For the past four years, Understood.org has hosted a Day of Understanding twice a year. It has been a day dedicated to deepening our knowledge of the communities we serve, the challenges we face in our work, and the ways we can grow together as an organization. 

This year, instead of a single day, we got together for a whole week! Our Week of Understanding was a four-day event that gave us more space for collaboration and learning. The team engaged with new ideas and strategies while reinforcing our shared commitment to empowering people with learning and thinking differences.

Day 1: Real stories, real impact 

The week kicked off with a powerful panel discussion that put our audience at the center. We heard from an inspiring group of women who not only live with learning and thinking differences themselves but also have kids with learning and thinking differences. This session, moderated by Eleni Matheou, Understood’s associate director of user research, gave us a firsthand look into their personal journeys. They each shared their challenges, strategies, and successes.

This intimate conversation fostered a deep connection between our team and the real-life impact of our mission. It reminded us that we need to understand the daily lives of the people we serve and learn from their experiences. 

Day 2: Measuring what matters 

On the second day, the focus shifted to data-driven insights. Co-led by the director and associate director of insights and external research, Justine Bassman and Shalini Suresh, we dove into the latest findings from our ongoing impact research. We learned about tangible evidence that we’re creating real change.

But we didn’t stop there. We split into small groups for a brainstorming session. Each team was tasked with coming up with innovative ideas to enhance our impact. It all culminated in a Shark Tank–style presentation to a panel of judges. This activity not only sparked creativity but also reinforced our commitment to keep improving how we serve our community.

Day 3: Celebrating wins and planning for the future

Midweek, our leadership team took the stage to deliver a midyear update. We heard about critical learnings. And we celebrated key wins and recognized how our team has grown. We also looked ahead to the rest of the year, setting ambitious goals and reinforcing our vision for the future.

It was an inspiring moment to see how far we’ve come. And we were energized as we looked forward to opportunities on the horizon.

Day 4: Owning our mission and becoming ambassadors of change

To close out the week, we turned our attention to advocacy. Coach Katie Papazian joined us for a workshop on how to talk about Understood when we’re out in the world. Through role-playing, we learned how to craft compelling elevator pitches that connect our individual work to Understood’s mission.

This was a valuable skill-building opportunity. And it was also a reminder that each of us plays a critical role. We can all be ambassadors of our cause and spread the word about Understood’s mission.

Looking back and moving forward

Our Week of Understanding was an incredible experience for the team. Across these four days, we connected more deeply with our purpose. We gained fresh perspectives on our impact. And we strengthened our bonds with each other. We left the event with a renewed sense of purpose, ready to tackle the next phase of our work.

Here’s to many more Days — and Weeks — of Understanding in the future!