Southwest Airlines has been a long-time champion of our work. For over four years, they’ve provided us with travel vouchers that allow us to travel to professional development opportunities, national conferences, and meetings. As part of our commitment to helping our partners grow professionally, we did a raffle where two participating partner organizations received round-trip tickets to a professional development opportunity anywhere in the States where Southwest Airlines flies. Below are reflections from our two winners, who are part of a network of 70 exceptional partners who strive to improve their practices and share their expertise with the PASA professional development community.
Dulari Tahbildar, Breakthrough Providence:
From Nov 10-12, 2016, I attended the Facing Race Conference in Atlanta, GA. Facing Race is a “unique collaborative space for racial justice movement making.” While at the conference, I attended workshops on strategies for developing a racial equity initiative in your city, strategies for mobilizing black women and girls in the Movement for Black Lives, and strategies for using small screens to move racial justice. These workshops as well as the informal community building were an invaluable professional development experience, especially so soon after the US presidential election results were announced. As a leader of a youth leadership organization, it was important for me to surround myself with leaders and activists in all sectors who approach their work through a racial justice lens in order to gain clarity on my own priorities for my organization and students. Thank you, PASA and Southwest Airlines, for the opportunity!
Adrienne Gagnon, DownCity Design:
I’ve just returned from the National Guild for Community Arts Education conference in Chicago, thanks in part to those awesome Southwest tickets from PASA!!
What an incredible experience.
My brain is buzzing with new ideas to inform our work here at DownCity Design!
I was so inspired by the workshops and site visits, and also made great connections with lots of like-minded practitioners. I also led a workshop on Designing Programs to Facilitate Social Change, which had 50 participants and was very well-received.
Thanks so much for providing me with the opportunity to travel to Chicago for this great professional development opportunity.
At PASA, learning is never-ending for our youth, our staff, and our partners. Click here to see our schedule of professional development courses, which are free to our partners!