Participant profile

Natalie Locke is the Associate Director of Aynah, an organization based in Minneapolis that supports and facilitates partnerships and experiential learning opportunities for cooperative communities and young adults. She attended our first Educator Retreat at Sterling College in 2014 and is returning to participate in our Social Change Educator Retreat in Maine this April. This is what she writes about why she's coming back:

"I knew I would be back for another Field Academy Educator Retreat before the last one had even ended. I reflect on that experience all the time, both in my professional life and in my personal life, and the experience is so hard to put words to. I felt such incredible solidarity, affirmation, and motivation among these warm, radical educators. While I implement the perspectives and skills from that retreat in nearly all of my work, the greatest development I made was the recognition that there is always more to learn. And that is precisely the beauty of being an educator - to learn and grow while facilitating that same process for others. It feels essential to take time out of my normal life to reflect on why I do what I do and develop the skills to do it better. If I can do it among inspiring friends, why wouldn’t I? 
In other words: Of course I’m coming back. The work is never done. And I love you all.” 

To find out what other participants have to say about their experience at a Field Academy Educator Retreat, click here.

Natalie in a Field Academy t-shirt in front of Aynah's van, which is painted with cooperative values.