This year, I had the profound honor of hosting Partners for New Economy’s (P4NE) annual gathering in Brussels, Belgium, on November 7-8. Standing in that room—a vibrant mix of change-makers, activists, and thinkers—was a full-circle moment for me.

Picture of Ashanti Kunene doing the Welcome at P4NE 2024 gathering in Brussels

P4NE 2024 Annual gathering host, Ashanti Kunene. Credit: Martin Pillete

 

Just last year at the 2023 P4NE gathering in Rotterdam, I co-hosted a narrative-led systems change workshop alongside a colleague Roxane Cassehgari, exploring how philanthropy can evolve to meet the moment. Returning as the host this year was a testament to the resonance and need for narrative work within the movement for economic transformation.
This is a picture of the sign up sheet for the Narrative Workshop Led by Ashanti Kunene & Roxane Cassehgari

2023 P4NE Gathering in Rotterdam – Narrative Workshop

 

At its heart, P4NE opens up space for practitioners to collaboratively imagine into existence new economic systems and stories. This year, the urgency to craft new narratives felt more pressing than ever. The gathering began against the backdrop of global turbulence—Trump 2.0 in the United States, an escalating polycrisis, and fractures in geopolitical systems. Yet, as we navigated these waters together, I couldn’t help but sense a unique energy in the room: a determined optimism, an understanding that rupture is not just an ending but an invitation to build anew. As the systems around us creak and groan under the weight of their unsustainability, the message was clear: this is our moment to act.

Across the two days, one recurring theme struck me deeply—the courage required to confront entrenched systems. Systems change, whether economic, political, or social, demands an unwavering commitment to our convictions. It asks us to keep moving forward in the face of resistance and doubt. In my closing remarks, I challenged the room with a question that has shaped my own work: What is the hill you are willing to die on? Like the bee that dies and loses its sting after defending its hive, what are the issues you are willing to die for? What are you willing to lose your sting over? For me, it is the epistemic freedom of African women—the right to think, imagine, and lead beyond the constraints of a system that has historically deemed us “less than.” This is the work I will fight for, this is the work I would happily lose my sting for.

So what is your hill? What systems do you believe so deeply in transforming that you’re willing to risk everything for their renewal?
A moment of collective creativity brought these convictions to life in a way I’ll never forget. In the midst of the sessions, Joe Earle and I co-created a poem to capture the spirit of the gathering:

 

New economies for cooperation
Love and laughter
When birds sing songs of the financial ruins
We emerge blinking into the light,
Hesitant and in awe
Ready to build our world anew
From the ashes of the burning system
We grow, despair and grow again.
Determined.

 

These words were not just poetic musings—they were a call to arms. We are the architects of the systems to come. But first, we must let go of the systems that no longer serve us. As Kirsten Dunlop reminded us during the opening session, we simply don’t have time for negativity. There is too much work to be done.

 

Imagery of audience members, speakers and workshop participants

 

Another powerful takeaway from the gathering was the reminder that everything is political. As Carol Hanisch reminds us in her 1970’s essay, “the personal is political” and as systems thinkers and socio-economic change-makers, we cannot shy away from this reality. The personal is political, and the political is personal. Our work must be unapologetically bold, grounded in values, and oriented toward action. As I listened to the stories and strategies shared by attendees, I reflected on the privilege and responsibility of this work. We cannot afford to be passive observers of a crumbling system. We must engage, innovate, and build movements that empower people to reclaim agency over their lives and economies.

The ruptures we are experiencing—political, economic, social—are not just breakdowns; they are openings. They are opportunities to imagine and implement systems rooted in cooperation, equity, and care.

As the gathering drew to a close, the conversations left me with a renewed sense of hope. While it is easy to be overwhelmed by the scale of the multiple crises we face, the energy in the room was one of determined possibility. The ruptures we are experiencing—political, economic, social—are not just breakdowns; they are openings. They are opportunities to imagine and implement systems rooted in cooperation, equity, and care.

I invite everyone in the P4NE network to carry this spirit of determined optimism into your work.
As we move forward from the 2024 gathering, I invite everyone in the P4NE network to carry this spirit of determined optimism into your work. Share your stories. Inspire courage in others. And above all, commit to the hard but necessary work of building something new.

The world will not wait for us to feel ready. It is time to roll up our sleeves, find our hills, and act with the urgency this moment demands.

This article was originally published on 15 November 2024 and has been reposted with permission. You can read the original article here.
Ashanti Kunene

Ashanti Kunene is a social justice activist, slam poet, decolonial dialogue facilitator, published writer, and the founder of Learning 2 Unlearn. She was previously the Director of Pedagogy for Culture Hack Labs, leading their Rhizome Network and fellowship program.

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