Maryam Mohiuddin Ahmed, Patrick Dubé, Lara Evoy, Louise Adongo, Stéphane Guidoin, and Jean-Noé Landry
The Transition Bridges Project (TBP) is a response aimed at building bridges towards more regenerative and caring ways of living together, both in our neighbourhoods and communities, as well as with the land and our ecosystems, through the perspective of systems mediation. Rooted in the principles of inner work, systemic thinking and mediation, this initiative seeks to address transitional and transformational challenges individuals, organizations and institutions are facing in today’s rapidly evolving world, as well as address underlying racial and gender inequity through the prism of a healing-centered systems lens. The Transition Bridges Project originated from the acknowledgement that transitions are complex, especially in the context of multiple crises. We also recognize that transitions are occurring simultaneously on a personal, organizational, and societal level. “What must be changed must first be faced”, as James Baldwin says. Therefore, our journey in systems mediation involves facing (up, in and out) these realities to encourage the deeper shifts that can bridge our connection to the transformation we seek/need.
We are currently exploring collective sense-making. At the centre of this inquiry is the question: “How is systems mediation showing up in our work and communities?” Through this inquiry, we are seeking to develop a clear pathway towards systems mediation, bridging between scales of work, diverging perspectives, and geographic and cultural differences. We have begun to explore the ideas through blog posts, a white paper, and a series of planned gatherings in 2024 which aim to: engage in field sensing through community and philanthropic partnerships, convene learning circles with elders, peers, and community leaders, and identify systemic mediation collaboration settings at the local, regional, and national scales.
TBP is inviting individuals and organizations to both learn and do – and we recognize that there can be tension here. On the one hand, we are working to collectively “make sense” by engaging in learning circles and transformative journeys through a systems mediation approach. Simultaneously, we are combining a deep understanding of systemic dynamics with practical strategies for navigating complex transitions.
Transition Bridges rejects one-size-fits-all solutions and the consultant’s expert posture. We prefer to adopt an approach that is to consult as co-creators and collaborators and not as experts. Through this immersion in collective contexts, we hope to support and empower collaborators working to untangle intricate systems, help identify interdependencies, forge new collaborative pathways forward, co-facilitate transformative change and foster sustainable community and multi-stakeholder outcomes.
TRANSITION BRIDGES PROJECT STEWARDS
Maryam Mohiuddin Ahmed | m3mohiud@uwaterloo.ca
Lara Evoy | lara@garrowevoy.com
Louise Adongo | fauxhawk@gmail.com
Stéphane Guidoin | stephane.guidoin@gmail.com
Jean-Noé Landry | jeannoelandry@gmail.com
Patrick Dubé | patrickdube09@gmail.com