Highlighting the Creative Energy in our Ombuds Community
Being able to engage in creative problem solving is key to our role as ombuds. This level of creativity is further fostered by engaging in creative endeavors outside of our role. Creative endeavors can also allow us to refresh our mind after days of high intensity conversations.
For those of you who attended the IOA conference in Seattle, I hope you were able to experience the various displays of creativity shared by our IOA members. There were the many visual displays exhibited within the Experience on Display program; we had the lovely performance of the George Gershwin tune Summertime by Sana and Chuck Doran; and the conference was opened by Ellen Miller sharing the video with Andisile Best reciting his poem that follows:
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As we wake up here by the fireside,
Our hearts and minds open wide.
We shared our stories, joy and fears,
And shared some tears that washed our cares.
For some of us, the wounds were fresh,
But comfort shed felt like a curse.
We were reminded of our vital roles.
To serve with dignity, compassion and goals.
As ombuds we may feel forgotten,
But our solutions will last forever unbroken.
Our work may not make headlines,
But it has power to heal and change lives.
So let us celebrate the work we have done.
As we heal our wounds one by one.
For the fireside chat reminded us all,
That our impact will be felt for generations to come.
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By, Andisile Best
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While this display of creativity at the conference is one of the highlights, The Independent Voice would love to highlight the creative output of our members throughout the year. We welcome your submissions to the Independent Voice to share your creative energy within this blog platform as inspiration to our greater Ombuds community. You can simply share images, videos, or written displays of your creative endeavor via the blog submission portal (https://ioa.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mcform&view=ngforms&id=2048705). We will highlight these submissions accordingly.