The Ghostlight Project - January 19th Gathering - 7pm to 10pm
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7:00pm - 7:15pm Welcome, Tonight’s Agenda, Introductions
Welcome everyone to the gathering. Review the agenda and focus of the time together (space to reflect on the past year, as well as create a vision for the year ahead). Invite participants to introduce themselves (e.g. name, role, and what brought them to the gathering, etc.). You may also want to choose a timekeeper and notetaker to document the evening’s gathering.
7:15pm - 7:45pm Brainstorm Exercise & Personal Reflections
Circulate post-it notes. Have participants write reflections, one looking back (reflection) and one looking forward (vision).
Sample question sets might include: What has Ghostlight meant in the past year? What can Ghostlight mean in the coming year? // What was most successful about your/our activist work in the past year? What is a dream you have for the upcoming year?
7:45pm - 8:45pm Discussion
Depending on the number of participants, you may want to use a structure to discuss these (or other) questions. We’ve circulated this list as an example to get you started, but feel free to tailor to your own questions and reflections based on the brainstorm exercise responses.
What were your goals when you announced that "All Are Welcome" on January 19th? Have you been able to follow through on them? Do you know why or why not?
What are successes you’ve achieved?
What are challenges you’ve faced?
If you’re an individual artist, have you found the bandwidth to fold activism into your life or have you struggled?
Do you have thoughts about how you/the theater might open the doors (both literal and metaphorical) to even more people in the coming year?
What are some questions you’re grappling with now regarding equity, inclusion, or participation?
What is our relationship to the national Ghostlight community? How can we be collaborating with/serving the greater Ghostlight network most effectively?
8:45pm - 9:15pm National Check-in / Discussion
At this time, our NYC gathering will respond to thoughts and reflections from national partners and sites. We are working to coordinate a method (e.g. Twitter or Facebook) to engage in a larger conversation. You may choose to use this time to continue the discussion beyond 8:45pm.
9:15pm - 9:45pm Brainstorm Exercise / Next Steps
You may use a similar post-it note exercise (or build on the post-it notes from earlier in the gathering) to discuss and create your 2018. What actions will you commit to in 2018? How can you build upon your successes and challenges?
9:45pm - 10:00pm Wrap-up and Commitments
Create a structure for accountability and check-ins in 2018. How will you commit to fulfilling your vision and goals for 2018?