Envision

27/09/2023

Thanks to a newsletter I subscribe to, I just read this 2020 article by Stephen Grabmeier about the BANI world we live in, and what this world requires of us. Would love to hear how this article resonates with you:

VUCA does not suffice to account for the "chaos of today". A new acronym is much better suited for this: Here is why the BANI framework should replace VUCA.

12/05/2023

The impact of private equity on access to (US) healthcare:

In the healthcare sector, private equity has moved from bit player to a trillion-dollar behemoth that is extracting resources and harming care. This must change.

09/03/2022

For those who have followed the Ever Forward Club, their documentary was screened at SxSW last night.

23/08/2021

Especially for those of us living in the Western US and other places that are suffering from catastrophic wildfires around the globe - Southern Europe, Northern Africa, the Amazon, Siberia - this is an important and thought-provoking article. The questions I continue to sit with in light of this "new" era revolve around community resilience, what that looks like, and our relationship with food, water, energy and nature: https://grist.org/wildfires/welcome-to-the-pyrocene/

We have created a planetary fire age. Now we have to live in it.

22/07/2020

To foster anti-racism in creating regenerative communities here is a "starter pack" of resources from ally.tools: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/1bUJrgX8vspyy7YttiEC2vD0DawrpPYiZs94V0ov7qZQ/htmlview

04/04/2020

Another useful link towards regenerative communities: https://www.presencing.org/news/news/gaia-global-activation-of-intention-and-action

GAIA is an impromptu global infrastructure for sensemaking, for leaning into our current moment of disruption and letting this moment move us toward civilizational renewal.

31/03/2020

Here are links to some organizations that are continuing to focus on regenerative communities and commenting on policy suggestions at the local and national level:

1) The Next System Project: https://thenextsystem.org/

2) New Economy Coalition: https://neweconomy.net/

3) Economic Policy Institute: https://www.epi.org/

We can create the kind of society—and world—we’d like now and for future generations

06/02/2020

This short film highlights what's possible in making an inclusive, accessible city that prioritizes people and community. Kudos to Utrecht and those responsible in bringing this vision to fruition
https://dutchreview.com/cities/utrecht/utrechts-exemplar-city-design-that-prioritises-people-over-cars/

Utrecht recently unveiled its latest plans for a completely car-free neighbourhood. The Merwede neighbourhood will be home to 12,000 residents.

30/01/2020

Although this article is very US-centric, I believe it provides some good food for thought about the conversations we need to have re: how we want to live (and work) in community while addressing issues of access, inclusion, and equity. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/28/arts/density-housing-skyscraper-museum.html

In cities, many people think “density” means crowded neighborhoods and greedy developers, but a new show at the Skyscraper Museum tells a different story.

08/01/2020

People have proposed free public transit. This article takes it one step further and positions it as right. I feel this article speaks to two major gaps that free public transit proponents often miss - accessibility and universal coverage. Viewing transportation as a right would shape our policies and our decisions differently. Our funding priorities would also shift, helping to make many more communities more inclusive, more equitable, more regenerative. Well worth the read!
https://www.curbed.com/2019/12/20/21031126/free-transit-universal-transportation-access

Guaranteeing Americans universal access to opportunity would be transformative.

31/12/2019

One of my teachers shared this poem. It resonates deeply with me as we move into the New Year:

Will Not Die an Unlived Life
by Dawna Markova

I will not die an unlived life.

I will not live in fear

of falling or catching fire.

I choose to inhabit my days,

to allow my living to open me,

to make me less afraid,

more accessible;

to loosen my heart

until it becomes a wing,

a torch, a promise.

I choose to risk my significance,

to live so that which came to me as seed

goes to the next as blossom,

and that which came to me as blossom,

goes on as fruit.

08/11/2019

Hi everyone!

