New Partnership with La Jolla Playhouse
Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego Partners with La Jolla Playhouse on Taxilandia as part of Project Stone Catcher
Experiential learning opportunity will explore our notion of what it means to be a native, an immigrant or a resident of a place. By examining your own neighborhood, these interactive salons will challenge us to offer creative strategies for confronting gentrification*.
Brooklyn-based artist Modesto Flako Jimenez has adapted his acclaimed Taxilandia show into a virtual salon with local artists whose work intersects with gentrification. Locally, it is being offered by the La Jolla Playhouse. Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego has partnered with the Playhouse to share this learning opportunity with its members and other leaders in the nonprofit sector.
Taxilandia, created and written by Oye Group’s Modesto Flako Jimenez, is a site-specific play-within-a-tour of a city. The piece immerses its audience in the flavors, sounds, sights and dynamic history of a neighborhood confronting social stigmas and the realities of gentrification. Originally developed in Jimenez’s own neighborhood of Bushwick, Brooklyn, the piece was inspired and drawn from his nine years driving a taxicab and his documentation of conversations with passengers, residents, natives, and immigrants to the neighborhood. The Oye Group now works with companies all over the country to develop local versions of the piece specific to each city.
The piece is devised in three phases, beginning with a series of virtual salons with local artists whose work intersects with gentrification. Phase two involves a creative collaboration with one of the salons, where Jimenez works with the Playhouse and the local artist to identify a tour route, conduct interviews, write a script and photograph portraits of community members. Once public gathering is allowed, phase three will include live presentations and an interactive gallery.
Members of FLNSD are invited to join in the creation of this piece by participating in the live salons which will be hosted on Zoom with local San Diego artists.
Meet The Artists and Their Neighborhoods
On Thursday, January 28 at 6:30 pm PST on Zoom, artist Khalil Bleux will share photos as he explores his Southeast San Diego neighborhood. 
Khalil Bleux is an artist, activist and educator from Southeast San Diego. He is the founder of The SOULcial Workers and producing artistic director for Agency 515; The Social Education Theatre, a local non-profit that focuses on mental health, social education and emotional development through the arts. Khalil is a sought after playwright, poet and performer. He has been featured on stages across the country, on television, and in publications and has credits in theatre and independent film. He is passionate about using the stage as a platform for education and healing. His work serves to amplify the stories and experiences of marginalized bodies, and to raise community consciousness around trauma and relationships. He has had a 13-year career in the social services field serving transition aged youth across the county. Khalil is member of the San Diego Suicide Prevention Council and serves as a QPR trainer for the County of San Diego. He serves on the Create CA statewide initiative for arts education and is also a consultant and director with the San Diego Creative Youth Development Network. He is also an organizer with Black Lives Matter and the co-founder of The Sit In San Diego: A Black Healing space.
Saturday, January 23 at 1:00 pm PST, artist Joy Yvonne Jones will explore her Carlsbad/Oceanside neighborhood and share photos.
Originally from Houston, Texas, Joy Yvonne Jones attended The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and went on to study at the University of Minnesota in the Guthrie Theatre B.F.A. Actor Training Program in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Joy is a recipient of the San Diego Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play for her performance as Saartjie Baartman in Voyeurs de Venus at Moxie Theatre. Her most recent credits include Cherise Howard in Flex at the Humana Festival at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Isabelle in Ring Round the Moon at Lambs Players Theatre, Zuzu in Dance Nation, and Jane in Kate Hamil’s adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. In 2020, her play, Ode to My Mothers, was featured in The Old Globe’s Juneteenth Celebration. She is a creative hurricane working on the revolution at the speed of inspiration. And a new mother to Leonidas James. @joyyvonnejones. FLNSD recently worked with Joy on its recent [email protected] Holiday Gathering, which featured her work with New Village Arts.
THE PROGRAM EXPERIENCE
The salons are free and will take place on Zoom. FLNSD members are invited to attend one or both. Each salon runs approximately 90 minutes.
To personalize your learning, participants are encouraged to complete a brief amount of pre-work documenting your neighborhood. This small investment can be done easily on your own schedule and will greatly enhance your experience.
Our participation in this learning opportunity is part of our Project Stone Catcher programming which aims to help nonprofit leaders develop their skills and capacities to work in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion.
WHAT IS GENTRIFICATION AND HOW DOES IT FIT INTO YOUR WORK and PROJECT STONE CATCHER?
