COSMOVISUALES ✨ 👁 ✍️
In June 2022, we co-facilitated a workshop on graphic recording or scribing in Mexico City (aka CDMX). Below is the story of this experience and some of what we learned along the way.
Original post in Spanish by Reilly Dow+ Sofia Donner (translated by Reilly Dow)
From the spark to the fire: How it happened
In March 2022, an image sparked a beautiful and inspiring conversation between Sofi and Dani, marking the beginning. The next day, an idea: let’s do a graphic facilitation workshop in CDMX. Sofi had plans to fly from Uruguay to NYC to visit family a few months later, so it would be easier to get to CDMX from there.
After pitching the idea and seeing Dani’s enthusiasm, Sofi called Reilly and suggested they facilitate an in-person workshop together in June. Reilly loved the invitation, and they agreed to pause and pick up the conversation soon (*partly because Reilly was soon to be married). There were about two months left to launch, spread the word, plan the workshop — and get a group together. In the process, Dani invited Aisel to be part of the team, and they collaborated on communications and production for the workshop. That’s how we began to share and design the workshop in parallel, and interest started to build.
The workshop consisted of 3 sessions (a two-hour virtual welcome on Friday June 10, and two full days together in person, Saturday June 11 and Sunday June 12). It was a self-managed project between the four of us, adding in key contributions from other collaborators as well.
Feeding the fire: Caring for a healthy container
Sofi traveled to Mexico City and finally the team met. There were hugs as soon as we saw each other for the first time. We talked non stop for 5 hours, and not about the workshop! A sign that the magic we had been dreaming of could happen.
Virtual and face-to-face container building
We started the workshop by offering a brief, informal virtual opening, via Zoom, to get to know each other and get rolling without having to battle Mexico City traffic on a Friday evening. This allowed us to take care of our energy the day before an intensive, two-day workshop, and at the same time begin to connect, listen to one other and see each other’s faces.
One of the exercises in that initial session was to individually draw and write out our intention for the workshop, to have it in mind. It helped us to set the tone for the workshop so that we were already in tune when we met the next day, and also to start from the individual level to generate clarity of intention and purpose.
We learned that, yes! It is possible to create or start creating a container virtually, and start to seed the conditions for mutual learning.* (*This term comes from Nora Bateson’s work, see more here on symmathesy.)
The term container refers to the social and energetic space within which we interact, work, engage in dialogue, etc. According to Kelvy Bird, “containers, energetic holding spaces for possibility, are an essential taproot for any facilitative practice” (Bird, 2020). They are
“holding spaces for places, people and states of the heart. The weakness or strength of a container determines the likelihood for detrimental or successful conversation, for harmful or loving relations, for destructive or productive environments, for ill- or well-being” (Bird, 2018, p. 37).
We imagined this workshop as a temporary co-created mini-world, based on Priya Parker, who describes a well-designed gathering as a temporary alternative world. We had two days together as a group and we wanted to explore what was possible in that time, for those specific people. We wanted a creative, experimental space where we could learn together and explore the technical, emotional, mental and social limits and edges of graphic facilitation.
The crackling of firewood: How we felt and what we learned
Throughout the design and development of the workshop, we encountered different challenges. Each of them led us to question ourselves, make decisions and learn from them.
Cost and accessibility
We know that not everyone who can benefit from a workshop like this can necessarily pay for it out of pocket. The cost must take into account expenses such as the venue, food, team transportation, materials, communication, project management, production, as well as fees for facilitators.
The practice of graphic facilitation can be of great value in community settings, as well as artistic, dialogue and co-creation processes, not only in companies with enough budget to pay for these services. Part of our intention with this workshop was precisely to share this technique and our experience with artists’ networks and people working, for example, in self-managed cultural and creative projects, and in community environments and processes. From this experience, we learned that in these contexts, it would be more feasible to carry out a workshop in a healthier and more sustainable way with outside funding and institutional support.
We had initially defined a price, but received feedback from some of the people we wanted to include in the workshop and found that we needed to lower the price by more than half. We took a pause and wondered if it would be possible to carry out this workshop in the way we were hoping, and at this time. The original price included (among other things) catering, the cost of renting a space for 3 days, and Sofi’s accommodations for a week. To make the workshop possible, we needed help. Dani and Ais stepped in and connected with their local networks. So it was that Obrera Centro provided the ideal location for the workshop; Casa Carmelia provided Sofi with accommodations; and Daniel Cruz contributed his gaze and expertise, documenting the workshop with photographs and video.
