![Pathwaves staff and Fellows stand embracing in front of a background of green trees and concrete steps. From left to right: Nubia, Sharissa, Maya, Samantha, Fernanda, Lish, Sandy, Shaterra, LaToya](https://pathwaveswa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240605_2024_Patwaves_C1_Celebration_0026_Web-1024x679.png)
On June 5th, forty members of the Pathwaves community came together to witness the conclusion of the inaugural Fellowship Cohort. We were thrilled to be surrounded by many of the people who have made this program possible. From the visionaries who brought the idea of Pathwaves to life, to our founding board members, funders, and other key supporters, the room was buzzing with pride for what we have accomplished together.
The highlight of the celebration was the Fellows’ storytelling. For the past two months, Fellows have been working with Luis Ortega, the founder of Storytellers for Change, to craft an “Emergent Narrative for Critical Hope”. Each narrative shined a light on the unique leadership journey of each Fellow, and how the Fellowship has helped to shape their path forward. Though it was only a glimpse into their leadership throughout the program, we are so proud of the wisdom, boldness, and creativity our Fellows showcased through their stories.
![Samantha stands behind a wooden podium holding a microphone and addressing a blurred audience in the foreground. She has long curly hair and is wearing black glasses and a black top.](https://pathwaveswa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240605_2024_Patwaves_C1_Celebration_0083_Web-1024x682.jpg)
“To my fellow fellows, our, passion, honesty, vulnerability in professional spaces is not only needed but it’s what makes us belong here. While we continue on, or enter new spaces in the workforce, I’m confident we will continue demanding better of the systems that impact us, our families, and communities.”
– Samantha Grono, Pathwaves Fellow 2022-24
These past 20 months together were full of growth and learning for the Fellows and for Pathwaves as an organization. We are excited to continue to evolve as a community in pursuit of our mission to build the collective power of BIPOC leaders in early childhood policy. Thank you to our Fellows for sharing our vision. We look forward to continuing to watch your leadership grow.