*According to the Urban Displacement Project (2017) Gentrification is a process of neighborhood change that includes economic change in a historically disinvested neighborhood —by means of real estate investment and new higher-income residents moving in – as well as demographic change – not only in terms of income level, but also in terms of changes in the education level or racial make-up of residents.
Gentrification is complex — to understand it, there are three key things to consider:
- The historic conditions, especially policies and practices that made communities susceptible to gentrification, including redlining, sub-prime lending, and white flight,
- The way that central city disinvestment and investment patterns are taking place today as a result of these conditions, and
- The ways that gentrification impacts communities, which in turn impacts the services nonprofits are relied upon to provide.
Janine Mason, founder of FLNSD believes this program is important because, “As nonprofit leaders, understanding gentrification and how it impacts our communities is foundational to understanding the forces impacting local neighborhoods and challenging its residents. In turn, this understanding enlarges our vision and guides our personal leadership and an organization’s ability to design programs and services which promote and advance equity, inclusion and diversity”.
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Learning Groups Kick Off 2021
Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego is off to a fast start in supporting nonprofit leaders in the region.
Learning Groups Begin the First Week of January
As is tradition, FLNSD begins the first week of the New Year welcoming three learning groups to the Network. However, due to the global pandemic these groups will have a unique experience as all aspects of the program have been adapted for today’s environment.
PROGRAM REIMAGINED FOR TODAY’S LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES
A key in our redesigning process has been to honor all of the characteristics that make this program meaningful and effective. Recognizing that all three of our learning groups will participate completely online for the entirety of the program, we began by converting the six month program into 12 bi-weekly sessions. We believe this will help us maintain attention and engagement in a Zoom environment and take into consideration the responsibilities our leaders have while working from home.
We have worked thoughtfully and diligently to plan each of the bi-monthly sessions together to be rich and meaningful. This includes a new Creative Encounters program that has been translated to provide a insightful online experience. Recognized for jump-starting the relationship building process while providing a time for self awareness, Creative Encounters is a critical component of our Learning Group Program. Thus, it was important to find an innovative way in which we could continue the experiential learning portion of our program.
Along with a new schedule, the 2021 cohort will be the first to experience a new and updated curriculum. Our new syllabus includes all the classic leadership lessons required by nonprofit leaders to be successful, but now includes relevant material for leading in the areas of social justice and equity. It also contains resources on leading in a post-pandemic world. The beloved Fieldstone Notebook remains, but the program is now also available in an online classroom platform that will provide additional toolbox resources and communication opportunities. Accompanying our notebook, is a new “Field Box” filled with resources for the first two sessions and accoutrements to reinforce the curriculum throughout the six month program. 
PARTICIPANTS
Our Executive Learning Group will be facilitated by Tom Hall and includes:
Jose A. Cruz, Barrio Logan College Institute; Jodi Diamond, Boys and Girls Club of Oceanside; Max Disposti, North County LGBTQ Resource Center; Monica Emery; Center for World Music; Susan Johnson, Alabaster Jar Project; Krishna Kabra, SD Children’s Museum; Travis Kemnitz, SD Audubon; Nancy Maldonado, Chicano Federation; Tonya Torosian, Promises2Kids; James Wright, and A Step Beyond.
We are hosting two Nonprofit Leaders Learning Groups this year. One will be facilitated by Tom Hall and one will be facilitated by Laura Spiegel. Participants include:
Frankie Alicia-Ford, New Village Arts; Catalina Beltran, Casa de Amistad; Aaron Bullard, Villa Musica; Natalie Ganz, SD Public Library Foundation; Kristen Kreitzer, Plant with Purpose; Danielle Lopez, Make A Wish San Diego; Joseph Mack, David’s Harp Foundation; Michelle Malin, Boys and Girls Club of Greater San Diego; Michelle Matter, ElderHelp; and Denise Obrero, Community Housing Works.
Ren Cabales, Just in Time for Foster Youth; Sarah Castro, MMCSD/CVCTS; Suzi Day, Free to Thrive; Jaqueline Hess, SD Hunger Coalition; Karla Navarro, A Step Beyond; Regina Ralston, Don Harrington Discovery Center; Alberta Saavedra, Community Housing Works; Lauren Short, I Love A Clean San Diego; and Robin Strickland, ElderHelp;
THE FUTURE
While we look forward to the day our Learning Groups can return to meeting in person, we are excited for the promise and potential that our 2021 program will provide for those participating this year. Last year, we saw first hand how members of the Learning Groups helped each other survive and thrive in the most challenging of times. As we make our way to a new normal, we know the Learning Group program will provide the essential and indispensable knowledge and support that have become the hallmark of our program.
