By Bronwyn Kent
“Change is going to come from the margins, from people who have been labeled and who have been discriminated against” – Jack Pearpoint
On November 1st, we hosted the second part of the IMPACT-Ability Webinar Series, featuring guests Lynda Kahn and Jack Pearpoint from Inclusion Press.
Jack and Lynda are long-time advocates, presenters, and movement builders who know a thing or two about how to enliven ideas and inspire people to action. The concept of ‘inclusion’ was born in their living room and has since become a global term. They are the inventors of person-centered approaches such as PATH, MAPS and Circles of Friends, which have revolutionized how we tell stories and convey ideas.
In this webinar Lynda and Jack shared with us that by framing and packaging ideas, people are able to visualize concepts and better understand issues which can inspire them to action. Lynda explains, “We invented a container to help people be able to tell their stories and share their incredible gifts and capacities”.
They spoke of how anger can be energizing if harnessed properly and turned into positive action. “Being in inconvenient conversations with a diverse group of people and staying outraged, keeps up energized!”, says Lynda.
The work they have done over the last several decades has not been easy, but their impact on not only the disability movement, but on those who are marginalized the world over, has had incredible results and their legacy is evident. They have applied their methods to post-war zones in Africa, indigenous groups in Canada, and have worked with individuals, families, organizations and governments interested in positive change. Their “containers” are being used universally as a way to convey ideas and make it easy for people to grasp the concepts and take action.
Jack and Lynda know that our job as advocates and organizers is to listen to and support marginalized people by providing them with the necessary tools. The fundamental changes are going to come from these individuals and families who are affected by adversity.
Families have a distinct talent for achieving impact and they are the ones who are going to change the world.
Here are some great quotes from the webinar.
“When people can see stories, they can see and imagine futures.” – Jack Pearpoint
“If you can imagine it, it must be possible.” – Lynda Kahn
“PATH made things fun, exciting and energized it!” – Vickie Cammack
“Adversity is a breeding ground for creativity.” – Al Etmanski
Check out our Twitter Storify for more reflections that took place during the discussion.
This was the second of a seven-part webinar series. Join us for the next one on November 14, featuring guest Ben Weinlick, founder of Think Jar Collective, for an intimate conversation with Al and Vickie as they discuss practical approaches to convening not just friends and allies but also strangers and adversaries to achieve the changes you want. You can register here.
You can listen to the Webinar here: