Radical ReImagination: Embracing Play as a Team (Part 2)
By Jordan Sanders
Engagements Manager, The Equity Lab
The Equity Lab Avatar Esperanza created by Jordan Sanders January 10, 2024
As I continued exploring the world of radical imagination, I couldn't help but think about how to make spaces where organizations could just unleash their creativity together. It got me excited about removing obstacles to team creativity and reimagining how we collaborate and innovate together. I created an activity where team members can visually represent our organization, drawing inspiration from N.K. Jemisin's work.
N.K. Jemision’s The City We Became is a wild urban fantasy that brings New York City to life in a whole new way, introducing the concept of Avatars. The concept revolves around the embodiment of a city's essence in human form. In the book, each of New York City's 5 boroughs (Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island) is represented by individuals who become Avatars, reflecting the culture of their respective areas. Jemison infuses the culture of the boroughs into every aspect of the characters, including physical appearance, talents, clothing, and superpowers, to name a few. These Avatars play a crucial role in defending the city against existential threats and preserving the distinct character of New York.
This concept can be applied to how we view organizations. Envision each team member as a character in "The City We Became," symbolizing a unique part of the team. Similar to Avatars embodying different boroughs, team members represent various functions and skill sets. Together, they form a single organizational Avatar, where each person contributes something special to the collective character and culture. Every individual is a part of the heart and soul of the collective Avatar, where everyone adds their own flair to the shared character and culture. Like those Avatars teaming up to protect the city, we collaborate to advance the organization’s mission and values.
During our January team retreat, we at The Equity Lab took some time to explore this concept and get creative. We asked ourselves:
If the embodiment of our organization walked through the door, what would it look like?
With markers and flip charts in hand, we dived into a creative adventure, scribbling down traits that captured the vibe of our organization. The magic of cocreation kicked in as we let our imaginations run wild and watched our collective creativity skyrocket. We pulled inspiration from everywhere – kids' books, binge-worthy shows, things that light up our days, and our lived experiences. The outcome? An Avatar that goes beyond an illustration to capture the vibrant spirit and enthusiasm that defines us.
Meet Esperanza
(a name of Spanish origin meaning hope)
Here are a few elements of our Avatar and the symbolism behind them:
Age: We intentionally chose a 10-year-old Avatar to symbolize the decade of The Equity Lab's existence. As an ever-evolving organization committed to growth and learning, envisioning ourselves as a child serves as a reminder to extend grace, celebrate our progress, and appreciate the journey.
Shapeshifting abilities: Our Avatar's shape-shifting ability mirrors our dynamic and flexible approaches, adapting organically to changing circumstances. It highlights our ability to explore new ideas while staying true to ourselves. It also symbolizes freedom from limits, embracing change and transformation with an open mind.
Mirrors: Mirrors are often linked with self-reflection, embodying the power to introspect and gain a deeper understanding of personal identity, emotions, and experiences. Viewed as symbols of truth and authenticity, mirrors faithfully reflect reality without distortion. In our quest for personal growth, we begin with ourselves, like a small mirror, and extend our support to others on their journey, much like a large mirror reflecting their own paths of reflection and self-discovery.
Forest setting: In this forest, you'll find flowers of all kinds, each at its own stage of growth. Just like the people and organizations we support, they're all on unique paths in their racial equity journey, but they're all dedicated to evolving and progressing.
Esperanza embodies our commitment to growth, adaptability, self-reflection, and supporting diverse paths on the racial equity journey. This playful exploration invited us to collaborate in a new way and craft a new narrative that reflects who we are as a team, as well as our hopes for the future. We hope to embrace the magic of co-creation and let our imaginations run wild as we shape the next chapter of our story together.
If you’re interested in exploring similar activities with your team, we offer Long-Term engagements. Want to know more? Fill out this form and let the journey begin!
This is Part 2 in a two-part series. Sign up for our newsletter to be notified of future updates.
Jordan Sanders is a dynamic Storyteller, Womanist, and Innovator. She advocates for the transformative power of creativity and healing justice as catalysts for building a more equitable society. She serves as the Engagements Manager at The Equity Lab.