New Paradigm Meeting at the Denver Foundation

Group A - David

Truth

Patient and attentive

Helping others

Following through on commitments

Appreciating collaboration

Building community

Courage and risk = action

Integrity

Self-empowerment

Self care

Capacity to take care of others

Group B - Sonya:

Balance

Clarity

Unconditional love

Caring

Making time for people you love

Transparency

Alignment with what you care about most: what you do

Group C - Mu Son

Self care

Equity

Value of individuals/relationships/family

Giving, caring, sharing, receiving

Balance

Playfulness

Gratitude

Opportunity to connect

Solidarity: belonging, fulfilled, compassion

Group D - Rebecca

Community connection/interdependence

Balance

Health

Family

First thngs first

Open mind

Love

Integrity

Joy

Presence

Gratitude

Rootedness

Compassion

Responsibility

Respect

Consideration

Group A - David and Kris

There is conflict and joy

Outside all the time

Block parties

Farmer's market, and local vendors, not just food - clothing, crafts

Confluence Park: people holding business meetings in diverse neighborhoods

Community gathering place

Diversity. Mixed ages, genders, races all in one gathering place.

Community activities.

Grand parents getting in the sand with grandkids!

A lot of play. Play is valued.

It is beautiful.

Everything is connected.

A lot of bike-riding. Laughter, fun, gardening.

Decisions are made in council, like a tribal council. The people who are living in my neighborhood get to make the decisions about the neighborhood.

Everyone would come to council, and achieve resolution.

Trees

Peace, love and happiness!

There's still money.

There's a town center.

Neighborhood park.

Not commercial, "stuff" isn't important.

Everything in biking or walking distance. There are still cars.

Bikes are available when you need them, freely.

Solitude and open space is accessible, AND we have neighbors.

Smells: Ethiopian food, BBQ, Indian food

Smell: flowers. Wet, humid.

Decisions are made by consensus, and we use this decision-making tool:  checking to see if its "something we can live with"

People who are most affected by a decision get to make it. People with all different stakes in an issue discuss it. No shying away from differences. Start from difference, and arrive at an understanding of different perspectives.

We share our talents for the higher good

People get to share their highest gifts and talents. And this means we have more time - we do the things we're good at and share with whole community - we're not wasting time forcing ourselves to do stuff we're bad at.

This means there's more time to take care of each other.

We fill our time with what we value, and are deeply drawn to

Kids have a rightful place.

All kids are thriving, but have responsibilities as well, we are raising adults - are not overly indulgent.

Balance = healthy community.

Group B - Sonya:

Gardens

Neighborhood elements/smells

Dog walkers

Asking question: who is my community? [[[???]]]

Elimination of rules - back to natural guidelines [[[????????]]]

Safety/freedom

People take care of each other

Feel like I'm in a community - I feel at home.

Relaxed/committed [[[???]]]

Farmer's market

Friendly

Working to build, vs. enforcing rules

Lots of people passing by, walking

People know each other and can respond, help

Mobilization: we support, care for, address needs of others

Trading/collaboration

Connecting

Shared creativity

Convening space were decisions are addressed and made; everyone is welcome,  acknowledged, and knows hot it works

Diversity - see lots of different kinds of people; hear different languages

People are engaged - in church, coffee shops, stores, office buildings

Mobile place where diverse people come together and work toward common goal

Sustainability: social, economic, environmental

Honoring differences without judgment. Kinship, unconditional love, acceptance.

There are enough resources.

People are engaged in conversation

Shared child-raising - neighbors help out

Somali woman walking to urban garden safely

Knowing neighbors

Group C - Mu Son

People are active: biking, playing

Heard laughter

People knew each other and are open

Heard birds, pollinators - sign of healthy environment

Desert was allowed to be desert,  places that were green and wet were allowed to be

People dancing outdoors to African music

Saw different neighborhoods [[[????????]]]]]]]

People not needing to ask for anything - needs are met. Abundance

Gardens, community gardens. People tending to them.