To learn more or find out about our 2022 Learning Group program, please visit the Learning Group tab on our website.
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Happy Holidays
Community Restorative Circle
New Partnership with National Conflict Resolution Center
The Gifts and Challenges of
Catching Stones
- personal perspectives, thoughts, and feelings on being a social justice leader,
- what it means to be a stone catcher, and
- how this important work is showing up in their world.
Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego is pleased to be partnering with the National Conflict Resolution Center in bringing this program to San Diego’s nonprofit sector. All participants will have the opportunity to secure funding to host their own community circles for their nonprofit agencies. This program is funded by a grant from the County of San Diego.
Register Here
Fieldstone Coaches: Providing Sanctuary in 2020
Usually when we meet with our coaching team each December, we are wrapping up year-long matches and making new matches for the upcoming year. But 2020 has been an exceptional year and, as such, meant nonprofit leaders had to focus on different issues and opportunities than what had originally called them to coaching. As a result, we offered the opportunity for extended coaching time to those who were in the program this year and who were interested in continuing to work with a Fieldstone coach.
Recognizing the important role our coaches have played in supporting nonprofit leaders this year, we honored them at our end of the year gathering on Zoom.
Will You Be My Refuge, My Haven in the Storm?
Inspired by Carrie Newcomer’s song “Sanctuary”, we honored our coaches with handcrafted candles made by an individual artisan and crafted to support The Wilderness Society. The Sanctuary candle features cinnamon bark, roasted chestnuts and vanilla – perfect for the holiday season! Accompanying our candles, was a set of mason jars filled with m&ms – an attempt to emulate the various mason jars that were always full of treats for our in-person meetings! Gifts were hand delivered to each coaches home prior to our Zoom meeting.
Sanctuary, by Carrie Newcomer Listen Here
In 2021, FLNSD will coach 15 nonprofit leaders. Each leader will participate in a cohort orientation, a 360 Degree Review with the Center for Creative Leadership, one hour of consultation with a certified 360 Degree Facilitator and various assessments to give them a “jumping off” point for their coaching experience.
FLNSD created its coaching program in 1995. Current and former nonprofit executive directors are trained by FLNSD to serve as peer coaches. Each works with a current nonprofit CEO or leadership team member for 12 months, meeting approximately eight hours a month.
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[email protected] – Holiday Edition
It is a Fieldstone tradition to gather together to celebrate the holidays and all we have achieved together. While we can’t gather in person, we believe it is especially important this year that we take the time to come together for a special celebration. Also believing our gathering should be joyful and fun and present an opportunity to experience something new, we have partnered with FLNSD Member New Village Arts to design a [email protected] that is joyous and reflects the spirit of Project Stone Catcher. This unique event will mark the season and all we have achieve, endured and conquered together this year and send us off into a new year with hopeful hearts. 
[email protected] will focus on a new play written by local playwright Dea Hurston and created by the team of Frankie Alicea-Ford, Kevin Blax Burroughs, Dea Hurston & Milena Sellers Phillips. Entitled 1222 Oceanfront View: Home, the play features the Black family as they celebrate the holidays.
For exactly 30 years, Christmas Eve at the Black home, 1222 Oceanfront, was always a special time – an abundance of food and drink, song and dance, family and love. Dorothy Black makes sure of it, just like she promised her husband she would 20 years ago. But traditions can be a heavy burden to carry alone and Dorothy is ready to share the weight. This year the Matriarch of the Black family has pulled out all the stops in anticipation of the arrival of her sons, daughter in law and sister, the Christmas Eve Gang. Tonight, everything must be perfect. Tonight, nothing can go wrong. New chapters in her life have been pulling one foot into the future while the other is firmly set in the past but she’s finally ready to put both feet together. She’s ready for her family. Question is, are they ready for her?
We will enjoy songs and scenes from a new holiday play as we participate in a discussion with the creators on their inspiration, especially given today’s social justice environment, and explore the creative process, which was done entirely online due to COVID-19.
Guests are invited to wear their favorite holiday outfit, including ugly sweaters, and serve up their own favorite holiday treats as we join the Black Family Christmas on December 16th from 4 to 6 pm. We will gather on Zoom for a special behind the scenes theatre event.
[email protected] provides an organic experience for nonprofit leaders to come together for fellowship and knowledge.
