Civic Ecosystem
The 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…
Read MoreGrowing Together: Four Commitments for a Thriving Civic Ecosystem
At Paths to Understanding, we often say that no single organization can solve the challenges we face. Polarization, disconnection, and distrust in our institutions are too complex for any one group to take on alone. These are whole-of-society problems—and they require whole-of-society responses. Think of a forest. No single tree makes a forest, and no…
Read MoreToo Big and Too Small
It’s easy to spend hours each week reading about national politics, big court cases, or the latest viral controversy. These stories are important—but for most of us, they are too big. We have almost no direct influence over them. We can get angry, anxious, or exhausted, but that rarely leads to any action that changes…
Read MoreA Whole-of-Society Response
Introducing a Series on the WA Statewide Civic Life Strategy — Last fall, I talked with a journalist who was curious about our work at Paths to Understanding. He listened carefully, nodded along, and said he believed that efforts to bring people together and build trust are necessary. But then he said, “But it doesn’t…
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