I2I’s Heart-2-Heart on the Integrity in Struggle, New Team Member Hard Launch, and Our Love Affair with Check-in Questions
Welcome to another installment of Intention 2 Impact’s Heart-2-Heart — our monthly newsletter where we share what’s on our mind, in our hearts, and up our sleeves.
This month, we’re reflecting on integrity in the midst of the struggle for freedom, welcoming a new team member, and sharing our love for check-in questions that spark connection.
On Our Minds
“Freedom is not won by a passive acceptance of suffering. Freedom is won by a struggle against suffering.” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
If you’ve been following the news lately, you’ve witnessed the most recent and egregious violations of immigrants' rights. Our friends and neighbors are being taken from their homes, ripped away from their families, and called “criminals.” U.S. citizens are being racially profiled and stripped of their rights simply for “looking like an immigrant.”
No matter what side you lean toward, this is an issue of morality.
Despite the common rhetoric, this is not just a ‘political moment’; these abuses have been the ongoing reality of large swaths of immigrants in the US. What we are witnessing is a generations-long struggle for freedom, and it is also a generations-long MOVEMENT rooted in interdependence.
If you haven't had the need to join this movement yet, that’s a privilege. And good news…now is as good of a time as any to convert that privilege to action by showing up with courage and compassion for the targeted communities.
If we want to lead with integrity, something we hold central at Intention 2 Impact, we must not look away. We must get clear on what it means to put our privilege into practice. We must hold ourselves accountable to what we say we’re all about: dignity, equity, and justice, for those most at risk.
And let’s be clear: No one, regardless of paperwork, taxes, or birthplace, should face family separation, racial profiling, or abuse.
You too might be asking yourself: “What can I do?” and exploring ways to channel your grief, anger, and helplessness into something meaningful. Core Team Member, Ashley Bonilla assembled this list of possible actions to start showing up with integrity:
Use your voice. Talk to your family, your community, your representatives. Let’s challenge those harmful narratives. Call elected officials and demand immigration policies that uphold human dignity.
Check your privilege. If you aren’t directly impacted, ask yourself how you’re using your position, your resources, and your voice. Are you staying silent? Or are you showing up?
Amplify voices. Follow and share the work of immigrant-led organizations. Uplift the stories, leadership, and solutions of those most impacted. Make space for truth and lived experience.
Show up. Join a protest. Volunteer with local groups supporting immigrants and asylum seekers. Stay alert to ICE activity and be ready to act in solidarity.
Give if you can. Contribute to organizations doing the work every day.
RAICES - legal services and advocacy for immigrant and refugee families
United We Dream - the largest immigrant youth-led network in the U.S.
National Immigration Law Center - policy and legal defense for low-income immigrants
No act is too small. Justice requires consistency, compassion, and community.
At Intention 2 Impact, we also hold interdependence and integrity as core values. We see our liberation as interconnected and we believe in aligning our words with our actions.
We are committed to showing up with and for immigrant communities, not just in times of crisis but every day, in solidarity and in service.
Whether you’re directly impacted or standing alongside others, your voice, your choices, and your actions matter. Together we move from intention to impact.
We are in this together. Estamos con ustedes.
In Our Hearts
We are amped up to welcome a new member to Team I2I!
Meet Victoria Worthen Lang, MPH! As of June 4th, Victoria is officially I2I’s latest Senior MERL Consultant. Based in Philadelphia, PA, the I2I team now spans 4 states: California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Virginia (next step, world domination)!
Learn more about Victoria via the Q&A below!
Q. What drew you to the field of evaluation & what keeps you in it?
A. I started my career in academia, focused on research and considering a PhD in health behavior and nutrition. However, I turned to evaluation when I was looking for a more applicable venue for my research. I wanted to really use learning to spark change and felt limited in my ability to do that in academia at that time.
Since then, I continue to be inspired by the mission-driven folks working in the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors and their desire to have the greatest impact possible for underserved communities who have traditionally experienced divestment. I’ve seen evaluation and learning be an effective tool for elevating and empowering the voices of community members impacted by philanthropic initiatives and identifying potential gaps and course corrections to have a greater impact. I feel honored to use my skills to be a positive part of that process and live for the moments when clients make tangible changes to their philanthropic practices or initiatives based on the learning that we have helped to elevate and communicate.
Q. What is one thing your true friends know about you?
A. A fun, tidbit that only my close friends know is that I am actually an award-winning pole vaulter and have some objectively impressive achievements. I set multiple high school and college records, competed at the national level, and was the first woman to win the Ivy League championship 8 times in a row. I don’t like to bring it up in casual conversation because that was all a long time ago and I certainly am not doing anything that athletic these days. But luckily my close friends still like to brag about me :)
Q. What are you most looking forward to this Summer?
A. My husband and I are taking our baby on her first flight AND first international adventure to Switzerland. Definitely not my preference to do both of those things in the same trip, but such is life. We will be staying with a friend that I met during a high school German exchange program. We’ve had to put this trip off for a long time, primarily thanks to COVID, so being able to catch up in person and see our kids play with each other will truly be a joyful, cup-filling, “look how far we’ve come” experience. We will also be spending a lot of time in the mountains and I thrive in the outdoors and in nature, so I am hoping that is a restorative experience, as well.
Up Our Sleeves
Nearly every I2I meeting (both internal and with clients) starts with a check-in question, which is a light-hearted round-robin prompt to foster connection, center humanity, and bring levity to what can often be intense work. Sometimes committing to the check-in question at the start of a call can feel unnatural or awkward, but the practice never fails to bring insight and delight.
We asked the team to share their favorite check-in questions from meetings’ past (or questions that they hope to use in the near future). We challenge you to bring one to your next meeting!
Ashley: A client asked: “If you could create and celebrate a holiday, what would it be?”. We’re always following other people’s calendars. The thought of making up a day that means something to you is exciting.
Kathleen: Last week Sahiti asked: ”If you were to write a children’s book, what would it be about?”. It was enchanting to see folks' imagination and creativity.
Sahiti: I really enjoyed "If you were a potato, how would you like to be prepared and what does it say about you?”. Can never go wrong with a food reference and the responses were so creative!
Emma: ”If there was a museum about you, what are two items that would be for sale in its gift shop?”. It was so fun to think about what little objects represent you as a person (and silly to reflect on things like, why do I have so many lip balms that it's what first came to mind for a gift shop item).
Victoria: "Tell us about your first job". It is a great one for new projects/groups to get everyone warmed up. Usually everyone can contribute, even folks who are initially resistant to leaning into ice breakers or imagination. A surprising amount of people scooped ice cream for their first job.
Do you have a check-in question practice, too? What have been your favorite prompts? Shoot us an email and let us know!
Onward and upward, y’all!
You know, heart-2-hearts are supposed to be a 2-way street…
So comment below, what’s on your mind, in your heart, and up your sleeve? Hopefully a lil’ bit of good trouble. 😉
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Until next time,
Intention 2 Impact
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