Hosted quarterly, [email protected] is based on the concept of a “third place.” Author Ray Oldenburg calls one’s “first place” the home and one’s “second place” the office or work site. “Third places” are anchors of community life and facilitate and foster broader, more creative interaction. Often referred to as “community living rooms” the Third Place is a concept that models a cooperatively-run space for social interaction, learning, and fun.
Each [email protected] gathering is a forum to lead discussions, join conversations, brainstorm together, or be rejuvenated, inspired and supported by your peers. It is an open canvas for The Fieldstone Learning Community to design and use as part of its personal and community leadership development. The gatherings are open to all members of the Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego.
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Author’s Insights 2020: Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha
Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha joined Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego for Author’s Insights 2020. Author’s Insights is part of our Leadership Reading Group program and is an opportunity for members of our Reading Group Program to delve more deeply into leadership concepts with an author whose book was read in the program. 
A 2018 New York Times 100 Notable Book, NPR Science Friday Best Science Book of 2018, and 2019 Michigan Notable Book, Dr. Hanna-Attisha’s bestselling and widely acclaimed book What the Eyes Don’t See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City is a riveting, beautifully rendered account of a shameful disaster that became a tale of activism and hope. It’s the story of a city on the ropes that came together to fight for justice, self-determination, and the right to build a better world for their—and all of our—children.
Recognized for her leadership, Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, MPH, FAAP serves as the founder and director of the Michigan State University and Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative, an innovative and model public health program in Flint, Michigan. A pediatrician, scientist, activist and author, Dr. Hanna-Attisha has testified twice before the United States Congress, awarded the Freedom of Expression Courage Award by PEN America, and named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World for her role in uncovering the Flint Water Crisis and leading recovery efforts. She has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, BBC and countless other media outlets championing the cause of children in Flint and beyond. She is the founding donor of the Flint Child Health and Development Fund (flintkids.org).
Dr. Mona showing us the “lead pipe” necklace given to her by Marc Edwards
During her time with us, Dr. Mona spoke about the need for leaders to work in collaboration with each other and to be mindful not to become siloed in their efforts. She reminded leaders that this work requires constant attention to networking, trust and relationship building. Dr. Mona shared her “why” and encourage our leaders to take the time to identify and understand their own “why” and then, to stay connected to it every day in a way that will propel one to do the right thing even when it is hard and uncomfortable. The conversation with Dr. Mona was facilitated by our founder, Janine Mason, and focused on many of the values of the Network, including reciprocity, trust, belonging and continual learning.
This was the first Author’s Insights that was held online. The program was carefully designed to 
create a community feel and as much personal interaction as possible. Members were able to interact with Dr. Mona and ask questions as part of the program. Much of the program feedback focused on how hopeful and inspired members felt after hearing from Dr. Mona. “This was good medicine” was the how one participant captured the event. Other leaders commented that the time was “enlightening and motivating”.
Dr. Mona and FLNSD share a practice of using poetry as a teaching tool. Featured in the first chapter of her book, she tells the story of the poem by Bertolt Brecht “A Worker’s Speech to a Doctor” (1938) and how she uses it to help her residents understand that underlying causes can harm and impact patients. Dr. Mona believes we can’t serve people or causes without first understanding history and its broad implications on the present situation. This is a key leadership capacity for both doctors and nonprofit leaders. Each Network member received a copy of this poem to remind them of this lesson. Dr. Mona also has her residents visit nonprofit organizations to further expand their community knowledge of services and challenges. As part of our discussion, the group explored ways nonprofit leaders and medical professionals can continue to work together to support neighborhoods.
Having our books signed by our guest author is a tradition at Author’s Insights and we weren’t about to let COVID-19 put an end to this practice. Much gratitude goes to Dr. Mona for generously signing book plates for all in attendance so they may add it to their own copy of What the Eyes Don’t See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City
In gratitude to Dr. Mona, we presented her a Fieldstone Cairn. Our hope it that each time she sees it, it will remind her of our appreciation and our support as she continues to mark a path of true, authentic and communal leadership for all.
FLNSD is currently hosting five leadership reading groups. The next group will begin in September 2021 with registration in Spring 2021. For more information, visit the program tab on our website.
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The Equity Journey – Small Group Discussions Begin
The first series of small group conversations were rich and impactful. The word cloud illustrates how people were feeling after the group discussions and reflects the hopefulness, and gratitude of those who participated. It also reflects the personal contribution each participant made to creating welcoming space which nurtured these rich conversations. Leaders’ honest participation and presence enriched the learning experience for each of us who has committed to this learning opportunity. Kristen Fogle, CEO of San Diego Writer’s Ink, concurred, “I loved partaking in the session. The small group format was wonderful for reflecting more deeply and getting attuned to where others are at. This is an amazing programming opportunity!”
