The 2024 Global Fellows Experience was Magic

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.” 

–Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

What do you call an experience that is partly structured, mostly open, non-linear, and diverse in culture, nationality, age, and topics of conversations. Furthermore, it relies on possibilities, continuously expanding, and holds a space for both conversation and silence. When people meet in such a space for the first time, work and learn together for eight months, and develop life-changing connections and insights — I call that experience magic!

“One important connection I made during the Fellowship was with a Chicago Peace Fellow, Parrish Brown. It was especially meaningful for me because it made me realize that certain things we sometimes overlook in communities can be assets for the development of communities and the improvement of lives of the people.”

– Celine Osukwu, 2024 Goldin Global Fellow, Nigeria

To me, the word magic best describes the 2024 Global Fellows experience which took place between March and November. From a pool of 100 applications, 20 Fellows representing 16 countries were selected. Countries represented include Armenia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cameroon, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Libya, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Uganda, USA, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Developing Principles for Shared Learning

After the launch in March, Fellows spent the first two months becoming familiar with their peers, developing principles for shared learning, and reflecting on GATHER’s unique approach to community-driven social change that is so different from traditional leadership and management approaches. Fellows connected one on one to get to know each other, and with the help of co-facilitators spent time learning how to navigate the GATHER platform. Some of the principles they developed for their continued learning experience include active listening, empathy, respect, transparency, willingness to unlearn and re-learn, etc.

Furthermore, Fellows shared their key inspirations for joining the fellowship. For example, 2024 Global Fellow Mark Devon Maitim said:

“The spark that ignited my desire to become a 2024 Goldin Global Fellow was the unwavering spirit of empowerment among Indigenous People in our community. Witnessing their resilience and determination has been nothing short of inspiring.  My hope is to be a catalyst for positive change, to create ripples of impact that resonate far beyond my own efforts. I envision a future where more leaders emerge from within our community, armed with the tools and knowledge to effect meaningful change. Through this fellowship, I aspire to nurture the seeds of progress, cultivating programs that not only address immediate needs but also lay the groundwork for sustainable growth. Together, we can sow the seeds of empowerment and reap a harvest of collective prosperity.”

Lastly, the two-month ended with Fellows uncovering and sharing their individual strengths and the assets of their neighborhoods. This process of identifying, sharing, and activating both personal and neighborhood assets allowed Fellows to know each other and their communities better. They also had a chance to attend a workshop on self-compassion from the Director of Mutual Aid Collaborative, Burrell Poe.

Exploring Asset Based Community Development

In May and June, Fellows dived deeper into the concepts of Asset Based Community Development. The most unique experience was a joint roundtable discussion with the Chicago Peace Fellows where each Global Fellow was paired with a Chicago Peace Fellow. The theme of building on assets was further expanded with a practice of asking engaging questions that help community members identify their gifts and activate them to achieve shared aspirations. Fellows discussed at length why best principles tend to be more valuable than best practices when looking to adapt from solutions that have worked in other communities.

“The approach I learned from Gather is different from what we have been used to, especially some of us with development backgrounds in which we were taught how to identify, analyze, propose solutions, and implement said solutions towards solving a problem, which most often provides just band-aid solutions without getting to the root cause of why certain problems exist.”

– Arrey-Echi Agbor-Ndakaw, 2024 Goldin Global Fellow, Cameroon.

One of the great outcomes from this period was the Asset Maps developed by Fellows depicting key assets found in their communities. Below are a few examples from our Fellows in Africa, Asia (including the Middle East), Eastern Europe, and North America:

Bringing Global Communities Together

In June and July, Fellows engaged in the process of building inclusive teams. First, they learned and reflected strategies for identifying adaptive challenges and the kind of leadership required to address them. They then convened local learning partners, created teams, and learned how to host great meetings and handle tough conversations. With the help of their local teams Fellows convened community members at a visioning summit to share what they have learned so far, discuss and expand their asset maps, and develop a joint vision for the future. The Community Visioning Summits held in 14 countries was another great achievement of the 2024 Global Fellows cohort.

“The Community Visioning Summit activity allowed me to visit different cities and connect with different people in my country. I learned important things about human rights, and learned many challenges and opportunities facing my community that I did not know before.”

– Zohreh Solati, 2024 Goldin Global Fellow, Iran.

August and September saw Fellows taking actions in their local communities by implementing one or more issues that emerged from the summit. This process was made possible through a series of meetings between Fellows and their local teams as they reflected on the main points from the summit. Some Fellows focused on their desired projects conceived or refined throughout the Fellowship. Some of the projects implemented include:

“Through the peacebuilding project, I learned new skills: how to do a project, how to work with different people and receive feedback,  how to combine different ideas and opinions from team and community members to make progress”

– Otile C. Edwin, 2024 Goldin Global Fellow, Uganda

Creating Peace Building Projects and Sharing Stories

While Fellows worked on planning and implementing their peacebuilding projects, they continued to meet weekly for workshops from invited guests. Among the workshops, three of them were heavy on the importance of documenting experiences. Fellows learned how to capture great photos and videos from Aaron Nunes-Zaller (Instructor within the Integrated Studies Department at Florida Gulf Coast University). They also had an opportunity to learn the difference between op-ed and news articles from award winning author, Ethan Michaeli. Fellows also spent time with a Goldin Institute Communication Associate, Zeki Salah, learning how to tell stories online and build an online presence. Last in this series of storytelling workshops Fellows learned from April Donor (owner of Aprilart Studios) the foundations of storytelling from an asset-based community development perspective.

“Documenting your story is both a legacy of your contribution and “a call to action” that can inspire others as well.”

– Marielle Angelica Keshia Villasper, 2024 Goldin Global Fellow, Philippines

Finally, October and November prepared Fellows for their graduation. They learned about the importance of planning, cultivating trust, and strategies for sustaining progress. Fellows used this time to reflect on the critical moments from their entire learning journey based on the timeline below. They further spent time planning together how they wanted to celebrate their graduation event. Learn more about what transpired at the 2024 Global Fellows graduation event in this article.