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Visit the Virtual TSI Launch page (Sept 17)
– featuring John McKnight
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Virtual TSI WORLD CAFE – Oct. 15 – edited video
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Virtual TSI Ideas that Matter – Nov. 12 – the edited video of the full event
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IDEAS THAT MATTER – the Learning Marketplace – Components: NOV. 12
Welcome (2 min. video)
Gerima Harvey
The Right Place
Peter Leidy
Follow-up Learning Marketplace Sessions
Creating Practices while Discovering our Neighbourhoods
Patti Scott & Kim Thurston-Brown
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Black American Tree Project
Danyetta Najoli & Freda Epum
Followup Session: Tuesday, December 8, 2020
12:00 – 2:30 pm EST
Limit – 30 registrations
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The Gentle Art of Noticing
Heather Simmons (Scotland)
Followup Session: Tuesday, December 15, 2020 1:00 – 3:00 pm EST
The Gentle Art of Noticing – Dec. 15
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Holding True to the Mission in the Midst of a Pandemic
Hope Leet Dittmeier & Whitney Hays
(Louisville, Kentucky)
Followup Session: Thursday, January 7, 2021
2:00 – 4:00 pm EST
Extras
Michelle Amerie (2.4 min)
Get your fashionable mask from Michelle (michelleamerie@mac.com)
The TSI House Band
Peter Leidy & Gerima Harvey
Useful Practices
Download the World Cafe Guidelines
To Learn More about this Art of Hosting practice:
To learn more about the World Cafe process, take a look at this link for some reading to provide general background: http://www.theworldcafe.com/key-concepts-resources/world-cafe-method/
Here is the link to World Cafe downloadable images: http://www.theworldcafe.com/tools-store/hosting-tool-kit/image-bank/guidelines/
Your Talking Stick….
A useful practice in virtual gatherings (and beyond) – is to use a talking stick which you pick up when you choose to speak, and set down when you are complete. Seeing the talking stick is a visible signal that you have something to say, and similarly – signal when you are done. This is a useful practice which is one of the family of Netiquette guidelines (etiquette for virtual calls) thanks to the World Cafe Community Table.
The Emergent Inclusion SONGBOOK…
More Events to come – stay connected…
There will be several Virtual TSI events over the year – leading up to TSI 2021 (July 10-15) when we hope we can gather together – and hug. In the meantime, sign up for our newsletter so you will be first informed (and can register) as new events are announced. offerings – some of which will depend on your creativity and ingenuity – making your contributions into our Virtual Learning Marketplace.
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Sign up for the Newsletter to be first informed when the registration opens…
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Resources you may enjoy...
If John McKnight captured a piece of your soul, you might want to visit our curated resource collection of John’s work on our website – which includes books, articles, and videos – including his video introduction to ABCD.
If your passion is song, you might want to spend more time with Heather Simmons – one of our Change Makers. You will find the Values of Inclusion video there.
Or if rhythm is in your soul, tuning in to some of Gerima’s concert work will be an inspiration. A collection of Gerima video clips is in Inclusion Theatre.
If you are intrigued to dive deeper, we encourage you to delve into the resources on our website: Inclusion.com. Most are free. The range is extensive.
• Inclusion Theatre with over 200 videos;
• Resources for Inclusion – a deep resource including a curated selection of Inclusion
• Change Makers where you will find extensive collections on the work of John O’Brien and Connie Lyle O’Brien, Beth Mount, Judith Snow. Marsha Forest and many more…
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And here is a Super Easy Guide to ZOOM if you need a refresher…
We hope our events are alive, nourishing, and called you to action as we continue our journey together.
Summer Institute Videos:
• View the TSI 2018 Reprise – Building a Bigger We (created by Neighbours International – David Hasbury & Patti Scott)
• TSI 2017 – also created by Neighbours International
• TSI 2019 – a montage by Jennifer Brown
The Back Story of the Virtual Toronto Summer Institute
As a result of the Pandemic, with fear and trepidation, we decided it was essential to maintain the spirit and the ethos of the Summer Institutes – and since we cannot meet personally (yet), we decided to do what many of us have done – leap into the unknown of Virtual gatherings.
We further decided that we could not/should not attempt a multi day event, but rather, select some of the ‘elements’ of the Institutes and in a series of events offer opportunities for us to renew and sustain our learning together. One of the core traditions is the concept of ‘open space’ – the Learning Marketplace – where we make offerings and choices within our community. We don’t think we can duplicate that flexibility, but we can assure you, this will not be preprogrammed on a grid. We will be making some offerings, and we will be looking for your suggestions and inputs. In short, we will be inventing this future together.
On Sept. 17, 2020, we began our journey by honouring several of our ‘rituals’ that are now Summer Institute traditions… Gerima Harvey drummed our welcome with a heartbeat rhythm. We acknowledged the original peoples whose lands have been stolen resulting in our privileged positions. We greeted each other by sharing our intentions – thus becoming more fully present. And we listened to John McKnight tell us stories about three libraries of wisdom that we can draw on: Marsha Forest, Judith Snow, and Pat Worth. We made space to let this wisdom find a deep home in our souls by talking to each other in small group conversations, and then we shared some of those emergent learnings in a Harvest of our reflections.
We were privileged to listen to the dulcet tones of Heather Simmons – while scanning TSI images photographed and composed by David Hasbury. Then we drummed each other out led by Gerima Harvey, our percussionist. None of this would have been possible without remarkable collaborators: John McKnight; John O’Brien, Beth Mount, Patti Scott, David Hasbury, Bill Rollo, Gerima Harvey, and Sylma Fletcher – and of course Lynda Kahn, Cathy Hollands, and Jack Pearpoint. Deep gratitude to all the collaborators up front and behind – and to all those who came for a TSI Visit and Reunion.
We will not go back to normal.
A poem from Sonia Renee Taylor.
Normal never was.
We normalized Greed, Inequity,
Exhaustion, Depletion,
Extraction, Disconnection,
Confusion, Rage, Hoarding,
Hate and Lack.
We should not long to return,
my friends.
We are being given the opportunity to stitch
a new garment,
One that fits all of humanity & nature.
Additional Resources
Summer Institutes – Toronto, McGill, Bolton UK – some video clips
McGill Summer Institute – historical documents
Summer Institute AUDIO clips – a selection
Summer Get Togethers – Early Inclusion History
