Part One: Network Mindset + Participant Engagement
In the first part, participants will gain insights into intentional networks and strategies for fostering a healthy Black ecosystem. The series enhances network weaving skills intrinsic to all of us. Together we will think critically about networks and the usefulness of practices such as network weaving and social system mapping within Afrocentric spaces and community initiatives. Attendees will be in a constant dance between learning from and contributing to standard practices within the field of network weaving and mapping. 

Part Two: Network Coordination + Social System Mapping
Building on Part One, the second part emphasizes the practical application of skills. This continuation moves beyond theory to provide hands-on approaches for sustaining networks and enhancing their impact.

Important Note
Although the series is divided into two parts, Part Two is intended for those who have completed Part One, as the concepts and skills build directly on the foundations established there. If you are interested in registering for Part Two without having taken Part One, please reach out in advance so we can determine if this is possible.

After participating in these learning sessions, you will be able to:  

• Identify ways to increase participant engagement, build trust and enhance collaboration within networks 

• Evaluate the health and sustainability of networks  

• Develop an engagement strategy for sustainable networks 

• Reflect on the interplay between Afrocentric principles and current network theories and weaving practices  

• Navigate a social system map to enhance collaborations and improve relationship building within networks 

Denise Challenger
Director of Network Weaving and Learning
Guided by her ancestors and inspired by future generations, Denise Challenger serves as Director of Network Weaving and Learning at the Network for the Advancement of Black Communities (NABC). In this role, she advances systems transformation in the Black nonprofit sector by developing communication systems, digital platforms, and collaborative practices that help organizations connect, share resources, and work toward shared goals. As a trained Caribbean and gender historian, she previously coordinated the Harriet Tubman Institute at York University, designed educational programs on Black inventors and computing technology, and organized conferences both locally and internationally.

Denise is especially passionate about the transformative potential of network weaving and social system mapping. She has co-developed maps with the Weaving Lab, the FITO Network, and NABC, exploring how digital tools can strengthen collaboration and connectivity across Black Canadian ecosystems and the diaspora. She has amplified her weaving skills as a participant of Circle Generation’s Network Leadership Serie. Rooted in care, humility, and the principle of moving at the speed of trust, she sees her work as both a gift and an opportunity to reimagine networks as living systems.

The series is intended for B3 executive directors, network coordinators, project leads, or coalition builders and grass roots organizers who are open to evolving discussions and approaches to collaboration. It is aimed at individuals interested in utilizing networks to address the complex issues faced by Black communities. It also caters to those seeking methods to reduce siloed work, competition, mistrust, leadership burnout, and power imbalances that often hinder efforts to strengthen networks within the Black ecosystem. 

The learning journey will involve video and slide presentations, interactive activities in small groups and pairs, individual reflections, and testing network frameworks and theories in your organizational and community settings.  

All sessions for this learning series will be hosted online via Zoom, allowing participants from across Canada to join and engage in real time.