Gardening, tending to.

Hands-on learning. Elders writing down in an organized way to share knowledge - a record.

Handcarved door and other itmesn in community [[[[[????????]]]

People visiting

Children playing, laughter

Elders

School

Ocean/beaches

People discussing and planning how to solve issues (trips, schools, housing, assisting neighbors)

Church: with spirituality. Nourishes people's souls. Everybody's church.  [[[[[[??????]]]]

Communication about what is happening in the community

Different kinds of decision-making: personal, family, community, larger community

Wondering if one should be involved in decision-making [[????????]]]

Everyone has power, with elders h lding the final say

Community has power

A city council, but one that listens and acts with the interests of the community

Power was irrelevant!

When each individual is involved, everyone has power

Value placed in children and youth.

Neighbors talking and knowing each other's names

Nobody was running their lawnmower!

Restful

Its okay to nap

Living in community but in compounds, like in Africa. Individual houses, with huge courtyards

Playfulness

No cars, people walking and riding bikes

Library

People didn't litter

People recycled

Environment pleasant and well maintained, no graffiti, no trash

Individuality within community

Sense of community by its difference and character. A sense of identity. [[?]]]]

Was an observer but not a participant [[[???]]]

Saw a cold community [???]

People were individuals.

People being open was part of hope but not a vision

People let down their walls

Respecting each other and their differences

People need to be nice ot their kids for their kids to be nice

Civil conversations

Treat their children as children and not little adults. Adulthood needs to be taught.

More interaction among neighborhoods

City assists with building social capital

Not just tolerating but having tolerance [[????]

Hold developers accountable for what they build. City planners, city council holds them accountable

Engagement on the part of everyone

Shared vision

Education - basic in the process

Understanding collectively we have more power than individually

Building social capital as a community

Identifying and setting common goals, collective goals

Sense of other and understanding.

Group D - Rebecca

Mixed use (like transit-oriented development)

Big park with water to fish in

Community garden/rooftop gardens

Re-use park space for gardens - grow food for community food banks

Locally-owned businesses, well-supported

Peacekeepers - pre-emptive, proactive

Clean - everybody takes care of it, has pride in where they live

Elders as conflict resolution

Streets de-emphasized; care-share program

Lots of bikes - kids and adults

Unused properties made into community centers

People could just walk into a community center and get health/substance abuse/mental health services. Focused on just listening.

If people need housing, as neighbor for ideas, get help, referrals

Bartering is common practice; skill-sharing, resource sharing.

Town center/gathering place: where community business happens. Neighborhood parks; unused park

Strong neighborhood associations, participatory, inclusive

People check in with each other, no assumptions on agreement

Sense of connectedness, community

Kids playing outside

Pedestrian-friendly

Resources for people with disabilities/elders to stay at home as long as is safe, and good places to go afterwards. Community value of helping folks understand

People can practice whatever type of spirituality they want - supported and encouraged

Feeling responsible for one another - people don't wait to be asked

Community understanding of how we will act together, rely on each other, norm of protecting each other.

Community space for art/creativity run by kids for all

All types of diversity, valued as an asset, respected. All feel safe.

Lots of different restaurants

Breadth of quality educational options: lifelong learning, many different fields, occupations equally valued.

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Theme 1: Community Decision-Making

Everyone who is affected by a decision comes together in Council to make the decision together.

Decision-making is done by those most affected by the decision. (Different stakeholders make different types of decisions.)

Decisions made by Council, a community where everyone comes together to resolve any conflict

Consensus = what's best for all, and what we're (I'm) willing to live with

Engaged and participatory and connected community members

Engagement on the part of everyone

High level of citizen engagement that creates safe communities with many options of how to prosper. (Also listed in "Culture")

Communal decision-making and conflict resolution based on power-with (not power-over)

Elders as conflict resolution

Governing body that listens to stakeholders

Collaboration in setting goals, decision-making, resource-sharing and in action.