Participants in The Equity Journey include individual leaders, nonprofit CEOs and their leadership teams, and leadership teams with boards of directors. The program is providing groups a share language and understanding of concepts critical to leadership in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion, including the difference between equity and equality, and the concepts of intersectionality and micro-aggressions. It is serving as a first step to the organizational discussions and decisions that will be required by nonprofit organizations to address these issues in their workplaces and in service delivery to their clients.
Torrie Dunlap, CEO of Kids Included Together, is participating with her leadership team from across the country. The online curriculum makes it possible for her team to learn together remotely and then to come together for further discussion on what they are learning as they move toward implementation. Torrie credits Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego for “doing so much to to support the new and emerging needs of the field so quickly and with such high quality. Fieldstone is such a gift!”
Groups are now beginning Module 2 and will meet together during the week of October 19th for the next round of small group discussions. The second Module focuses on personal leadership and ends with each learner creating a personal plan to advance social equity.
For more information on The Equity Journey, please visit our website. You may also add your name to our interest list to be contacted about our next offering. The Equity Journey is offered as part of Project Stone Catcher, which aims to provide opportunities for nonprofit leaders to develop the skills and understanding necessary to lead nonprofit organizations in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion and to advance social justice issues for the broader community. Project Stone Catcher also aims to build a community of stone catchers who trust each other, offer support to one another and provide safe space for exploration and discussion of issues that have historically been difficult to discuss.
Race, Equity and Worker Power: A Community Conversation
As part of our Project Stone Catcher programming, Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego has partnered with San Diego Workforce Partnership and others to present a community conversation on race, equity and worker power in San Diego.
Project Stone Catcher aims to help nonprofit leaders develop their skills and capacities to work in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion. This free learning opportunity is based on the recently released report San Diego Racial Equity Gap: How Did We Get Here .
Donna DeBerry, CEO, Central San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce
Ricky Shabazz, President, San Diego City College
Jerry Sanders, CEO, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce
The learning event will take place on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 from 3:00 to 4:30 pm. The event is free, but advanced registration is required. Leaders may register here.
Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego is pleased to offer this program in collaboration with Central San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce, Mission Driven Finance, San Diego City College, San Diego Grantmakers, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, San Diego Workforce Partnership and The Nonprofit Institute.
Five Year Study on Clare Rose Sabbatical Released
We are please to share our recently completed 5-Year Report on the impact of our Clare Rose Sabbatical Program. This is an important milestone for our program, which is now entering its seventh year. To date, we have awarded 25 sabbatical/capacity building grants. Each grant is valued at $50,000.
This report would not have been possible without the participation of our sabbatical recipients, their staff and board members. Each helped us codify the impact of this program on them individually and on the organization as a whole. This work has helped us to improve the program over the years and helped us understand how to tell tell the story of why sabbaticals are important for nonprofit leaders.
Our thanks to The Nonprofit Institute at the University of San Diego for its partnership on this research project. Specifically, to Laura Deitrick and Mary Jo Schumann who started with us over five years ago and then passed on the work to the capable and dedicated hands of Michelle Schneider and Tessa Tinkler. We have been blessed by their wisdom and dedication to researching our work. And of course, thank you to the Durfee Foundation for inspiring us with their sabbatical program and being so generous in sharing their model with us so we could bring it to San Diego.
The report can be found on our website . We have included some highlights for you below, but since we don’t want to spoil your reading experience, we have been brief. But please know, we are excited about the outcomes and the impact this program has had in the first five years of the program.
- 91% of board and staff surveyed reported the ED was more rested and rejuvenated post-sabbatical.
- 83% of Interim ls reported they gained skills and knowledge for the future.
- 82% of nonprofit board members from all 19 organizations indicated that the sabbatical redirected thinking on organizational transition and succession planning.
- 80% Board and Staff agreed that new leadership capacity was built within the organization as a result of the sabbatical.
Long-term impacts for individuals included:
And long-term benefits to organizations included:
– More autonomous and connected staff
Now, maybe more than ever, sabbaticals play an essential role in building the capacity of nonprofit leaders and organizations while sustaining executive leadership to remain in the sector. Our next application cycle begins in January 2021. This will be cohort 7! If you are interested in applying, please visit our website for more helpful information. It is full of video testimonials, studies, resources and the application.
Applications are due January 31, 2021.