The Current

In this week's edition:

• Introducing Upwind Academy
• Oh Yes She Did! Highlight of the Week
• Announcements

Introducing Upwind Academy

Greetings fam, Chip and Zara here. As the Co-Directors of Education for Upwind, it is our pleasure to introduce Upwind Education and Consulting!

We are here to meet the demand for educational opportunities that link experiences in the sport to larger systems. Players and coaches are asking for more tools to build equitable programs and personally push back against racism, sexism, ableism, heterosexism, religious discrimination, transphobia, and other forms of oppression. We are offering several different ways to grow: online courses, in person trainings, and organizational consulting.

Upwind Academy
The academy is an offering of online courses grounded in social justice frameworks. These courses, which will be 4-6 weeks long, will rotate and shift based on demand and feedback. Our first course, launching in November 2017, is Understanding Whiteness.

Understanding Whiteness is a 4 session course, designed like a college class and grounded in academic scholarship. It seeks to make whiteness visible. Whiteness exists as ‘normal,’ status quo, assumed. In order to dismantle it, we must first bring it into the light. What are the distinctions between whiteness and white people? How does whiteness exist in law and order, social institutions, economic value, and cultural practices?

This course will meet four times from 8-9:30pm EST on November 6, 13, 20, 27. There will be readings and short journal entries assigned in between sessions. The course costs $50-100 sliding scale for participants, with a $20 flat rate student price. Apply here.

The next sessions of the Academy will feature multiple 4 week courses in January and February. If you’re interested in teaching a course, please email laurel@upwindultimate.com.

We want to hear from you about what courses you want to see! If you have an idea or just an inkling, fill out this form!

Training
We believe in the power of the training room as a place to be challenged, form connections, and grow together. We are excited to offer in-person training opportunities. We will kick off 2018 with a training entitled “How to be a Gender-Equity Advocate” with Zara Cadoux and Russell Wallack. This training seeks to situate the gender-equity fight in ultimate in the larger context of structural sexism. Participants will gain question-posing skills that will help them align their actions with dismantling systems rather than reinforcing them.

If you’re interested to bring this training to you or want us to design something for your community, please contact Laurel at: laurel@upwindultimate.com.

Consulting
Many gender-equity advocates around the country are logging an incredible number of volunteer hours with local leagues, organizations, and teams providing feedback. To formalize this process, we are pleased to offer consulting packages based on your organization’s needs. To find out more and get a quote, please contact Laurel at: laurel@upwindultimate.com.

Zara Cadoux became obsessed with ultimate her sophomore year at Vassar College and never looked back. Since graduating in 2009, she moved to Baltimore where she has played mixed and women’s club. In 2014, Zara co-founded the Girls Ultimate Movement with Heather Ann Brauer and Mike Lovinguth. Her advocacy centers on building a ‘Reformation before Revolution’ for equity in our sport - that is, doing the work to shift attitudes broadly so more powerful change can occur. In 2015, she urged us not to make this another men’s-first sport. She believes in focusing on privileged groups, especially white folks, in order to dismantle systems.

Chip Chang started playing ultimate her freshman year at UC San Diego, where she majored in Ultimate Frisbee, but also in History and Political Science. After graduating as a Psycho, she attended UCLA to use her fifth year of eligibility and to pursue her Master’s in Asian American Studies. In 2015, Chip moved to Minneapolis, MN where she currently resides. She is a third year doctoral student in American Studies at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Her research looks at the ways in which popular culture, the model minority narrative, and the language of multiculturalism produce, inform, and reinforce our ideas of race, belonging, and citizenship.

OH YES SHE DID!
Highlight of the Week

Kaimana bids were just released! Make sure to apply soon. Thanks NKolakovic for last year's Finals highlight reel! 

Announcements

• The Upline Cut will be released on Thursday this week instead of Sunday.

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