Civic Ecosystem
A Year of Courage, Kindness, and New Sunrises
As we turn toward the close of the year, I’ve been looking back on the moments that give me hope. Not abstract ideas, not headlines—but real conversations with real people. These three keep coming back to me. 1. “These questions were next level.” At a Potluck Project event in Kirkland, a leader who has been…
Read MoreLiving On The Edge: Resources
The Time for Action is Now Political scientist Rachel Kleinfeld says democracies heal when everyday people choose to move toward one another — not away. We cannot wait for Washington or a single leader to fix what’s broken. Renewal begins locally, with neighbors rebuilding trust, holding each other accountable to our best values, and creating…
Read MoreGovernance for Thriving: Dignity, Community, Beauty, and Sustainability – Part 2
If democracy is going to heal, it needs a new aim—human thriving—and a practical path to get there. Political scientist Jenna Bednar calls this governance for human social thriving. The Four Pillars: These ideas match the Vital Conditions for Well-Being developed by the Rippel Foundation: humane housing, meaningful work, lifelong learning, belonging, and civic muscle.…
Read MoreThe Role of the Interfaith Movement in Our Time
Later this month, I’ll be joining interfaith leaders from across the nation at a round-table convened by Interfaith America. The question before us is simple, but urgent: What is the role of the interfaith movement at this point in our history? As I prepare for that conversation, here’s what I see. A Whole-of-Society Problem We…
Read MoreGrowing Together: Complimentary Methods in a Civic Ecosystem
In any ecosystem, growth doesn’t happen all at once. A seed doesn’t become a towering tree overnight. Streams don’t carve valleys in a single season. Life unfolds gradually, in stages. And in the same forest, you can find new shoots, flowering plants, and old-growth giants all existing together. The same is true of civic life.…
Read MoreGrowing Together: Our Diverse Values in a Thriving Civic Ecoystem
In every healthy ecosystem, diversity is not a problem to be solved—it’s the very thing that makes life possible. Forests thrive because trees, ferns, fungi, insects, and animals all bring different functions that nourish the whole. Remove too much of that diversity, and the ecosystem weakens. The same is true for civic life in Washington…
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