Photo by Tia Tyler
From April 27th - April 29th, over 400 students from across the state of California gathered at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for a weekend of workshops, speakers, live music, and camping. The theme of this convergence was building a resoNATION - inspiring students to join together to make a positive, resounding impact in the world. We all have unique perspectives, skills, and experiences, and the California Student Sustainability Coalition (CSSC) is about bringing those individual resonations into one HUGE resoNATION.
And that is what we did. Most of the 30 workshops offered were student-led, and topics varied from “Transforming White Privilege” to “Agro Eco Coffee” to “Ending Corporate Personhood.” Larry Lansburgh, producer of the film “Dream People of the Amazon,” delivered a thought-provoking and inspirational keynote address about the power of community and perseverance against all odds. After a long day of workshops (and delicious, vegan, sustainable food) we all danced our hearts out to the tunes of The Willows, who played an energizing set for us at SLO Creek Farms.
The CSSC is built on the principle that sustainability has three intertwined threads: ecological, economic, and social. The convergence was a time to explore all of those threads both intellectually and experientially, by opening our minds and our hearts to one another.
Between workshops, over meals or while tossing frisbees, friends were made and conversations had regarding how we can make change in our own communities and on our own campuses. How we can build a resoNATION. Jordan Lambert, Tessa Salzman, and Yamina Pressler did a fabulous job for coordinating this year’s spring convergence. Across the board, students agreed that it was one of the best ones yet. Those three amazing organizers, along with the Empower Poly Coalition and the California Student Sustainability Coalition, worked long and hard to create this space for sustainable collaboration. But rather than write more about the experience, here is a video that encompasses the diversity of voices as well as the common experience that permeated throughout the weekend.
If you attended the convergence, I hope this brings back positive memories, and if you did not, I hope this inspires you to come to the next one! The CSSC puts together these magical weekends once a semester - so don’t miss out!
