:23.000 --> 01:00:32.000
And continue to discover different aspects of myself. I was just blown away by their.

01:00:32.000 --> 01:01:00.000
Authenticity. There generosity and their mastery of the tools and the distinctions, the tools, including our distinctions and their ability to listen, and one of the things that I was really taken aback by what they were just not listening to, words, they were listening to spaces they were listening to.

01:01:00.000 --> 01:01:06.000
things that are not being said, and that is a critical skill set.

01:01:06.000 --> 01:01:12.000
And so I wanted to learn from them. I wanted to learn from the the Og's.

01:01:12.000 --> 01:01:31.000
I wanted to learn from the senior facilitators at the time, and I wanted to really listen for how I could, how I see them applying it to their lives, but also in different facets, whether it's their own careers or so on.

01:01:31.000 --> 01:01:52.000
So I wanted to really develop mastery of the tools, because just within the short space of time that I was, you know, testing my waters with them, I was noticing shifts happening, in my life, and I wanted to know what would happen if I actually immerse myself into this and to be

01:01:52.000 --> 01:02:01.000
able to gain the facilities, to be able to do what they were doing, and to find my own.

01:02:01.000 --> 01:02:09.000
You know, to continue to strengthen my own voice, and so that's what I you know.

01:02:09.000 --> 01:02:13.000
The first couple of years I was just there to be support, etcetera.

01:02:13.000 --> 01:02:30.000
But then, as it got to a point as just like you know what, the deeper I go into this, the the more the more I would, the more I would gain my own internal for I'd strengthen my own internal fortitude, and that's what I did, and that's it's been

01:02:30.000 --> 01:02:32.000
instrumental in that for me.

01:02:32.000 --> 01:02:44.000
Hmm! I got it. I got it. Okay. So before we complete, I just have a couple of final questions for you.

01:02:44.000 --> 01:02:48.000
One. Do you have a do you? Do you have a favorite annual, somebody? Event?

01:02:48.000 --> 01:02:50.000
Do I have a favorite? What!

01:02:50.000 --> 01:02:52.000
Annual summit event.

01:02:52.000 --> 01:02:56.000
Oh, my goodness! That's like asking me if I I have a favorite child!

01:02:56.000 --> 01:03:16.000
Come on, I will answer that by saying the summit that I had big leaps the first summit for sure in Memphis that I would say the next.

01:03:16.000 --> 01:03:26.000
Major Big Leap was, and I should say, before I join the facilitated body, I join what was then known as the Coordinating Committee.

01:03:26.000 --> 01:03:49.000
So I started inching my way through before I got to. And I think we're working on the coordinating committee for Toronto was instrumental in me, getting to know other people and starting to build capacity in a different way with the tool.

01:03:49.000 --> 01:03:50.000
Hmm!

01:03:50.000 --> 01:03:54.000
Brazil was significant. Brazil, and then back to Brazil and Ghana.

01:03:54.000 --> 01:04:11.000
It was like twin summits for me in terms of the energy that was created, and the you know, culminating into that.

01:04:11.000 --> 01:04:12.000
Hmm!

01:04:12.000 --> 01:04:30.000
I am. I have enough declaration, and then I would say, Ferguson, because of the the call into a space that was that that was calling for support and healing, and I remember one of the gentlemen who came the Friday night, said you know we were the first group that came into Ferguson

01:04:30.000 --> 01:04:35.000
that didn't tell them what to do, but was really listening to them in terms of what they needed.

01:04:35.000 --> 01:04:47.000
As individuals and as a community. And so I thought that was really quite powerful and.

01:04:47.000 --> 01:04:48.000
I think that's good. That answers my question.

01:04:48.000 --> 01:04:50.000
I don't know, Jacky those are the ones that I can stay at.

01:04:50.000 --> 01:04:51.000
Every single summit is taking me through different parts of myself.

01:04:51.000 --> 01:04:54.000
That answers my question.

01:04:54.000 --> 01:05:00.000
So, but those are the I would say. Those are the big milestone ones.

01:05:00.000 --> 01:05:14.000
Hmm! You know it's interesting. I I think Memphis is the annual summit event where we where the hotel where I walked in on you in in the hotel room, was was it Memphis because we both had the same name?

