This year’s spring retreat brought us together to the Danish countryside. The retreat created a moment for us to step away from screens, reconnect in person, reflect and dream big. 

This retreat felt special. We welcomed a new teammate, Manek, and the leadership transition continued to unfold. Watching Nani and Saranel hold space together reminded us once again that this transition is unfolding with genuine care and intention, grounded in the values that have shaped Systemic Justice from the beginning.

At the end of last year, Systemic Justice initiated its strategic reflection process to help us develop our next strategic plan. At our spring retreat, we took some time to reflect on the findings from the strategic reflection process – engaging with what has worked well and the areas in our work that need some strengthening. Reflecting back on our founding phase was useful as we move towards the next phase of consolidation and expansion. Over the past five years, we’ve built strong foundations: developing tools to make strategic litigation more accessible for community partners, strengthening relationships and building an ecosystem, alongside a growing body of work around intersectional, community-driven strategic litigation. At this stage, our focus is on strengthening how these pieces come together – making our approach more visible and accessible for the communities we work with.  

The key takeaway for us from our reflections was that t’s time to connect the dots to strengthen our foundation. Through structured discussions, we explored how to better articulate the journey from initial engagement to long-term collaboration and action. We also collectively reflected on the importance of our alignment of principles and values with how we work together as a team and how we approach our work for racial, social, and economic justice. 

These conversations were serious, but they didn’t feel heavy. There was a sense of readiness. A sense that we’re moving into a new phase – not starting from scratch, but building on a solid foundation we’ve already created.

One exercise that stood out asked each of us to reflect on what the word “collective” means to each one of us. This exercise reminded us that our work is rooted in different histories, perspectives, and lived experience – and that our history is our strength. 

And, as always, we made space for the small joys that make our time together meaningful. We cooked meals and ate together, walked along the coast, and some of us even spotted a deer in the area. These moments of connection didn’t feel separate from the work but are a part of what sustains it.  

The retreat ended in a trip to Copenhagen for the launch of the English edition of Nani’s book, Radical Justice, at a local community-run bookstore, ark books. Saranel and Nani sat together in conversation, exploring the ideas in the book and what it means to move from symbolic gestures to genuine, systemic change. The discussion was thoughtful, engaging and full of energy. 

It felt like the right way to close the retreat – with our Founder and our Executive Director in conversation, and a shared commitment for the work ahead. As Nani puts in her book: who will create change, if not us?