Participant Life, whom we interviewed in Q3 2018, is fundraising to begin commercial production of their first product - a wheelchair. Please consider investing. Follow the link for more information.

https://life.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c2ea00854074c9ad1f61a2d6b&id=276a99f31c&e=8786d7deae

31/10/2019

A great infographic from the New Economy Coalition

26/07/2019

Incredible work done by Ashanti Branch, Founder and Exec Dir of the Ever Forward Club. You can find both interviews with Ashanti in the Envision archives

Grad-itude🙌🏾

Since 2004, 100% of the 200 young men who have graduated from EFC have graduated from high school (compared to the national graduation rate of 59% for Black men and 65% for Latino men). Of the same young men, 93% have transitioned successfully into college, military, or trade school (compared to the national college enrollment rate of 34% for African-Americans and Latinos).Of the same young men, 0 are currently incarcerated (compared to the national incarceration rate of 1 of 6 for Latino men and 1 of 3 for Black men).

23/07/2019

A fascinating series of stories and interviews from KQED on creating safe spaces, building equity and community in metro Los Angeles. https://www.kqed.org/news/11758615/challenging-inequality-in-one-of-californias-most-divided-cities

Taking on Big Oil; World’s First LGBTQ Mariachi; Coffee Co-Op; Activist Caregiver

09/07/2019

This is powerful work that can benefit both individuals and communities. It is designed to build resilience and heal deeply.

A San Francisco full-day immersion of Joanna Macy's Work That Reconnects, specially designed to support participants in discovering resilience and passion in a time of great challenge on Planet Earth. This program will help us resource deeply as we explore the promises held in this potent time.

08/07/2019

Here is an uplifting story about how communities of color are using cooperatives to realize dreams, build community and places for activism: People of color are creating new kinds of cooperative cafes and restaurants in Oakland https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/article/People-of-color-are-creating-new-kinds-of-14074528.php?t=9ee47aa4c9

Oakland’s young fleet of food-service co-ops — Tamarack, Cafe Sama and Hasta Muerte Coffee — provide self-sustaining places for political action and community organizing.

04/07/2019

From the Ever Forward Club, one organization that does amazing work locally and globally. They were interviewed twice on Envision.

Ever Forward-Siempre Adelante (EFSA) focuses on mentor-led youth development programming for male students in middle school and high school. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Our mission is to address the underlying causes of high school dropouts, the growing achievement gap of inner city youth, and youth violence in a preventive manner by providing boys and men of color (BMOC) with the tools, support, and a safe place to openly share their emotions and to build character and healthy relationships.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You can support us by:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Following us 📲⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Joining our challenge 🎭⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Donating at everforwardclub.org 💻⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
EverForwardClub.Org to connect with us!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

20/06/2019

21/05/2019

The Next System Project posted their new Index of Systemic Trends yesterday, the 20th. Definitely worth delving into if you're interested in regenerative communities and shedding light on the "long crisis" and transitional period we're experiencing: https://thenextsystem.org/learn/stories/index-systemic-trends

One of the signs that a crisis is systemic, rather than purely political or economic, is that key indicators decline or stay the same regardless of changes in political power or business cycles. This is an effort to quantify, track, and visualize this crisis.

06/05/2019

From Sal Gencarelle, who has been interviewed on Envision.

I’ve worked with people the world over to re-establish their relationship to the ancestral lineages with both spiritual and physical means. This is a critical aspect of the great spiritual healing of humanity because if the pain of the past is unresolved it will continue to be enacted over and over again. We must boldly and courageously face the reality of the grief of loss that is stored in our genetic memory and heal it, or we are doomed to repeat these events in our society. And as long as that is happening suffering will increase in the world.

Continue to blog for more!

https://www.helpersmentoringsociety.net/blog/healing-the-ancestral-connection

#2019

14/03/2019

March 20th is International Day of Happiness. Gross National Happiness USA (GNH-USA) is encouraging everyone to connect with friends and neighbors over dinner and have meaningful conversations about what matters. Learn more here: https://gnhusa.org/happiness-dinners/

International Day of Happiness - March 20th March 20th is International Day of Happiness, a worldwide celebration of what matters to us: family, friends, relati

20/01/2019

Refugees, permaculture that is providing food and rebuilding lost social fabric in new community... We need more of this. Everywhere.

https://inhabitat.com/permaculture-feeds-and-empowers-refugees-in-uganda/

African Women Rising empowers people in Northern Uganda through permaculture, education and micro-finance programs. Learn more about this inspiring organization.