01:05:14.000 --> 01:05:17.000
We've had a couple of encounters.

01:05:17.000 --> 01:05:21.000
We both had the same name, so you know I had. I had.

01:05:21.000 --> 01:05:30.000
I'll just mention this. I had heard your name multiple times before I ever met you living in Toronto, you living in Ottawa.

01:05:30.000 --> 01:05:31.000
I know Spain.

01:05:31.000 --> 01:05:39.000
I would have people come up to me and say you're the Jacqueline Lawrence who works with So-and-so in Ottawa right?

01:05:39.000 --> 01:05:44.000
And I'd be like no, that is, that is not.

01:05:44.000 --> 01:05:45.000
And that would get your jackel, Lawrence from Toronto. The lawyer.

01:05:45.000 --> 01:05:47.000
That is not me. I had people say I'm so.

01:05:47.000 --> 01:05:52.000
I'm like. There's another.

01:05:52.000 --> 01:05:53.000
In Baltimore and going to Brazil.

01:05:53.000 --> 01:05:56.000
So for us to finally meet in this summit.

01:05:56.000 --> 01:06:01.000
I think we had some airport thing like Oh, Miss Lawrence, you've already checked it.

01:06:01.000 --> 01:06:06.000
Yeah. I walked in on you, sleeping in in your hotel room.

01:06:06.000 --> 01:06:07.000
Oh, wow!

01:06:07.000 --> 01:06:16.000
Cause they thought I was you, so they gave me a key to your room, I mean, yeah, I tiptoed out.

01:06:16.000 --> 01:06:17.000
I tiptoed out.

01:06:17.000 --> 01:06:22.000
Oh, wow! Oh, wow! Oh, wow! I tell you! That's been that's been a trip in and of itself.

01:06:22.000 --> 01:06:27.000
Well, Jack, a little while, you know. I also have to say sometimes the things that you do.

01:06:27.000 --> 01:06:30.000
I claim, I'm like, Yeah, that's another part of me.

01:06:30.000 --> 01:06:35.000
That's another part of me getting all of that done.

01:06:35.000 --> 01:06:38.000
Oh, wow! Not a problem!

01:06:38.000 --> 01:06:44.000
So thank you so much for being here with us tonight.

01:06:44.000 --> 01:06:45.000
Thank thank you.

01:06:45.000 --> 01:06:49.000
I'm going to ask you one final question.

01:06:49.000 --> 01:06:59.000
If you had one wish for the world right now, what would that be?

01:06:59.000 --> 01:07:07.000
I'll do like my Miss Universe world, peace!

01:07:07.000 --> 01:07:08.000
There's nothing wrong with world. Peace says it.

01:07:08.000 --> 01:07:29.000
No, no, nothing wrong with that at all, I would say, though my biggest wish for the world is that.

01:07:29.000 --> 01:07:30.000
Hmm!

01:07:30.000 --> 01:07:43.000
People are heard, valued, and know they're worth, and are fully able to.

01:07:43.000 --> 01:07:44.000
Hmm!

01:07:44.000 --> 01:07:46.000
Maximize their potential because their gift we're waiting for them to gift us what they have been sent here to deliver.

01:07:46.000 --> 01:08:02.000
And I think this is why tools like the International Black Summit freeze people up to be able to do that by accessing their vision and to be able to deliver that gift to the world. And I think that's how we're gonna get out of this thing together.

01:08:02.000 --> 01:08:16.000
Beautiful, beautiful! Thank you so much. Well, tonight we listened to you, and we honor you.

01:08:16.000 --> 01:08:28.000
So thank you so much for being who you are, and for bringing everything that you bring to this conversation and to my life into the world.

01:08:28.000 --> 01:08:29.000
Oh, thank you, Miss Grace Lawrence. It's been a pleasure journey with you.

01:08:29.000 --> 01:08:36.000
Love you, jackaline!

01:08:36.000 --> 01:08:37.000
Good thing.

01:08:37.000 --> 01:08:42.000
Good night, everybody! What to you to thank you all for being with us tonight?

01:08:42.000 --> 01:08:53.000
Thank you for joining us. We love that you come and join us when we have these conversations and we would love for you to come and to join us at the annual summit event.

