Awe

It’s been two weeks since the Washroom Inclusivity Project finished its first phase, with two days of inventory completed and four training sessions well attended. As I sit here reflecting on my time with the project, what really comes up is how I felt during the training sessions, as volunteers were encouraged to go around and share why they were interested in the project. I heard dozens of people share their passion, their commitment to equity, their well thought out insights about why washroom inclusivity is important. I was in awe. Having worked on the project for 8 months, and becoming so involved with logistics, communications, and all the back end work to make the project run, I must admit my passion for the cause became a bit obstructed. But that was only until that first training morning, where through others’ reflections, I was reminded of why I care, why it matters to me, and why I am so passionate about equity, community, fairness. I guess my awe was pretty obvious, as a co-worker came to tell me: “Mari, your eyes were glowing when the volunteers were sharing, and you just had the hugest smile!” Yes, it was hard to hide my enthusiasm. I am proud to have been part of this wonderful project, and I am excited to see what new opportunities and collaborations may come out of it.