Systems encourage community participation

Honoring differences without judgment; kinship, love, acceptance

Community/citizen understanding of how we will act together and towards each other (also listed in "Culture")

What is the spirit of this vision?

• Participatory/shared decision-making
• Engaged: responsibility to participate. Ownership
• Agreeing to disagree; using consensus
• Honoring
• Inclusion
• Bottom-up decision-making
• A variety of perspectives considered

2. What are the barriers to realizing this vision?

• Community culture
• Negotiating differences
• Apathy
• Disengagement; community process feels burdensome
• Time
• Parochial interests
• Existing power structures
• Different generations, phases of life (having kids)
• Potential for being left out
• Lack of leadership
• A lot of process
• Intolerance for process
• Teaching of everyone involved in process
• Holding that which is not yours [[[???]]]
• Self-interest
• Lack of trust
• Self absorption
• We think ahead of what we need to say instead of listening. Need to set a mood. Process has to be inclusive

3. What are the root causes which create barriers to realizing this vision?

• Communication is bad - creates feeling of disengagement [[???]
• Communication is an excuse: lack of engagement; no time, not enough interest. [[???]]
• People are not taught how to engage in a better way. People not taught this in school
• Lack of expectation to engage
• Need participation from younger generation
• Not speaking from heart, not listening from heart, not speaking leanly, not speaking spontaneously (Council Guidelines)
• Insecurity of leadership... they haven't been trained to be leaders.
• Voting process: goes back to expectation; not enough choices [[more please???]]]
• Expectations for responsible civic engagement:
  • lack of inclusion, not bringing folks to the table
  • "isms"
  • Power structures
  • Historically, people not included
• Tyranny of the majority
• Power
• Not taking time to realize we should be engaged
• Male-dominant decision-making

4. What systems would need to be in place to realize our vision?

• Grassroots change and decision-making forces institutions to change: bottom-up approach, power-holders have to listen
• Create a system that embraces grassroots and community membership
• Holding space for all, even if they aren't currently there
• Systems that aren't dependent on money [[what systems??]]
• Systems that deal with class [[???]]
• Education [???more?]
• System to indoctrinate people towards leadership

Theme 2: Space/community layout/community centers/relationship to the land

There is a gathering place for community

Town center/community gathering place

Community space for creativity and art

Space: everything that we need is in walking/biking distance

A great space for connection: normed, civil dialogue and decision-making; equity in decision-making; farmer's market, neighborhood food that keeps us healthy; a space for celebration

Community space/commons for art, gardens, library, health, social. Both indoor and outdoor.

Library

Library/community space not bound up in commercial.

Mixed use TOD. Pedestrian/bike friendly

People dancing outdoors

Shared spaces, indoor and outdoor: gardens, fields, park, indoor creative space

Cleaner/healthier community: ride your bike; don't litter; trash clean-up; community gardens; recycle/compost; more/nicer parks and bike trails/ grafitti clean-up; free gyms, exercise programs; free clinics/community centers

Living in community but in compounds like in Africa

Physical space is beautiful and well cared-for. Funky shops, parks, gathering places, homes all convey energy

Biking distance

Sustainability: social, economic, environmental (x2)

Sustainability: social, economic, environmental, spiritual.

In low-income neighborhoods: a safe better place to raise children: more focus on school facilities, ore parks, more after school programs, less violence, neighbors know each other and can take care of each others kids, stronger connection within families

Pedestrian-friendly with kids and bikes and entire community taking care of each other young and old alike

Deep connection to the land

Self-sustaining, healthy environment

Beautiful nature and people enjoying the outdoors. Oceans and mountains, gardens, rivers and streams. Animals. Children. Laughter.

