“When mindlessly racing through the day, it is important to ask: ‘How important is this? Can I cut out some of this stuff and make the quality of my life better? Can I be MORE effective in my work if my life works better?’ This experience has been good for helping me to decide to […]
Testimonial Category: Windcall Residents Speak
“Because of the oppression in our society, it is difficult to remember, as a poor person, that I have something of value to say. Being at Windcall helped me to remember the value of ‘my own words.’”
“Whether we are ‘promoting’ or ‘preventing’ in our work, whether we are ‘supporting’ or ‘opposing’, we are using tremendous amounts of energy. That energy – without disciplined rituals of renewal – becomes depleted. Time often becomes enemy rather than a natural friend. Being at Windcall – just being – was the beginning of renewal. Out […]
“The air, the breeze and sun, mountain water, instant storms and just plain colors, stop you dead in your tracks. It’s not that you take it in. It takes you in.”
“At Windcall I realized that I needed to move into something with a broader progressive agenda. The wide-open space fueled my creativity and I began the idea for the SPIN Project. Then the other Windcall residents helped put flesh on the bones of the idea.”
“I came to Windcall needing something desperately. Before Windcall, I felt like I was just spinning my wheels It didn’t seem to matter how hard or long I worked, how much time I gave up with my family and friends: nothing could keep me from this downward spinning motion. At Windcall, I found the beginning […]
“I think one of the greatest challenges facing progressives is the longevity of our staff and leaders. Windcall is one of the very few institutions that addresses this issue directly – not in words but in providing the experience for committed activists. I’ve been able to bring the lessons I learned at Windcall in to […]
“Windcall is where I first thought about starting a statewide progressive coalition. I had time to reflect on the previous eight years I’d spent doing environmental work, how I couldn’t stay engaged in that for the rest of my life, and thought about what was next for me as an organizer in Nevada. Talking with […]
“For the first time since I can remember, I was being taken care of. Time and space far away, with no agenda, no pressures. I couldn’t believe how quiet it was. So the emptiness and silence of the first days of Windcall was the greatest gift of all. I went out on an evening walk, […]
“I believe that my Windcall experience made me a calmer individual. I incorporated the need for my staff to spend personal time on themselves and not focus 24/7 on the work. I tracked how much staff is working and if I felt they need time away, we negotiate it.”