Last weekend, Leadership Academy fellows gathered in Washington, D.C. for their second retreat. They attended workshops that explored three guiding frames: building a movement across difference, anatomy of a victory and “what now?” The workshops used these frames to ground a range of professional, personal and movement building skills.

Thursday’s first activity, “Mapping Ourselves onto the Movement,” built upon these three frames — each fellow constructed and presented a “career lifeline” detailing their personal growth over the last five months and aspirations for the next 10 years. A later workshop explored different leadership styles and how individuals can effectively collaborate with a range of leaders. To celebrate the first day of the retreat, fellows attended a fellow-planned and -led networking reception attended by more than 30 social innovators. Special thanks to Elizabeth Camuti for organizing the reception, generously co-hosted by Scott + Yandura Consulting.

Friday started with a presentation from the Management Center on important skills for nonprofit professionals. The workshop explored SMART (specific, measurable, actionable, realistic and timely) goals and building effective work plans and closed with suggestions on organizational systems for young professional leaders. At the luncheon session, “Getting Real with Movement Leaders,” fellows heard from a panel of young movement leaders about their experiences with burnout and oppression in the workplace. The day ended with fellow-led interactive workshops on new media tools and disparities in healthcare.

Saturday’s theme was movement building and our workshops focused on anti-oppression training. Using current events and the election cycle, fellows discussed how race, gender and sexual orientation had played out as intersectional issues since the last retreat. Afterwards, fellows focused on gender, participating in a silent gallery walk and an exercise designed to break down gender oppression. To close out the day, the fellows led an open forum about forms of oppression in the movement.

In a stroke of luck and the magic of Washington, D.C., the fellows met President-elect Barack Obama during lunch on Saturday. Tired of catered lunches in the retreat center, fellows requested to go to lunch on the town and selected Ben’s Chili Bowl. Upon arriving, the Secret Service arrived, followed shortly thereafter by the President-elect. 2009 fellow Kari Fulton shouted, “We’re the ones who helped you get elected!” and Obama came over for a photo-op. Obama’s visit to Ben’s Chili Bowl made all of the major networks, but the little-known story was of the 21 young progressive leaders who fortuitously got a chance to meet a source of inspiration.

On Sunday, fellows reflected on the weekend through a goal-setting workshop drawing on Friday’s Management Center training. Fellows were challenged to put their commitments into SMART goals so that YP4 staff can concretely support them in achieving their goals. After verbal and written evaluations, the fellows posed for a group photo and traveled home.

Thank you to the Retreat Planning Committee and to our funders for making this retreat possible.