Hello Good Friends!
It is nice to be able to talk with you once again, it has been a bit of time since the last time we spoke! I hope all is going well in the many aspects of your lives, but most especially that the vibes from the weekend past are still running well and helping to sow seeds around our education.
Well, this time a week ago I could barely keep my eyes open as the local convergence organizing team finished clean up, heck, none of us could, however we each had a smile running from one ear straight across to the other. And, personally, I could not have been happier - the weekend was beautiful and everyone involved added an aspect from which I found great hope and energy.
Friday Evening Arrival
The beauty of the weekend began on Friday evening as students began to arrive at UCSD, finding their way through the bonding time known as LA traffic, for an incredible dinner at the student owned Food Co-op. We are curried black eyed peas over rice and a fresh salad, all of which was local and organic. Voicings of “Hot darn!” “Wow this is delicious!” and “My mouth is on fire!” were the norm, and were only quieted by an incredible game of hacky sack and some beautiful Open Mic at the G-Store Co-op fun. Of course, it was not to go without a hitch, and attendees was pulled of a glorious round of musical sleeping spaces, with everyone winning in the end.
Saturday Morning
Before anyone had the chance to cherish the evening, breakfast began bright and early on Saturday morning with a very happy buffet. After, the Student Sustainability Collective at UCSD, the local team of volunteers, the CSSC Operating Team, and the CSSC Board of Directors introduced themselves sharing with the crowd their reason and rhyme. I spoke a few words as well on the grand history of student activism and the fortunate opportunity we have to bring change to our state and the world, our chance to sit in and teach by passion, word, and deed. Afterward we all split into the many different categories within sustainability to share thoughts and plans, but more importantly to share contact information and research suggestions with the Networking Notebooks made out of 100% recycled materials by the hands of the Student Sustainability Collective at UCSD. One student ran to me during dinner and showed me her notebook, explaining that it was full thanks to a day of great discussion with the other attendees and the incredible workshops and speakers. She then handed me the notebook and sure enough, the thing didn’t have a spot left for writing, she had even scribbled out the old manila folder. After the networking time everyone gathered into Center Hall to connect with Ricky Ott on the injustices of corporations, learn from Dina Cervantes about efficient group organization, and discuss how to fix Fair Trade policy with Professor April Linton. Again there was a food treat not to be unnoticed: a wrap buffet held quite a line for a long time, stocked full of freshly picked vegetables and fruits and tortilla wraps of all varieties.
By lunch it was quite obvious that abounding bonds had been made and new gatherings of students were spotted around Library Walk in the warm afternoon sun relaxing before the marathon fun of workshops - the fruit of all convergences. And this convergence’s workshops were not to disappoint. With some workshops indoors and some workshops outdoors, they all brought for discussion and education, all in different varieties and pertaining to different parts of the social and environmental effort. From the fermentation of pickles and the operation of a proper home compost system to bringing a co-op to your campus and running and ESLP, the workshops grabbed everyone’s creative energy and brought the Convergence to another level of effort and passion. The Multi-Purpose Room lit up for dinner as everyone gathered in for the feast of the day (and the magic dessert too) as well as a concert from The Skavolutionary Orchestra. At dinner everyone did a good job of embarrassing one another as I got everyone to clap for Alexandra Villega’s efforts in the kitchen as well as Rachel Grey’s outrageous berry turnover, not to mention the cornering of the volunteers. Ryan and Pam did well to get me and round out the effort before a spot of commercials from the attendees helped broadcast messages to all of the Convergence, capturing the true spirit of the CSSC, a network of California’s college students, coming together to share information for change. After the beautiful applause and shows of gratitude The Skavolutionary Orchestra took stage and got everybody to cut the rug as the sung songs that echoed the students’ voices and jived the way only ska music can. It was a spectacular end to a spectacular Saturday.
Sunday Morning
On Sunday morning everyone woke up a bit slow and tired from the day that was Saturday but as soon as they smelled another breakfast buffet delight they found their engines and made way to the Multi Purpose Room before a final workshop, group talk, and spiral hug. The final round of workshops was as beautiful as the first, with some new art and continued discussion of leadership opportunities within the CSSC. After the workshops everyone gathered for one last time to for a group talk led by Pam and Ryan, a talk which gave everyone a voice, something Ryan had explained to be CSSC’s intention with this Convergence. As the talking stick was passed around there were laughs and snaps, even tears, but above all there was sustainability, there was the continuation of a discussion that started on a Friday evening into Sunday afternoon. Furthermore, it was not a closure, it was one more topic to talk about before saying good bye for a little while, the information and the plans were in place, everyone was ready to talk again, we just needed to say some things about the weekend to think about over the car ride.
I want to personally thank everyone who worked for this Convergence and everyone who came to this Convergence, a Convergence is simply not going to be educational, fun, and worth the travel if one of the two teams doesn’t rock…and both rocked!
Have a great end to your school year, set your seeds for your efforts and enjoy the weather of spring!
