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Ego-System vs Ecosystem

From Ego-System to Ecosystem: Reinstating the Golden Rule of Community No matter what your cultural origins, you probably grew up hearing the importance of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you, a truism commonly known as the Golden Rule. Away from the adults, you might have heard another interpretation: he who […]

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Beads, Seeds and Trim Tabs…

We live in a noisy world where everyone is competing to be—or create—the next big thing. However, as the old saying goes, ‘mighty oaks from little acorns grow’, and so grows community from the actions large and small of its stakeholders. I learned a lot about the importance of the individual participant to influence the […]

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Community Wealth Activation GO!

Community Wealth Activation GO! You don’t have to be a social media maven to be aware of Pokemon GO, the enhanced reality single-player game from Niantic Labs that debuted on July 6th and has captured the imagination (and pocketbook) of the American public.  The game brings forward feelings of nostalgia, inclusion and connection to a […]

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The Community Social Contract

Co-Creating the Community Social Contract I recently had a conversation with a very bright, well educated, intellectually curious Millennial about the importance of the social contract as a tool to enforce accountable engagement in the world. She looked at me blankly, smiled and said, what a great idea, how did you think of that? I […]

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Say YES to The Gathering 2016

“What we also need, more than ever, is civic engagement. We need to see the challenges that face us as just that, challenges, and ones that with prudent, careful action we can overcome.” ~ Dan Rather “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller A thriving community starts […]

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Community Stakeholders

The Community Stakeholder is key to a thriving community. The model of sustainable community development is changing from one of shareholders (generally driven by monetary capital) to one of stakeholders (engaging the full spectrum of community wealth) for the purpose of producing the individual and mutual well-being of all the participants, in an ongoing way. Who […]

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Smart City Becomes a Genius Community

Gentlemen (and Ladies), Stop Your Engines. How can municipalities move beyond the title of ‘Smart City’ to being a ‘Genius Community’? Here in Austin, it could be something as simple as turning off the car engines. With the daily conversation revolving around mobility and affordability, I have been advocating for the solution that equitably addresses […]

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Activating Community Wealth

Activating Community Wealth – Educational Engagement Spaces In the perfected pattern of nature, the caterpillar becomes a butterfly. There is no obvious hint of the caterpillar’s destiny, it all becomes manifest from the imaginal cells deep within the body that activate the process in which a deconstructed Earth-bound body reforms, sprouts wings and becomes a delicate […]

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Transforming Waste to Wealth

Transforming Waste to Wealth to Strengthen Communities One man’s trash is another man’s treasure One man’s ceiling is another man’s floor One man’s pain is another man’s pleasure And nothing’s for certain, mister, that’s for sure No, nothing’s for certain, mister, that’s for sure Song credits:  ‘One Man’s Trash’ ©1988 by John McCutcheon. Published by […]