January 2024 CEO Note

January – start of a new year for us, and this first month is always filled with activity. The two-day Partner Convening, annual Board retreat, filling out our ‘year at a glance’ calendar, and staff looking at their professional development goals for the year – laying the groundwork for 2024 and more. 

For me, it’s also a month of family celebrations and remembering – birthdays (my mom, maternal grandmother, great aunt, sister, cousins, nieces and nephews), my parent’s anniversary, and one year since losing my oldest brother. It always brings to mind the word ‘bittersweet’ – that we can celebrate and mourn, laugh and grieve, because all those emotions sit inside us as humans. My nephew’s birthday brings out smiles and old pictures, and reminds the family that we lost him in a drive-by shooting almost 23 years ago, leaving my oldest brother to raise his grandson. It still feels like yesterday. Our emotions are intertwined – and this complexity of emotions surrounds so many community members every day.

The Collaborative Action Network has grown to almost 140 organizations, and the convening is just one opportunity for them to meet others who might be aligned with their work. Relationship building, collaboration building, and movement building. The network will strengthen some long held beliefs, and hopefully offer some surprises for potential new partnerships. 

Starting the year off with a two-day convening is ambitious (those who do meeting planning know what that means) and I hope you all know that it is only a teaser for what is possible. The gathering nourishes our team, and unsurprisingly makes them say things like “I wish we’d had more time for ….” Being inspired by the work you do is a nourishment to us. We thank you.

We look forward to next steps with you. We’ll be announcing dates for the August convening soon, plus communities of practice and the Learning Series. The new Medicaid waiver will support capacity building for regional care coordination and once we have that agreement in place you’ll hear more. 

Many blessings to you, your families and teams, and hope to see you all again soon.