1. What is the spirit of this vision?

• Vibrancy, energy, created by excitement about being part of the community and using shared space.
• Rootedness, touching the ground. A deep connection to the land.
• Sustainability in all ways. Walking and biking distance.
• Shared space for gathering, don't have to bring anything, just be. You can bring your whole self, be creative, dance! Also a space to meet. And it's safe.
• Organic space, outdoors and in
• The space supports, tribal interactions, back to basics

2. What are the barriers to realizing this vision?

• Developers
• City council
• Zoning regulations
• Availability of space, permits
• Lack of notification; don't involve community members
• People don't talk to each other
• Everything in society is driven by $
• Huge pressure to buy - consumer culture
• Crime - fear of going outside
• Attitudes, behavior RE driving, biking, etc.
• Lack of availability of recycling possibilities, for example, electronics, plastic bags
• Lack of awareness of options, culture of recycling
• Stores sell stuff in packaging
• Selfish agendas, profit motive
• How community decisions are made]
• Corporations aren't required to give back to community or to create sustainable community
• Corporations seek maximum self interest
• In fact corporate law requires corporations to maximize profit for shareholders
• Healthy economy (as its set up now) requires consumerism, spending, unsustainable growth. And this in turn leads to unsustainable, unhealthy values, competitiveness, "keeping up with the Joneses". It creates the "I want mine", "me" economy
• Lack of time, mindset, lack of priorities
• Jobs don't pay enough for us to work shorter hours and give more time to community, others
• We give too much of our time to technology
• Seek $ and stuff over time

3. What are the root causes which create barriers to realizing this vision?

• Cities want increased commerce (financial incentive, get taxes)
• Developers/corporations make campaign contributions

4. What systems would need to be in place to realize our vision?

• Rezoning: open spaces for parks, gardens, bike trails
• Better public transportation, bike share, car share programs
• Citizen-based social-driven media - would create different culture, values. But not just independent media as we know it, which is often critical - a grassroots media that places emphasis on positive ideas and values
• Neighborhood/town hall meetings - with power to make decisions ourselves!
• Outdoor participatory activities, jam sessions, arts...
• Education that teaches entrepreneurial, innovative, think outside the box, rather than cog in corporate wheel. Interdisciplinary, holistic.
• Collaborate with groups who utilize space well (REI, Sierra Club)
• A place for bartering, market
• Corporations have to put $ back into community
• Change corporate law so that maximizing profits isn't the bottom line, but is tempered by requirements to sustain the earth and treat its people justly. Exploiting the earth or people is against the law. Universal/global minimum wage.

Theme 3: Community Culture (and Values)

All types of diversity valued as an asset, respected

Mutual acceptance and tolerance

People qualities: respected; treated well; elders and kids welcome; accessibility; no judgement - all welcome and revered; diverse in ALL ways

Lots of diverse people living together with the space to do their own thing:

• Sounds: different music
• Foods: many ethnic foods, restaurants, potlucks
• Language: hear different languages spoken as you walk around
• While not a sense of sameness, a sense of connectedness among people

Emphasis on celebrating diversity. Reflective of the larger world. Harmony

Individuality and integrity of place and personhood valued. (Diversity or inclusiveness?)

Connectedness

Laughter

Sense of community: belonging, safety, collaboration, can ask for and get help and support, friendly

Wildness/artistic/creative/nature-loving qualities are nurtured and valued.

Knowing neighbors

We fill time with what we value (Also listed in Economics)

Community understanding of how we will act together, rely on each other, norm of protecting each other.

Joy, laughter, nourishment, respect

Positive values are visible

Feels free. Emphasis on positive energy, vibrant and active, people-centered

All kids thriving

Breadth of quality educational options for life-long learning

Children: parenting as a community with the idea that we are raising adults

Different kinds of faces (old, young, many ethnicities). All feel welcome and included.

