A letter to the Wayfinding community on November 28, 2016...
I believe our work matters even more now that it did before, and I would like to explain why.
We are building a movement to change higher education to function in a more just, equitable, and inclusive way. Where people are safe from harassment, free to express their beliefs, and able to thrive.
That puts Wayfinding in opposition to racism, homophobia, islamophobia, misogyny, classism, reducing millions of people to the term “deplorables”, and the other ugly forms of oppression that our society will have to keep battling for a long time. We have already begun some of the important and hard work. We talk about structural oppression and gender equality in our classes and our hallways. We devote time and funding to improving racial and ethnic diversity and equity within our college and community. We are a part of a community that is civically engaged and we work to amplify that in everything we do.
As part of our curriculum, and just being a person who is exploring, our students have been having hard, valuable conversations about their confusion, grief, and fear in regards to the changing world around them. Damn good skills to cultivate as I believe the world and economy will continue to accelerate with change.
Our students are here at Wayfinding because they feel the traditional higher education system failed them - 73% of our inaugural cohort previously attended another college or university.
The current higher education system breeds apathy and primes students to believe they're simply numbers. It discourages them from thinking for themselves and coming up with creative solutions. The current higher education system wastes the distinct potential of so many people and our work is to build a better way.
Wayfinding is new and still developing, but our curriculum seems to be working - after just 12 weeks (our 1st academic term), our inaugural cohort of students can now confidently answer the question, “what do you want to do with your life?” For example, they tell us they strive to...
...end classism by bringing back a hand-wrought America.
...be a steward of the environment through equity, overcoming adversity, preservation, and community.
...help people who feel trapped in jobs they hate move into ones they love.
...be a political leader who represents us all and stands up for the hard things.
At least three cohorts (75 people) of Wayfinding students will graduate before the next presidential election and they have the potential to impact thousands of people as they take their next steps. These early indications of the choices our students are making about what to do with their lives give us hope.
Despite the high stakes and wall-to-wall coverage of this year’s election, fewer than 60% of eligible voters cast a ballot this year. Through our students, and the lives they touch, we hope to create a world of more engaged citizens. When classes begin again in January, our students will learn how to analyze news, think critically about sources, and challenge their own opinions in our Engaging with Information course. And our work to instill in them the belief that what they choose do with their lives matters to more than just them will continue.
One of the hallmarks of the Wayfinding way has been to look to our community for support and wisdom. We want ideas from knowledgeable people about effective ways Wayfinding Academy can do even more to work with our students to cultivate positive long-term change and defend the values we aspire to. If you would like to suggest something for us to consider, please email us at hello@wayfindingacademy.org.
Also, we have a campus in the St. Johns neighborhood in North Portland and would like to offer the use of our space to people who want to organize events. If you need a space for something aligned with our values and purpose, please let us know.
Thank you for your support of the Wayfinding Academy and of our students. Let’s continue to do important work together.