Grover Scanlan, Jr

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to participate in a Community Building Workshop, and it was truly life changing. Before that experience, I had never been able to sit quietly with myself, let alone sit in silence with complete strangers. Yet, in that space, I experienced an unusual sense of safety while also allowing myself to be vulnerable. That feeling, the connection with other participants, and the memories created stayed with me long after the workshop ended. The experience moved me to want to become a facilitator myself, so I enrolled in a five-day facilitator training workshop. That experience was even more powerful, deeply meaningful, educational, and purposeful. The experience again was enlightening. I grew up in the Chicago housing projects during the 1970s and 80s. For much of my life, trust and safety felt foreign to me, almost like trying to speak another language without ever having been taught. Today, my life is very different in many positive ways. There are times when life gets in the way but keeps me busy with work and I am not always able to return to the Circle as often as I would like. I can say a life-changing experience lasts forever. Thank you, CBW/CBI, for the memories and the opportunity for me to make more.