Open, dear non-judgemental communication

1. The spirit of this vision?

We envision a community that embodies:

• Inclusion: valuing diversity
• Connection, knowing each other
• Caring: interdependence
• A sense of belonging
• Joy and laughter

2. What are the barriers to realizing this vision?

• Overly independent, self-sufficiency
• Naiveté/ignorance
• Fear
• Exhaustion/overspent/lack physical energy
• Lack of time
• Stress/pressure
• Comfort
• Lack of initiative and resources
• Lacking traditions/cultural practices or disconnect (???)
• Differing needs

3. What are the root causes which create barriers to realizing this vision?

• Fear
• Economy - means, resources [[?????????]]
• Unequal access to resources
• Unspoken expectations of "success"
• Prejudice - acting from predjudice
• Racism

[[Can we delve deeper? What are the root causes of unequal access to resources? Of racism? Etc.]]

4. What systems would need to be in place to realize our vision?

• Intentional communal space/intersections that promote spontaneous interaction
• Well cared-for parks, open spaces
• Sensible and thoughtful housing policies that promote diverse neighborhoods
• Increased educational opportunities (formal and informal) with the goal of valuing inclusion
• More technology/infrastructure to harness networks

Theme 4: Economy is based on sharing what you have to offer and getting everyone's needs met

[the post it notes went missing!]

1. The spirit of this vision?

An economy that is  a flow of resources, assets, and skills, based on our values, leading toward where we want to go together.

2. What are the barriers to realizing this vision?

• "me, mine" mentality
• Current economic climate
• "Isolated fit of inspiration" passionately pursued
• Economic system with single bottom-line outcome
• Unequal voice, representation in the economy and decision-making
• People don't want to give up what they have
• Sense of powerlessness; major industries seem to have power, control of resources. Overflow [[[?]]. -- Priv np gvt [???]
• Corporate greed
• Disagreeing about whqere we want to go
• Differing values/cultures
• People w/ different values are in control of resources
• Hyper focus on values: where we differ
• People don't understand/know what skills and assets are present
• Philanthropic/np sector based on need not skills, assets

3. What are the root causes which create barriers to realizing this vision?

• Social injustice
• Economies (self-perpetuating) based on social deficit
• Technology, social change lead to isolation. Instability/mobility; fractured family
• Single bottom line economy fractures everything
• Information overwhelm

4. What systems would need to be in place to realize our vision?

• Craigslist [[???]
• Mothers groups [?]
• Technology as a tool (not pos./neg.)
• Define values as community
• Education system to support and reinforce values
  • Schools
  • use tech and human beings
  • home
  • lifelong learning
  • workplace
• system that guides flow of resources toward identified values
• community has a system for:
  • determining shared values
  • identifying needs
  • identifying resources
  • facilitating decision-making and exchange of resources
• willingness to honor multiple solutions to complex problems, beyond simply capitalism. 8 dimensions of human. Coelho. Mohammed Yunis. [???]

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Root Cause reportback:

• Profit-driven society - single bottom line (singularity of emphasis); no obligations to support community
• Corporate law requires this single bottom line
• Self-perpetuating economy based on social deficit
• Fracture/isolation in families, communities
• Fear that you won't belong, fail, not knowing where to start
• Political, media and educational systems encourage fear to generate $ and power
• Unspoken expectations of what success means ($$$)
• TV, culture of consumerism - you are not good enough, you need more
• Disengagement, conditioned to think we won't be heard
• We don't follow Council Practice
• History, shared experience [??]

Systems ideas reportback:

• Neighborhood townhall meeting where we make neighborhood decisions ourselves
• Citizen-based media à cultural change
• Require corporations to support community; change corporate law so that corporations are required to operate in ways that sustain people and the environment
• New zone codes - easier to create sustainable spaces
• Spaces for art, jamming, creativity
• System guides flow of resources towards community values
  • Need way to identify values and needs
  • Base system on resources we have
  • Inclusive, equitable decision-making process that directs resources à values
• Education teaches us how to base actions on values and reach consensus
• Education on benefits of participation
• Education that teaches us Council Guideline values and process
• Education that is life-long, at home and in school, values-based, peer-to-peer, elders involved, engagement
• Education teaches us to seek out and hold others' perspectives
• Take away connection between power, wealth, and decision-making
• Intentional communal space

Infrastructure harnesses power of networks to achieve common goals

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