Highlights From the LT'24 Fall Retreat
We just launched our Flagship Program year with the LT’24 cohort at our Fall Retreat. During this event, members of the LT’24 cohort built community and belonging with each other; explored Collective Leadership as an approach for building healthy communities; and explored skills, knowledge, behaviors, and self-awareness needed for effective participation in LT. We extend our gratitude to Seattle Foundation for their generous sponsorship, which made this impactful weekend possible!
Here’s what a few members of the LT’24 cohort said about their experience at the Fall Retreat:
Liz Cruz, LT’24
Liz Cruz Consulting
True confession: I have spent much of my adult life grappling with 'belonging.' As a lifelong 'weird kid on the playground', I've had my fill of self-doubt, imposter feelings, holding myself back, isolation, anxiety, and so on. I've worked really hard to create meaningful relationships that mostly quiet the "I don't belong anywhere" voice. Mostly.
This weekend, I had the opportunity to meet the 80 incredible (inspiring, creative, wholehearted) leaders in the 2024 class of Leadership Tomorrow.
We spent our weekend exploring collective leadership, laying the foundation for service projects ahead, and sitting in the magical energy of new relationships forming. At one point, we were invited to reflect on LT's values, which include (gulp) belonging.
I wrote about the little part of me that is *still* scared that I don't belong, and about the room full of people I had seen welcoming one another, even though we had *all* just arrived. I wrote about the mycelium network we'd been talking about that day, and about how I saw strangers moving quickly into a collective through curiosity, and willingness to dive in and be vulnerable together.
The weekend was...transformative. I got to experience a sense of belonging that has felt rare and precious in my life, and I am so grateful. As I come down from the experience, I'm feeling hopeful, eager to discover what's next in this work, and humbled to be connected to these folks.
K. Darrow Brown, LT’24
Washington State Department of Health
I just spent two days with 80 incredible humans at Leadership Tomorrow's Fall Retreat. At the risk of hyperbole, I can say it was the most powerful experience I've had in many years. The energy...the positivity...the transparency and authenticity...all inspiring and motivating.
Hannah Müller-Jones, LT’24
Buro Happold
This weekend, I managed to meet maybe 40 of the 80 leaders I am embarking on this year long course with, and I was continuously surprised, challenged and seriously impressed by each of them. This weekend focused heavily on collective leadership and DEI work, and the empathy and openness has me so excited for the year to come.
Kevin Quaid, LT’24
Amazon Web Services
I continue to reflect on a powerful weekend spent with insightful, smart and passionate community leaders. I’m excited to start this year's LT program.
Kiara D.L. Montgomery, LT’24
T-Mobile
I was so excited to be a part of the Fall Retreat as a member of the 40th cohort of Leadership Tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to growing, learning, and pushing myself to be a better leader and community member. What a great way kick off this journey!
