I was excited - albeit a little (OK, a lot) nervous - about co-presenting at CAAASA with one of our district leaders, Iton Udosenata. And I was more than excited to share what Portico has to offer leaders, especially those of color who face unique challenges.

Yet that still doesn't compare with the excitement I experienced from connecting with you. I was inspired by so many incredible leaders who share my commitment and passion for equitable student-centered progress in education, and I thank you.

This was my first time delivering this presentation in front of a live audience, and I wasn’t sure if my material would really land. This conference meant so much to me both professionally and personally, that I honestly started overthinking all the little details to make it perfect. No pressure though, right? 

So, I chose to attend the morning session in the same room I’d be presenting in that afternoon to get a better feel for what to expect. Yes, I was that nervous! A co-presenter in a suit began their intro, and I nervously opened my laptop as the chairs at my table began to fill. Then the primary presenter stood up, speaking passionately about her years navigating a broken system, lamenting the exhaustion of leaders who are burned-out on ever-changing programming, and reinforcing the call for our schools to shift back into being the hub of the community instead of the inconvenient stranger. 

I took the universal hint to be more present, closed my laptop, leaned in, and engaged fully for the rest of the session. I had great conversations with my table-mates, and I even struck up a lengthy chat with the presenter at the end of the session when she came over to thank me for the warm energy. We talked about many topics: from the details about our natural hair routines to how it feels to be out of the classroom, and eventually worked our way back around to how we support school leaders in our respective work. 

Finding community with her in those small moments that morning gave me the boost I needed to calm my nerves and engage with a great group of leaders who share my purpose and values. And that’s what the CAAASA conference is really all about, right? Yes, it’s the information, and strategies, and energy boost we all especially need this time of year, but it’s the connections and relationships we build with each other that will ultimately be what inspires and supports us as we continue this good fight. Personally, I know that investing in these relationships and working together toward a common goal is at the center of sustaining me as a leader in this field. 

We’re Our People:

Connections that Create Change

Not only do I feel like I found more of “my people” at CAAASA 2022, but it reinforces my belief that my work with Portico is exactly where I need to be and is exactly what education needs, too.

Finding your people is critically important to getting the urgently necessary work of education done, and I’m so glad to be part of an organization that not only understands that, but is willing to invest in their leaders; yes, to help them build their capacity as leaders and increase the longevity of leaders within their roles, but most importantly, to expand the impacts of our shared goal to ultimately reach as many students as possible.

This is why Shift 2 of Portico’s 5 Shifts is “Find Your People.”

We have plans as an organization to further invest in purposeful gatherings because we believe that our collective strengths are transformative. I'd be beyond excited and honored to further connect with you, and I invite you to join forces with me and Portico to keep the momentum of the CAAASA 2022 conference going strong as we transition into another school year.

I hope that all the attendees got as much out of CAAASA 2022 as I did, and I can't wait to continue the conversation with them, and with you.   Schedule a call to help your school leaders find the community they need to move this important work forward.