Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR) staff have benefited from the opportunity to attend River Rally for at least a decade and the event has never disappointed- 2024 was no different!
As in 2022, POWR has the Campbell Foundation to thank for its support for this wonderful experience- an experience which directly benefited, Tali MacArthur, POWR Program Manager who traveled to Grand Rapids, Michigan, but which will indirectly benefit other staff at POWR (and PEC) as well POWR’s partners, constituents, and stakeholders as Tali continues to reflect, share, and apply what she heard and learned.
It is not easy to “measure” the benefits of conference attendance as a professional development activity. In many ways, the experience becomes a part of all the ways in which one applies oneself to the work “back home.” Phrases heard during the event become a part of one’s speech (“technical and organizational assistance should be informed by community, not just delivered to the community), an inspiring book mentioned might become part of a professional library (the National Park Service’s recommendation Interpretive Writing by Allan Leftridge and Reconciliation in a Michigan Watershed: Restoring Ken-O-Sha by Gail Gunst Heffner and David P. Warners), and someone else’s approach to a overcoming a challenging situation or someone’s idea for improving a project becomes one that is tried and perhaps ends up working (simplify grant application processes to make it more accessible to more applicants while still maintaining the integrity of expenditures). And there simply isn’t a metric one can use to quantify the benefit and the joy of finally meeting, in-person, a colleague with whom you’ve only emailed or maybe participated in the same Zoom meeting with and sharing a meal and a much more “connecting” type conversation tidbits of which come back to you at random moments and make you smile or keep you going on a tough day in the office!
River Rally is intentionally developed and created by River Network staff to be an event that not only presents “content” to attendees but that also serves to create space for reflection, build community, celebrate successes, strengthen networks, and re-inspire motivated engagement. And of course, elements of River Rally’s programming are just plain fun, although who’s to say some big “ah-ha moment” or gigantically impactful new idea can’t happen over a Connect 4 game played using huge life-sized game pieces!
While every new River Rally experience is a little different than those that preceded it, one thing that remains the same is the incredible diversity of attendees. In this case, I am considering many different metrics of ‘diversity.’ The people at River Rally truly reflect the communities throughout this country- presenters and participants represent urban, rural, and suburban areas; Black, Hispanic, Latino, Native American, and white members of community are sharing their experiences, challenges, and successes; new professionals mingle with those receiving lifetime achievement awards; and those facing some of quandaries of being “mid-career” have the chance to be both mentors and mentored for a few days and to come away with new solutions and new ideas and with the calming realization that others are facing similar challenges and asking themselves similar questions. River Rally draws into its folds professionals working at small, community-driven non-profits and larger policy and programmatic driven ones. Government agencies from the local, state, and federal level send staff to listen, learn, and share resources. Funders who support the incredible work being done share meals and field trips with the organizations whose work depends on philanthropic and government funding.
This diversity, this spectrum of experiences, perspectives, expertise is critical to the magic that happens at River Rally. It can feel intimidating to be surrounded people who have accomplished so much, but it can also be humbling to hear that they find your own work inspiring. It is impossible to ignore that there is still so much inequality in access to clean healthy water and that there is still so much work to be done. But the collective impact of the efforts of River Rally attendees and the work being done by the organizations they represent every day in communities across the county is astounding. It is being reminded of all this that is one of the many “intangibles” of attending River Rally.
A few more ideas, reminders, and points to ponder from presentations and panels at River Rally:
- While navigating the myriad of federal funding that is currently available can be daunting, frustrating, overwhelming, be inspired that it is also an incredible opportunity to finally and truly address the current urgencies around water access, quality, and community health.
- Disrupt and demystify any and all grant application processes to make them more inclusive and equitable and to alleviate unnecessary burdens on already overburdened communities.
- Lift up the voices of community with services and technical support based on relationships and trust.
- Work within existing systems, including the power of community not just the force of policy, to leverage long term positive change.
- Imagine Policy as a creative endeavor.
- Be a part of the movement to hold decision makers accountable for clean water goals.
- Take the time to build authentic relationships; be vocal about the need for funding and philanthropic support for this critical part of community-centered work.
Reflections on River Rally and follow-up correspondence with other river and watershed advocates, managers, community leaders, and program leaders who attended and presented will continue for months to come. New mapping tools, “rainscaping” site assessment forms, volunteer training tips, and more will be reviewed and shared as POWR’s work to support, promote, and celebrate the efforts of community watershed groups in Pennsylvania continues.
