How can you be your authentic self in every relationship?
On Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, YES Institute hosts an annual education weekend. Our education team facilitates a conversation that delves into gender and orientation Friday afternoon and leads a profound 12-hour communication course on Saturday and Sunday.
During Deciphering Gender & Orientation, attendees pondered their own journey and understanding of the social and cultural gender constructs. Thought provoking questions allowed the participants the space to be inquisitive and reflect on moments in their lives where they have found themselves to be constricted in their authentic self-expression.
“The course was amazing! It really gave me an opportunity to think more deeply about gender and orientation and how the binary has impacted me and others. If only we were all free to be our authentic selves, so many of the world’s problems would be solved.” – Deciphering Gender & Orientation Participant
Members of our Youth Advisory Leadership Council (YALC) came from Broward County to take part in this course and shared how vital it is as teenagers to have access to these training sessions and how integral the tools provided are in order to be seen and heard for who they are. Our guest speaker gave a heartfelt testimony of his gender transition and the euphoria he felt when he came out to himself during his teen years.
One of our YALC members attended Communication Solutions™ with his Mom and they both walked away with the tools to communicate authentically and responsibly with one another. Families are highly encouraged to attend our courses together and receive the same tools in communication to strengthen their bonds and create deeper connections.
Over the course of the weekend, attendees are in community with one another as they bravely and vulnerably open up about themselves and confront aspects of their own communication that may be holding them back. On the first day, participants shared their struggles when communicating to others and by the second day, folks were experiencing breakthroughs they had not considered before.
The exercises in this course gave participants an opportunity to practice the tools with one another while receiving coaching and most importantly, allowed them to simply be, be authentic, and speak from their purpose.
Communication Solutions™ participants shared:
“[This course] allowed me to see how much power my own voice has and how to feel more empowered to use my voice.”
“Profound. This is a practice, not a class, and I can see why people keep coming back. I will keep coming back, and bringing others. So powerful and affirming.”
“Opened my heart to be vulnerable and to share to make something worthwhile.”
YES Institute is grateful to everyone who participated in our education weekend, especially those who flew from out of town and drove hours to be here with us. A special thanks to co-founder, Martha Fugate, for coming to Miami to co-lead an incredible Communication Solutions course!
Join us for our Masculinity Distinguished course on Feb 25, 2023 at 9am on zoom.