Building What Matters, In Our Own Backyard
- Chanel Grenaway
- Mar 18
- 2 min read
Lately, I’ve been noticing little signals to return “home.” It’s a voice telling me that it’s time to focus on where I live, work, and play. In a world that I describe as "upside down" at the moment, the advice that is resonating most with me is to pay attention to my spheres of influence, and dig deeper into the places, people, and activities that bring me joy.
It’s the local and the close to home that are providing meaning and optimism for me. It’s ongoing conversations with clients who are actively applying equity practices and living into their anti-racism commitments. It’s my board work, advocating for gender and racial equity across different sectors and spaces. It’s my Catalysts’ Circle community, a group deeply grounded in equity and to transformational change with and in communities.
It’s also the personal, everyday connections, my friends and fellow moms who encourage me to get to the dojo or gym, and conversations with peers and associates who are also navigating changes in work and in family life. These are the people and spaces that are grounding me and reminding me of what matters most.
Earlier this month, I co-facilitated a conversation on building a youth employment strategy for York Region. It was a full day of listening, learning, and connecting. I left the meeting reflecting on these three things:
Make the most of local and regional strengths: It’s amazing what you learn just by getting to know who’s in the room and what they do. Are we buying locally? Partnering regionally? Sharing our expertise? There’s so much potential when we pay attention to the strengths and assets right around us.
Connect to make a bigger impact: As community needs change and as the way we work shifts, it’s easy to get siloed. Finding ways to collaborate is how we can collectively create more impact.
Value good facilitation: In the context of the Connected Community Approach (CCA), good facilitation and meaningful collaborative processes ensure that new initiatives strengthen the community rather than imposing another institution's mandate/goals. It’s about working together and building something none of us can do alone.
Perhaps the answers to thriving in this "upside down world" aren't far away, they’re right here, in our own backyard.
Chanel Grenaway & Associates Inc. is committed to helping leaders, staff teams and boards build good work cultures that align with their anti-racism and inclusion goals through continuous learning and practice change. Happy to hop on a call with you to see how I might help. Let’s chat.
