shiday_admin

shiday_admin

  • Joined: June 26, 2025
  • Articles: 57

Attending to Purpose

Handwritten notes on a whiteboard under the title "Fundraising." The text defines the "purpose" as "to increase money in the Fund" and "responsibilities" as starting with "collaborate with."

Without shared purpose, groups stall. In this piece, I reflect on how co-creating and tending to purpose brings clarity, momentum, and resilience in complex work.

Attending to Process

Handwritten notes on a whiteboard that read: "Form clear proposals for the group -> What do you need to decide? Be clear..."

Process shapes how groups move from talk to action. Here I reflect on how thoughtful design and adaptation build trust, ownership, and lasting collaboration.

Attending to Presence

A note with two questions: "What songs reflect your governance style? What do you want to hear?"

Presence is the ground upon which other aspects of group facilitation depend. In this piece, I reflect on how attention, listening, and pace bring life to collaboration and make change possible.

Attending to Pace

A photo of a whiteboard with a hand-drawn grid. Various sticky notes are attached to the grid, including a green note that says "pace - slow + fast" and a yellow one that says "reality" and "lack of awareness." There are also two paper fish cutouts with text on them.

Pace shapes the rhythm of change. Here I reflect on urgency, patience, and how sensing the natural cadence of groups helps trust and collaboration grow.

UNC School of Government ⯈ Workshop

A blue slide from a presentation by the UNC School of Government, Center for Public Leadership and Governance. The slide's title, "Leading With and Through: Harness the Power of Public Participation," is written in white text against a light blue banner. The UNC logo is on the left side of the banner. A faint, dark blue outline of a government building is visible in the background.

This course, which I was invited to develop, offers valuable insights and practical tools for local government staff and officials seeking to build stronger relationships with their communities. Participants explore collaborative approaches to foster trust, improve communication, and create a greater sense of shared purpose.

University of Minnesota ⯈ Guest Speaker

Title slide for a university course. The title is "PUBH 7200: Democratizing Public Health through Radical Participation." The course is offered in "May Session 2024." In the top right corner, there is a logo for the "School of Public Health, University of Minnesota."

As a guest speaker at the University of Minnesota, I shared how participatory methods shape my work - from the design of the Better Food Policy Fund to the creative use of visuals as tools for facilitation and storytelling. We explored equity and justice, lessons learned from missteps, and practical advice for those beginning their journey with participatory approaches.

Embodied Leadership ⯈ Guest Speaker

Part of a flyer for a conference titled "Leading With and Through Fostering a Sense of Belonging, 2024 Conference." The flyer features a collage of photos of the three speakers: Dr. Sylvia Burgess, Dr. Robert Livingston, and Terry Willie-Surratt.

I co-presented "Embodied Leadership: Navigating Trauma for Greater Belonging" with renowned transformative lawyer J Kim Wright at the Leading With and Through: Fostering a Sense of Belonging Conference. We shared practical insights into the embodied practices that help leaders navigate and recognize trauma - working from the inside-out - to build trust and increase performance in their teams.