The Potluck Project
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 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…
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