Connecting, reflecting, and peeling back the layers
A collage of ChangeLine staff smiling as they present their work.
Sometimes the most productive thing we can do is pause, reflect, and connect.
That’s the goal of ChangeLine’s annual State of the Onion: a daylong celebration of each other and the work we did together over the last year. We talk about what we’re proud of, what we learned, where we stumbled, and what we’re carrying forward with us. We also refill our tanks with shared meals and shallot of laughter (get it?).
Why “State of the Onion”?
Sure, it’s a little weird but we like weird. So what began as an innocent little typo soon became a cherished metaphor for why we take the time to gather like this. Because to get to real change, you’ve got to be willing to peel back the layers.
The visible results of our work matter, but so do the deeper layers that ramp us up to them: trust, relationships, curiosity, learning, and how we adapt when conditions shift. These layers are critical both to the kinds of systems-change work we’re here to support and to the ways we work with each other internally.
The highlight: staff “TED Talks” and takeaways
Because we love celebrating wins and learning from each other, our staff was asked to share a few highlights of their work from 2025. But when your annual staff retreat has a name like “State of the Onion,” a regular old PowerPoint just won’t do.
So at this year’s event (rescheduled from December to February due to a hyperactive flu season), teams were encouraged to bring a (low stakes) TED-type talk. You know how those go: discuss a major theme, share a story or two, impart lessons learned, and offer some takeaways. It was a fun way to hear about the serious work our team is doing, and gave us a chance to cheer each other on.
Here are just a few of the nuggets we walked away with:
Our HMIS team reminded us data should work for people–not the other way around.
The behavioral health team showed that listening, not bylaws, is the key to understanding community needs.
Prism and LGBTQ+ Health Equity underscored that building capacity starts with building relationships.
Marketing and Comms illustrated how changing the story can change what’s possible.
Homelessness Initiatives reminded us that true systems change has to include the people most impacted by those systems.
Operations highlighted how being willing to learn, pivot, and adapt keeps things moving forward.
Learning and Impact demonstrated how impact grows when learning starts from within.
Leadership reinforced that preparing for the future starts with asking the right questions today.
Slowing down to show up
We’re not going to pretend that it’s easy to set aside an entire day (or even half a day) for something like this. The work is urgent, the days are full, and there’s always another meeting to run to. Taking a break can feel like an interruption to the work, when the truth is, it helps us carry it.
The value of a day like this isn’t just what happens there—it’s what it makes possible afterward. Taking the time to uplift our staff, celebrate their achievements, and indulge in a surplus of onion puns (so many onion puns) builds new layers that make us stronger and the work ahead just a little bit lighter.