18/01/2019

We all know about AirBnB... How about a cooperative version that supports community? We have that now thanks to some thoughtful folks in Amsterdam: https://thenextweb.com/eu/2018/12/06/fairbnb-is-an-ethical-alternative-to-airbnb-coming-in-2019/?link_id=11&can_id=250c5ebcf5912984c09e92cfee132e06&source=email-forbes-400-vs-black-households-peoples-state-of-the-union-and-fairbnb&email_referrer=email_480584&email_subject=forbes-400-vs-black-households-peoples-state-of-the-union-and-fairbnb

FairBnB aims to bring much needed fairness to the vacation rental markets, focusing on giving communities a voice and a stake in the process.

03/01/2019

Happy New Year everyone! I hope it has started off well for you. Recently I came across two Anaïs Nin quotes that resonate with me:
“We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage.”

To me the first speaks to the stories we tell ourselves - individually and collectively. We can change those stories only when we're ready to admit to ourselves that these stories are only stories and not the only way. The second speaks to the courage that it takes to recognize and change that story. I feel that is particularly true for regenerative communities.

Are we each ready in 2019 to start changing our story? To change our relationship to the planet, to each other, to ourselves? So much can happen through small individual actions. Here's to 2019. May we each and all be bold and courageous!

Feliz y prospero Año Nuevo a todos! Espero que el año nuevo ha empezado bien para cada uno. Recién encontré dos citas de la escritora Anaïs Nin que me resuenan:
"No vemos a las cosas como son, las vemos como somos"
"La vida encoge o expande en proporción al nuestro coraje"

Para mi, la primera refiere a los relatos que nos contamos - individualmente y colectivamente. Podemos cambiar estos relatos solo cuando estamos listos para admitirnos que estos relatos son solamente relatos y no son la unica perspectiva del mundo. La segunda, habla al coraje que requiere para reconocer y cambiar este relato. Siento que eso es la verdad particularmente para las comunidades regenerativas.

Estamos listos para cambiar nuestro relato colectivo en 2019? Para cambiar nuestra relación al planeta, entre nosotros, a uno mismo? Mucho puede suceder através de pequeños actos individuales. Que en 2019 cada uno de nosotros seamos audaz y valiente!

04/12/2018

The power of urban food forests and guerilla gardening!

03/12/2018

We interviewed Boston Ujima Project last January. The article below shares an update about how they are using art to build community and community wealth. http://springboardexchange.org/the-boston-ujima-project-is-working-to-create-economic-equity-for-artists/?link_id=25&can_id=5754b89dceabd700d96f754b4c84462f&source=email-building-worker-co-ops-from-prison-a-socap18-recap-and-just-transition-in-spain&email_referrer=email_446016&email_subject=building-worker-co-ops-from-prison-a-socap18-recap-and-just-transition-in-spain

The work of Springboard for the Arts is rooted in arts-based economic and community development. We believe artists are critical …

30/11/2018

There is another way that invests in the community, that asks what they need, what they want more of, and what they want to get rid of. Preston, England modeled that beautiful.

http://prospect.org/article/losing-amazon?mc_cid=23424d85f2&mc_eid=e62502a453

The city of Preston, England, is a case study in how a community reimagines itself when long-sought after corporate investment fails to materialize.

09/11/2018

Still enjoying previously published shows while wondering why you're not hearing about the next new show on Envision? I stopped producing new content because I can't afford to keep paying for the development and production costs out of my own pocket. I'd love to bring it back and if enough people (450 at 5 USD/month) subscribe to the crowdfunding campaign: http://ow.ly/N1mp30kVB46, we'll be able to continue with 1 new show a month and I'll receive something for my time and effort. If your organization would be interested in sponsoring 1 or more episodes, please reach out to me directly at [email protected]. Thank you!

07/11/2018

WOW! Thanks to you, Envision has over 30,000 downloads in less than 18 months, in 40 US States and the District of Columbia, and 60 countries across Austral-Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. Envision would not have lasted this long if it weren't for the consistently growing listenership. Thank you! Unfortunately, I can't afford to keep paying for the development and production costs out of my own pocket. If enough people (450 at 5 USD/month) subscribe to the crowdfunding campaign: http://ow.ly/N1mp30kVB46, we'll be able to continue one new show per month and pay me a little for my time and effort. If there are organizations interested in sponsoring 1 or more episodes, please reach out to me directly at [email protected]. Looking forward to hearing from you!