Reflecting And Planning In 2020

 After four years of producing in-person and virtual gatherings and producing foundational documents, the Untokening core organizing committee has decided to undertake a strategic planning and visioning process in 2020. This means we will not be hosting a national convening this year. 

Why Untokening Matters 

In November 2016, the Untokening first convened in Atlanta, Georgia, for a gathering that brought together a diverse array of mobility justice advocates from across the country. At this gathering, the principles of mobility justice first took shape. 

Subsequent annual gatherings happened in Los Angeles, taking place in the historic Leimert Park; Detroit, showcasing the challenges and opportunities taking root in a city shaped by car culture; and Durham, offering us the opportunity to learn from leaders addressing mobility in the South. 

Central to our mission has been the need to create new spaces to counter the dominant narratives in mobility advocacy, planning, and policy designed around the experiences of the most privileged. Our convenings offered a unique space to center the most marginalized, specifically Black, Indigenous, People of Color, in collective visions for safe, sustainable, and just mobility. 

Each convening has reaffirmed our commitment and our belief that the Untokening has created a unique and vital space for advocates and community members doing this work. This is clear from the enthusiasm each organizing team has poured into activities and workshops and it is clear from the sentiments of participants who express their gratitude and connectedness after each convening. 

What Comes Next? 

After the Durham convening, our national core leadership met to consider our capacity and strategic direction. The national convenings have been organized by local leaders in each city, supported by the core organizing team. While this model has worked for the last four years, the capacity of our core team has been changing. Durham challenged us to consider, “Should an annual national convening still take place?” 

We don’t have the answer to that question, which is why we are taking this year to engage in strategic visioning. In June 2020, core national leadership and local leaders from each host city will meet in St Louis. We will consider what we want for the Untokening moving forward, what is the value of our work, and whether a national convening will take place in 2021. 

The Untokening will be scheming behind the scenes as usual, but at this point in our process we want to critically consider in what form(s) the project should live on for our network. We ask for your patience, trust, and support as we embark on this next step. 

In Solidarity,

The Untokening Core Organizing Team (Naomi Doerner, Grace Kyung, Lynda Lopez, Adonia Lugo, René Rivera, and Anthony Taylor)

  • Funding for the strategic planning and visioning process provided by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Leaders program. Thank you! 

Adonia Lugo