The Potluck Project
Governance 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 MoreGovernance for Thriving: Why We Need a New Kind of Growth – Part One
American democracy feels worn thin. Too many people feel left out, unheard, or unseen. For decades we’ve measured success by how fast the economy grows—but not by how well people are doing. We built a system that rewards rivalry between groups instead of relationships between neighbors. The Deeper Problem: We humans naturally form groups. It’s…
Read MoreSharing Food, Building Trust in Philadelphia
On Sunday afternoon, Viveka Hall-Holt and I had the joy of helping to lead a Potluck Project event in Philadelphia. We were warmly hosted by the Philadelphia Sikh Society, in partnership with University Lutheran Church, the Bahá’í Community, and staff from Interfaith Philadelphia. We were served a delicious vegetarian meal in the tradition of Langar,…
Read MoreClosing The Great Chasm Between Us
Machines of Slander and Fears For sixty years, people have been walking away—from groups, from institutions, and even from one another. Churches, unions, civic clubs, and neighborhood associations—once the backbone of community life—have all thinned out. Groups have walked away from other groups too, retreating into separate worlds of culture, class, and information. But nature…
Read MoreHow We Are Organizing Our Mission
Last week, I shared about our new mission statement at Paths to Understanding: “Gathering Neighbors and Growing Trust.” This new language isn’t just words. It’s shaping how we organize our work and where we put our energy. To live out our mission, PTU is focused in three areas: 1. Local Practice, Shared Tools At the…
Read MoreA Feast of Connection
by Viveka Hall-Holt, Let’s Go Together Coordinator A few weeks ago, we held our very first Potluck Project gathering in Snohomish County, WA. Fittingly, we met in a space that is transformed into a community kitchen twice a week to feed people in need. We called our event Neighbors Coming Together: A Feast of Food…
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