Human connection as a starting point
The connections between us were the key element that made this workshop possible. The four of us had all offered workshops before. We had participated in collective processes before. There was a certain connection between us and at the same time, we didn’t all know each other prior to developing the workshop. But a space of collaboration was opened where we could each add our experiences. Creating a rich experience of mutual learning between the four of us was in itself a very special experience. It was only possible to carry out the workshop thanks to the enthusiasm, trust, networks and resources of Dani and Aisel. Co-creation opens up possibilities, sometimes unexpected: we asked for help and we received it.
The power of food
Another space of human connection was, as is so often the case, around food. We decided to be transparent when we reduced the price of the workshop, that it would mean a change of plans for our meals. We asked all participants to bring something to share. A beautiful space was created in the kitchen as we each laid out what we had prepared, and we learned about each other through food. It turned out to be a key element of the experience and strengthened our container. Eating together in this way helped the workshop naturally become a co-created experience, without having to force it. In addition, the kitchen is a central, nucleating place in Obrera Centro -as it tends to be in our homes- and we took advantage of that space.
“Thank you for the methodology and listening to the group, delicious food and safe space.”
“So much information in a short time. How to digest?”
The question of how to digest all the information shared and the learning from a workshop like this is a very good one. It takes time.
The ancestral fire: Where knowledge comes from
“You feel that everything is spontaneous and at the same time you can see the heart and energy that they put into it.”
“I loved the balance of theory and practice.”
We not only shared tlacoyos*, but also a lot of information during the workshop. The question of how to digest so much learning, new concepts, tools arose, and of course this takes time. It is important to recognize that in a two-day workshop, many exchanges are possible, we can share information, test and practice new skills, but the digestion of all this comes with time and further practice. Our temporary mini-world had limits. And, everyone applies and develops their learning in different ways. A month and a half after the in-person workshop, we opened an optional space via Zoom to clarify questions, share experiences and continue processing in a group dialogue.
In terms of workshop content, we asked trusted colleagues for permission to include their work, models and practices in the design of the workshop. For example, Kelvy Bird, the creator of Generative Scribing (and author of the book of the same name, included in the bibliography at the end of this post); Alfredo Carlo, co-creator of Visual Practice Workshop; and the work of Kate Morales, Somatic Scribing.
We also shared the work of David Kantor, Otto Scharmer, and were influenced by the work of Nora Bateson and Bill Isaacs.
In the group of participants, there were diverse disciplines represented: cinema, art, cultural management, engineering, sustainability, NGOs, facilitation, among other fields and work contexts. We would have loved to spend more time learning about each other’s work and experience, and were left with the question of how to achieve this during a short workshop. We are also left with the strong connections that were formed, and hope to continue getting to know each other and collaborating.
*For international readers who may not be familiar with the tlacoyo, according to Wikipedia, it is: a typical [delicious!] dish in Mexican gastronomy that consists of a thick, long, oval tortilla, prepared with corn dough, topped with a mixture of ingredients such as nopales, cheese, sauce with chile and onion. (Highly recommend!)
Lighting other fires: What we want to have happen
Thank you for reading and for your interest! Would you like to participate in or co-create a workshop?
We would love to repeat this experience, building on the lessons learned.
You can sign up for Reilly’s newsletter here to receive news and invitations to future workshops 💌 http://eepurl.com/deNTn1
If you are part of an organization and interested in training your team or community, we can support you with a in-person or virtual workshops. Contact us at:
- Reilly: reilly@pinkfish.ca
- Sofi: sofi.donner@gmail.com
Many thanks to everyone who attended and participated! And a big thank you to those who helped us spread the word and make this happen. ❤️
What participants said about the workshop experience
“[You included] theory and not just practice… I loved that you returned to the themes of the body and the subjective. The atmosphere, the quality of container you have created is magical.”
“I loved the sweet way in which you communicate and mark the structures and the workshop and you guys in general!”
“Very fun, practical and useful dynamics and I liked being able to put into practice with the last exercise what I learned from the day.”
Bibliography
Bateson, N. (2022). Symmathesy (the poem). https://norabateson.medium.com/symmathesy-709a39ccb5bc
Bird, K. (2018). Generative scribing: A social art for the 21st century. Boston: PI Press.
Bird, K. (2020). Containers. https://medium.com/presencing-institute-blog/containers-458a26083f00