01:08:53.000 --> 01:08:57.000
So if it's calling you, if it's tugging at your gut, your heartstrings, and you just wanna find out more.

01:08:57.000 --> 01:09:05.000
Come, check out



00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:10.000
We just said goodnight, but for those of you who decided to hang on, we have a special bonus for you.

00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:21.000
Jacqueline Lawrence. Jake is also working passionate about poetry, and is a poet, so she's agreed to share one of her poems with us right now.

00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:22.000
Enjoy.

00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:34.000
Thanks, Grace. This is a piece that I wrote about 8 to 9 months after the Ghana summit, and it's called Voices.

00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:43.000
I sat in the center of the dust cell. It's closed to black iron cast door, shutting out the midday sun.

00:00:43.000 --> 00:00:48.000
I sat on the colder floor where freedom fighters fell one by one.

00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:55.000
Silence fed me. Memories, no room, no light, no oxygen, only death, lived in the skull.

00:00:55.000 --> 00:01:03.000
Marked room, and the voices echoed, forgive them!

00:01:03.000 --> 00:01:10.000
Forgive them, forgive them. I walked outside to the main courtyard as the sun baked tears stained tracks on my cheeks, my eyes fastened on the church in the corner.

00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:21.000
It's steeple reaching up to heaven than its foundation cemented in the dungeons.

00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:22.000
Rooftop it is a silent witness to change humans waiting below in need.

00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:25.000
Deep waste fishing for food and inching through.

00:01:25.000 --> 00:01:35.000
Narrow, now whitewash corridors, and the voices echoed, forgive them!

00:01:35.000 --> 00:01:43.000
Forgive them, forgive them unsteady feet took me up the stairs to the Second level courtyard.

00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:52.000
Where my sister's my auntie's and my girl cousins were paraded for the Portuguese, Spanish, and British officers.

00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:58.000
The lottery picks to be bedded for one night or more by one officer or more.

00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:07.000
No white knights to the rescue, no ministers or ministries lobbying against the sewing off on welcome seeds in the wounds of many, and the voices echoed.

00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:13.000
Forgive them, forgive them, forgive them! I shifted my feet towards the gate of no return.

00:02:13.000 --> 00:02:20.000
My heart paced quicken, matching the pounding of the Atlantic.

00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:30.000
On the other side. My knees buckled as I slowly retrace the footsteps of hundreds of thousands the footprints of millions.

00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:48.000
The gate opened and silence fed me. Memories strangers with guns, and no amazing grace lashing the captured with whips and foreign tongues, corralling them into wave cracks, rocking boats, packing them as sardines and ocean batters, transporting them as

00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:57.000
cargo afar and away from home, and the voices echoed, forgive them, forgive them, forgive them!

00:02:57.000 --> 00:03:03.000
And the hazy horizon, I saw the ships disappear, falling into the New World.

00:03:03.000 --> 00:03:15.000
I saw ocean waters rising up like arms, cradling bruised to lifeless bodies, hurled overboard to swim home, to stay home, and the voices echoed, Remember me!

00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:23.000
Remember me, remember me. I slowly walked back through the gate of return and stood beside the M.

00:03:23.000 --> 00:03:31.000
Percent of 4, not knowing for how many I stood. Silence fed me gratitude.

00:03:31.000 --> 00:03:36.000
I whispered, Thank you, and the voices replied, I am at rest.

00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:44.000
I am at rest, I am at rest.

00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:52.000
So that is a piece that was written after Ghana and.

00:03:52.000 --> 00:03:57.000
I was sharing with folks that what was so significant about that piece was while I was in Ghana.

00:03:57.000 --> 00:04:03.000
I couldn't write my note, pack my note, my notes, but came back empty.

00:04:03.000 --> 00:04:12.000
Because Ghana demanded all of my senses to be able to just capture the images of the experience of that trip.

00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:20.000
And specifically getting that declaration. I am enough, certainly spearheaded me too.

00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:38.000
Continue, and the writing is certainly a part of that where I think I became more felicity and willing to share, and having had the opportunity to be published in A, in 3 anthologies, and getting ready to do my first full feature collection

00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:42.000
coming out either. The end of this year or early next year.

00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:52.000
So really exciting about that.

00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:57.000
Thank you so much.