Dear Council Carriers,
As you may be aware, The Ojai Foundation (TOF) has established the Council & Social Equity Project (CSE), a small intergenerational working group of practitioners, trainers and allies, to facilitate reflection and evolution of the practice of council for increased accessibility and inclusivity. Though circle practices are inherently efforts toward equity, the CSE Project stems from a recognition that there remain barriers to participation that can be both better understood and addressed. These include experiences along the lines of race, ethnicity, sex, gender, age, ability, class, nationality, cultural appropriation, and more. The CSE Project is an inquiry into these considerations, with the intended outcome of sharing recommendations to support an evolving council practice that offers an accessible, just, and equitable space for all who choose to participate.
Central to this effort is a survey, designed to gather essential feedback and information from council facilitators, trainers, and participants, as well as practitioners of other forms of circle. This survey is designed to be completed in 15-30 minutes, though some folks might have more to share. The survey completion deadline is December 31, 2021.
We hope that you will take the time to complete the survey and that you will send it to those you have trained and/or practiced with, and/or with others you feel might have something to contribute to this effort.
Thank you in advance for your participation.
With heart,
Andrea Brown, Brendan Clarke, Darcy Ottey, Irasha Talifero, Ramon Parish & Sharon Shay Sloan, for the Council & Social Equity Project