Shubha Chacko, Solidarity Foundation (India)

Navigating the landscape of social change can sometimes feel like an epic struggle, akin to the ceaseless toil of Sisyphus, forever running hard just to stay in the same place. The #ShiftThePower Global Summit offers us an opportunity to see the thousands of flowers blooming all over the world. We are colourful, we bring joy, we grow in unexpected places.

For me, the Summit is more than a gathering; it's a coming together with kindred spirits and those traversing different paths, but all united in wearing down the stubborn stone of the status quo. It's an opportunity to draw from a wellspring of inspiration, courage, and energy, reinforcing existing bonds and forging new friendships.

As we reshape the current narrative at the Summit, I would like to bring in the voices of the communities we work with — the ones often stigmatized and criminalized, the gender/sexual minorities and sex workers. Their concerns, often relegated to the periphery, transcend mere "identity" or “health” and are invaluable to the new broader political, social and economic tapestry that we aspire to weave.

Reflecting on the 2019 Pathways to Power Symposium: New Ways of Deciding and Doing, I've come to appreciate how the Global Fund for Community Foundations and its allies orchestrate these gatherings as a platform for serendipitous and meaningful conversations. It's a space where the unexpected unfolds, paving the way for learning, collaboration and the forging of solidarity bonds. In this orchestrated chaos, magic happens, and that's precisely why I want to be part of it.