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Dear Friends-
It’s been several months since my last update, and things have been heating up here!
As always, we have the opportunity to work with amazing and inspiring people. Helping community leaders create space for the "conversation before the conversation" is incredibly rewarding.
The (Heart) Conversation before the (Head) Conversation
We have been busy with our two big projects: climate change and the housing crisis. Palma’s article highlights what Civity brings to community efforts to address these issues: Strengthening relational (heart) grounding expands the capacity for effective policy (head).
Last month in Gillette, WY, we did a Civity training with local government leaders from around the state. It was sobering to hear about people who are suffering the direct effects of climate change, as well as the effects of economic insecurity in a changing fossil fuel market. At the same time, it was heartening to see them focus on problem-solving and community support, even in the face of tough challenges.
Similarly, in our work to support the “missing middle” housing initiative in California, we will be conducting a virtual workshop this week with housing leaders from around the state. In both key issues, leaders are becoming more and more aware of the need for integrating heart relationships into head discussions.
Reflecting this awareness, we have been invited to open the upcoming conference Reinventing Democracy: How Hometowns Are Strengthening America - hosted by the Our Common Purpose initiative of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences - with a Civity workshop. (See article below)
Come Join a Demo Workshop!
In talking to people across the country about the importance of relationships in community work, we have learned how important it is for people to experience civity for themselves. “Practicing civity” has always been a big part of the workshops we take to communities – and the part that people enjoy the most! We are now making that experience available to more people. Our 90-minute virtual demo workshops are held every few weeks and are free of charge. If you’re interested in learning more about how we work - and how it could be useful to your organization or your community - email us at info@civity.org.
Staffing Changes
We are delighted to welcome Lucy Hancock to our training team! Lucy, based in Omaha, NE, joined us over the summer and has been working on our climate change project. Learn more about Lucy!
And, as we say goodbye to Tamera White, who supported the first phase of our California housing work, we want to express our gratitude for her help. Thank you, Tamera!
And Thanks to YOU!
Finally, as we move toward the end of 2022, all of us at Civity offer all of you our heartfelt gratitude for everything that you do to spread civity in your own work and in your own community. You inspire us.
Cheers, Malka
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