Recently, many NAGC Board of Directors members spent an hour in a Town Hall conversation with around 40 members. The members, representing the Black, Hispanic, Native American, and LGBTQ+ communities, were concerned about their physical and psychological safety while attending NAGC23 at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The conversation focused on whether, how, where, and when different safety measures could be put in place, but I came away with more than ideas. I came away with a powerful sense of gratitude. 

I'm grateful for the candor of these members, their willingness to be vulnerable in expressing their fears to us, and for the spirit of collegial problem-solving that they brought to the conversation. 

I'm grateful for their courage. As a white, straight person, I do not personally identify with the specific fears they expressed, but as a woman, I know what it is to feel endangered in places that are safe for others, and I know the accompanying sense of injustice. Connecting on that level, I am grateful that no one at the meeting is backing away; they all plan to attend the convention despite their fear. They understand that their influence comes from showing up, and they want us to make "showing up" easier.

I am grateful for the reminder of the resoluteness of advocacy and how advocacy and courage are intertwined. Courage, from the Latin for "heart," means, in part, to have the "…moral strength to venture, persevere…¹”— it means to take heart. The members at the Town Hall had the courage to ask for what they needed without knowing how we would respond. It wasn't the first, or second, or even the third conversation we've had on the topic. Their advocacy continued. It wasn't aggressive or adversarial, but it was persistent. They will show courage again when they arrive in Florida. This is a lesson in advocacy that we can all learn from as we continue to ask for what we need as a field.

To encourage means "make strong, hearten." People who encourage give heart to those who need it. The NAGC Board and staff, along with [throngs of] capable Disney personnel, will do what is in our power to create a safe and welcoming environment.  But beyond that, individually, I commit to providing encouragement to anyone who feels trepidation at the thought of being in Florida. I hope everyone attending the convention will be similarly encouraging to anyone in need.

In addition to encouraging those who need support, I'd like to encourage open-mindedness, more generally, to everyone attending the convention. NAGC is an educational advocacy organization, and we welcome anyone who shares in our mission. I hope that all who attend the convention next month feel a kinship of purpose regardless of gender identity, race, income, or political orientation. If you want to help us in our mission to help “all who support children with advanced abilities in accessing equitable opportunities that develop their gifts and talents,²" you are welcome among us.