Navigating this tech project without F without any prior website building experience was a challenge. We each came in with different strengths that we utilized, but we did not have a technically strong team member that led us through this process. There was a steep learning curve but by relying on each other, reaching out to our peers, and using online information we were able to create a WordPress website! Knowing how to organize the big chunks of information into more readable pieces of text as well as create a storyline within the website was a skill that we learned throughout the process. We were unaware of the level of thought that went into figuring out how to structure a website and how crucial that is to delivering its message. Not only did we have to navigate this process for ourselves but we had to walk Fernando through these decisions as well. Although this was a rocky path to pave and a laborious lesson to learn, we all gained great practical skills that we can take into our professional careers.

After COVID-19 hit, we were forced to drastically pivot our project. We were disappointed that the opportunity to meet with the indigenous community members in person was no longer an option. While working to restructure our project, we were also going through a whirlwind of changes and new challenges in our personal lives due to COVID-19. When we lost two team members and received a new one, we were left without the foundation of trust and collaboration that we had built with our original team of 4. COVID made communicating with our multiple partners challenging as well as working remotely with our internal team difficult.

Collaborating remotely was something we had to adjust and work through. It proved to be mentally challenging and our team experienced some burnout with the plethora of zoom meetings. Our team, as well as Fernando and our partner organizations in Chile were dealing with the personal effects of the pandemic which slightly limited our capacity to put energy into the project. This situation was especially challenging for Hannah because she had never met Devyn, Juliet or Fernando in person and lacked the personal connection with her teammates that often contributes to the success of a team. Throughout our project journey, we learned how to navigate these challenges gracefully.

HEADS

It is easy to feel like these Chilean activists in the Atacama region are very separate from us and are fighting a fight of their own. With so much distance between us, our realities tend to feel worlds apart and thus we do not have the ability to help them. However, the movement in the Atacama region is part of a much larger fight against environmental degradation and destructive capitalist enterprises. We are fighting the same fight all over the world. From Standing Rock to the Amazon to the Atacama region. We are more connected than we think.

HANDS

Our biggest takeaway for the Hands on Tech portion of this project was gaining confidence and knowledge about working with a tech tool. Though the initial nervousness was not obsolete when venturing on this project journey, it slowly started to subside over time and transformed into curiosity and excitement. We also learned how much time and work actually goes into designing and creating a project like this. Our next biggest lesson was learning how to think creatively about what tech tools to use for social justice projects such as these. We learned that excitement for more tech tools should not dilute your original goals.

HEART

This project greatly impacted us both personally and professionally. The three greatest values we have taken away are adaptability, communication and courage. We learned the importance of communicating our personal capacities and our progress. As a result of these 3 lessons, I feel so much more confidence working with other professionals. I learned how to work in a professional change-making environment and how to effectively collaborate with others, as well as clearly share my creative ideas. I am deeply thankful for this experience because it allowed me to see how incredibly intricate the process of social change is, which reinforces the importance of being adaptable, knowing how to communicate and having courage to try new things.