solidaire network
“I really liked the attention to details, down to the velvet high-top table covers to the personalized note from Leigh wishing us a safe trip home…it's the extra mile that gave the retreat a sense of being pampered even when we were there for work to do deep thought work together.”
— Jennifer Hu Corrigio,
Senior Philanthropy Organizer
Solidaire Network is a community of donor organizers who mobilize quickly to get critical resources and unprecedented solidarity to the frontlines of social justice movements fighting against corporate greed, economic inequality, climate change, gender and racial injustice, and anti-Blackness.
Although Solidaire had worked with an event planner who got the job done for a previous retreat, when it came time to plan their 2024 spring staff retreat they craved working with an agency culturally rooted in the communities they serve.
So, when faced with planning an out-of-state, multi-day event, Solidare was excited to partner with a Black-owned, Queer-led agency that not only had the production chops but could also connect them with organizations on the ground.
We worked with Solidaire’s dedicated staff to design a thoughtful, engaging productive schedule that met the retreat goals. Some of the moving pieces we successfully juggled to ensure that the four days were a success were
Location Scouting - Woven Studios hit the ground running by location scouting to meet the spectrum of Solidaire’s needs. We needed to find accommodations, meeting spaces, and vendors that met the accessibility needs of forty staff people. In addition to figuring out where to meet safely and where to rest comfortably, we scouted locations for two offsite dinners, a culminating party, and a meaningful community partner site visit.
Managing Accommodations - We coordinated accommodations logistics with the hotel to meet the needs of their hardworking staff and additional guests (including some kiddos!).
Vendor Coordination - We coordinated schedules, contracts, and payment with all facilitators, media staff, speakers, or other scheduled guests.
Menu Planning & Meal Coordination - Our team coordinated with caterers, venues, and meal providers to ensure that all eight meals were delicious, healthy, and timely.
Addressing Accessibility Needs - We successfully designed the retreat to accommodate Solidaire’s COVID-19 safety protocols, chemical sensitivities, and dietary needs of their staff.
Coordinating Travel Logistics - We managed all the logistics for their team’s arrival and departure from New Orleans.
We reached out to local nonprofit Grow Dat Youth Farm to get a tour of their land and learn about the unique opportunities they provide for New Orleans youth to develop leadership skills and initiate change. Leigh Robbie, our Creative Director, is a former advisory board member for Grow Dat and when we realized they’re also regionally funded by Solidaire, we felt confident that uplifting this group’s impactful work would enrich the staff’s retreat experience. When we presented the idea to Solidaire, they loved it! The Solidaire staff thoroughly enjoyed getting to connect with one of their grantee partners and the opportunity to get outside of the hotel during their stay in New Orleans.
The retreat culminated in a House Party celebration where everyone had a great time, eating, drinking, listening to music, and connecting with old and new community. But the road to that success required a ton of infrastructure! The original plan was to host in a community member’s backyard, but because of the rainy weather, we made a hard pivot with less than an hour before guests would arrive. Instead of a garden party, we curated a cozy, house party lounge, which created the perfect ambience in the end. Guests arrived and had no idea that a shift had even taken place!
“Loved that we pivoted to accommodate the rain! Loved all the people, the food, the music, the entire vibe. Loved the level of detail to beauty and care that The Nest offered. ”
— Rajasvini Bhansali,
Executive Director
“It was such an enjoyable and relaxing event. I thoroughly enjoyed the jazz musicians and all the kitchen and serving staff were a delight too. The pivot to rain was hardly noticeable because everyone was having a good time.”
— Jennifer Hu Corrigio,
Senior Philanthropy Organizer
Our collaboration with Solidaire Network was so successful that we had the pleasure of coordinating their Board Retreat in Los Angeles a few months later! We brought our usual Woven Studios grit, humor, and expertise to this event as well. Instead of a site visit, we arranged fireside chats with community leaders.
“I loved working with The Nest and would love to bring them back if possible, no recommendations for doing things differently.”
— Chris Westcott,
Political Education Senior Strategist
event documentation by Minerva Zapata and Jocelyne Castro