Because we want to encourage participants to nurture their practice, grow in their expertise, and for our community as a whole to rejuvenate ourselves in the work to eliminate violence and oppression, the theme for 2019 is Cultivate.
LOGISTICS INFORMATION
Dates: June 5th – 7th, 2019
Location: Emory and Henry College www.ehc.edu/about/maps-directions/
RADICAL WELCOME
Our retreat welcomes all into our space. Please help us in creating a safe(r) and welcoming space for all. Catch up with old friends and make some new ones! We invite all movement makers and shakers, especially communities of color, people with disabilities, our LGBTQIA+ communities and all who have been historically marginalized. Everyone must share responsibility for ensuring that ALL voices are heard and valued.
Power and privilege can show up in many ways throughout this retreat. Be intentional about recognizing these behaviors within yourself in the ways that you take up space or create space for others.
Consent is a key component in our work! Join us in starting within our own relationships with colleagues and friends by always asking for consent, even in the smallest of activities.
We understand that the work that we do can be taxing and exhausting at times, we invite you to take care of yourselves in the ways that feel best for you. Seek out spaces that are healing for you or check out our cultivated self-care space! Retreats can be busy and intense, also support others by practicing community care of flexibility and empathy.
ACCESSIBILITY INFO
The Action Alliance wants to ensure that all are empowered to make decisions that feel best for them, including in regards to accessibility. We have included some accessibility information here; however, if you have additional accessibility concerns, please contact: lwinsor@vsdvalliance.org
Campus Grounds
Emory & Henry’s campus includes many steep inclines and hills.
We will have a van service that we can use to shuttle people from building to building. This service must be requested in advance to give time/location/number of individuals for transport
Building and Lodging
All buildings we will be using have elevators
Both dorms that may be in use during the event have three rooms with accessible showers (please contact: lwinsor@vsdvalliance.org if you are in need of one of these rooms)
Service Animals
Service animals are permitted on campus with a valid doctor’s note
Restrooms
There is a single stall restroom in the Woodrow W McGlothlin Center for the Arts (location of registration and keynotes)
There is a single stall restroom on the third floor of the McGlothlin Street Hall (this building has an elevator) which is where all the workshops will be held
There are NOT gender neutrals restrooms in the dining hall and we do not have the ability to designate them as such because we aren’t the only group using the space. We do apologize for any inconveniences this may bring.
Scents
Becoming scent-free is an important step towards being trauma-informed and expanding disability justice. We ask that you keep this in mind when preparing for the retreat to be respectful of others. This can look like using scent-free lotion or using more naturally scented products.
There will be some scented items in the self-care space for those who find these calming; however, they will be contained to the best of our ability
Caucus SPaces
The Action Alliance has historically supported the opportunity for people who share an identity as part of a historically oppressed or marginalized community to build capacity to talk about the various forms of oppression that impact them, address the conflicts that may arise as part of anti-oppression work, and build compassionate connection within a safer space. We believe we can continue this work of cultivating relationships at this year’s retreat by providing safer spaces where people who may share an identity can breathe life into one another, share stories and gain support, discuss tough moments, and build positive energy together.
If you would like to be part of a caucus group at the retreat, please indicate on your registration form which caucus group(s) you’d be interested in joining. We will gather information about the most frequently requested caucus groups and inform attendees of where and when those groups will be meeting during the retreat. Examples of possible caucus identities include race, ethnicity, place of birth, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, socio-economic status, etc. Caucuses can also include intersecting identities if people feel strongly about how their identities are intricately connected (e.g. Queer and Trans People of Color).
During the caucus time, the Action Alliance will also be providing space for allies to build their capacity to be active allies and aspiring accomplices, which is a lifelong process of learning to leverage privilege and building relationships based on trust, consistency, and accountability with marginalized individuals and/or groups of people.
LAND AND LABOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Emory is located on the land of Tsalaguwetiyi , the ancestral and unceded territory of the Cherokee People. We would like to respectfully acknowledge the individuals who have existed on this land for generations prior to colonization in addition to the individuals who were brought over against their will through enslavement to create this area.
HISTORY OF EMORY & HENRY
Emory & Henry was founded in 1836 and is the oldest college in Southwest Virginia
To learn more about the history of Emory & Henry: https://www.ehc.edu/about/history/