Our 2023 Biennial Convening: We’re Going Virtual
GSP’s 2023 Biennial Convening – Transition to Virtual Event
Dear GSP Community,
Due to Tropical Storm Idalia, our 2023 Biennial Convening has transitioned to being 100% virtual from Wednesday, August 30 – Friday, September 1. The safety and wellbeing of our network is our number one priority, and transitioning to a virtual event allows us to mitigate the current risk of travel while still giving you the opportunity to learn from funders and practitioners leading groundbreaking social justice work in the South.
While we will not be gathering in person, we will use the resources we had already reserved for the convening to supporting folks on the ground in Florida who are impacted by the storm. We are partnering with The Smile Trust and Embassy Suites to redistribute the hotel rooms and 400 meals for attendees to instead provide food and shelter to displaced families evacuating during Idalia. In moments of crisis and beyond, philanthropy must shift our resources to show up for directly impacted communities. GSP is committed to doing exactly that, and we are hopeful that you’ll join us in this work. This is an example of how philanthropy and community can partner, especially in times of disaster.
We are revising our programming to ensure a seamless virtual experience. Everyone who has registered will receive updated schedules complete with Zoom links and access codes so you can still enjoy hearing from over 40 speakers and leaders working in areas of Climate, LGBTQIA+, Immigrant, and Criminal Justice. While our Learning Tours will be canceled so that practitioners can continue being responsive to community in this moment, we are still offering a live networking session where you can connect with other folks investing in the 13 Southern states identified in GSP’s footprint.
We still have some conference goodies coming your way as well! You can access your Virtual Swag Bag here, which was compiled by GSP’s staff and steering committee and includes things that inspire and energize us in the work to build a more equitable South. In it, you will find content focused on everything from foodways to podcasts, tv shows, books, BIPOC businesses to support and more.
We also want you to check out the digital copy of our convening program booklet.You can access a version in English here and in Spanish here. Please note that our virtual programming will differ slightly, but we want you all to still get to experience some of what we had store for the in-person event.
Our theme this year is The Forward Moment. As promised, we are going to be spending our time talking about how we put our ideas into practice and transform the structural change infrastructure in the South for the better. Our program is designed to give you the tools and resources you need to meet the moment, right where you are, and push for change in the areas you are invested in and beyond. It is only fitting that in the face of Tropical Storm Idalia, we remain nimble enough to meet the moment, learn alongside one another, and commit to moving resources to the communities in the South that need them most.
We hope you will join us over the next few days.
Looking forward,
-Grantmakers for Southern Progress