| INTERVIEW |
| Q1(a): As you reflect on a time when people came together in a powerful way for positive change, choose one that stands out for you. Tell me your story about that time and any part you, your family and/or friends might have played in it [if relevant]. |
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Q1(b): Why this is an important story? How has it influenced you? What lessons does it offer going forward? |
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Q2: At this time in history, what challenges do you see in the way we choose to organize ourselves politically, economically and socially? What opportunities do you see in the ways that things might be shifting, awakening and/or emerging in response to these challenges? |
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Q3 Context: Imagine we’re a few years down the line and people like you have been hugely successful in moving us towards lasting and far-reaching changes that benefit all people and the planet as a whole. Wherever you look, there are dramatic improvements in how leaders behave and how communities interact. As you walk through your city, town or village and talk with others across your country and around the world, you see evidence of positive change spreading everywhere.
Q3(a): Describe the differences you, hear, feel, and experience in your everyday life. |
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Q3(b): Describe the differences you see, hear, feel and experience in the way we choose to organize ourselves politically, economically and socially. |
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Q3(c): What did people do early on that helped to generate such positive outcomes? |
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Q3(d): What role did you play in making this happen? |
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Q4(a): What skills, talents and/or resources might you have to offer in service to collaborative work that emerges via the connect 2012 initiative? |
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Q4(b) What is the nature of this potential offer (as a paid service, barter, gift, a combination, etc.)? |
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Are you interested in developing the infrastructure of Occupy Cafe in support of this initiative or in other respects? |
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Are you interested in collaborating on the production of a short video or a blog post based on your stories and vision? |
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| INTERVIEW |
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A wonderful story from
- Jeanie DeRousseau
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It is encouraging to see corporations making cultural transformation that will help the world move from an industrial society to a restorative society. A great example: Interface carpet manufacturer after 21 years with no thought in mind of the environment, were asked by their customers what they were doing to protect the planet. It was not enough. So they formed a task force that helped create the path for the company to become a sustainable company, thus setting a goal to become carbon neutral by 2020 without sacrificing growth and profits.
- Doug Neilson
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When the anti-apartheid movement was going on here in the states, there was a campaign to remove investments from South Africa. Don't recall personally seeing protests where I was, but lots of activity around it, which I was sympathetic towards. The "divestiture" campaign, where university endowments and other major institutional investors were encouraged to remove companies that did business in S.A. from their portfolios, turned out to be a key step towards the collapse of the Apartheid regime
Many years later, I become an investment adviser specializing in Socially Responsible Investing, which really came into its own as an industry as a result of the divestiture movement. I heard the story that Bishop Tutu came to the states and thanked a number of people involved with SRI. He said the end of apartheid would not have happened without the SRI movement.
I got to know some of the folks who Tutu had personally thanked, and had a sense of just how powerful the efforts of a few individuals can be.
- Ben Roberts
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Late 60s Jim was drafted into the marine corps against his will. His friends volunteered. Jim discovered himself naive about the real human cost of war. Jim's direct experience with the war machine, and friends who returned from Vietnam so wounded emotionally and physically, resulted in an awakening for Jim about the ugliness of war.
- Jim Prues
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An annual event hosted by her sister for 8 years, where Cindy did all the displays.
They provided NEW underwear for women in shelters, which expanded through donations of televisions, stereos, shoes, other clothing, toiletries, and live musicians providing entertainment. http://pantyschmooze.com
- Cindy Stradling
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Cathy's first open space meeting - energy in the room, people, topics all powerful; focused around local food growth, gardening, and soil management. Level playing field.
Cathy's role was to learn about open space, and contribute her expertise regarding soil management.
- Cathy Nesbitt
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Occupy Dallas march to fight banks. Maybe 30 folks. It was a Wells Fargo bank. We encouraged folks to open an account at the Pegassus Credit Union across the street. Back when we still had occupation.
- Gregg Tull
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'One The Event' 10th Anniversary 9/11 - firefighter traumatized by 9/11 organized it. Global care room spinning map of Earth for meditation. 3 day event attended by 1,0000 people.
- David Nichol
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Organizer of a community garden in Marietta, Georgia. Unity Church grounds in north Marietta was covered with brambles, weeds and poison ivy. Don suggested making better use of the land by starting a community garden. 37 people joined this project.
Each person donated money and time. In addition, materials and seeds were donated by local biz people. People were so impressed with the garden, they photographed it with cell phones and sent the photos to other parts of the USA, which led to other communities and states starting community gardens.
- Donald Simon
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"After running two online communities of practice for educationalists and engineers in the automotive and aerospace industries, set up the""Talking Heads Project:"" online community for teachers. Pilot of 1000 new head teachers forming into an online community. Recruited 12 online facilitators. Scaled up nationally to 24,000 school principals and additional school leadership (mgt) (40k at time of hand over). Powerful and amazing.
Although no explicit doctrine- the methodology was experiential and Important because it embedded dialogue, overcame isolation, increased a sense of professionalism and gave people an experience of collaboration, empowerment, communicating beyond boundaries. Had a lasting impact on the teachers and on the facilitation team. Stretched people to work non-hierarchically. All learned together about transparency, fairness and collaborative design. the facilitators went on to set up a pre-grad uni course that was action research focused called Ultraversity. The National College of School Leadership (NCSL) as a consequence embedded online communities of practice into all their programs."
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In difficult times when friends rally together that is when healing is possible.
I have experienced times when friends have gone through difficult times. I have experienced when I have gone through difficult times. Going through difficult times with friends at best makes the dark times a little less dark and at worst not being alone in the dark times.
- John Teeling
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Coming together that activated me, late 2009 Hollyhock Summer Gathering, Based on "If you want to change the world throw a better party."
Remote location in British Columbia. Conditions ideal. About 120 social change agents from around the world.
I had just started in social change, different world for me. Exposed to something that was so refreshing.
Premise: We have 2000 days to get our act together. All the things we had to change that had to happen to make a difference: reduce carbon emissions, etc.... Felt overwhelmed at first.
After 5 days together, felt positive coming out. People I met influenced me to relocate and change direction of my life for good.
Day it ended, participated in ayauasca ceremony. Appreciating nature in its natural beauty-took me deep into consciousness, into the engine room of nature/nirvana. Got the deep interconnectedness of all life.
Gave ne a great deal of confidence and perspective. Very important to know one's self. Not about ego, it's about life.
- Jeff Vander Clute
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The occupation of the occupy movement. For example in Portland when they were given a deadline to be out by mdnight and 3-4,000 people showed up and they just stayed while the police came to drive them out - with horses. The most basic statement the occupy is making is that there is economic injustice in how our country works. There is a problem and we're not going to tolerate it anymore. Every time a group occupies or stands up to the police or government, I feel even more inspired. In Port Townsend, we've had one event already and another one coming up - taking a stand and putting pressure on the system.
- Matt Ready
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Abolition, MLK, 911, and other events that bring us together, are catalysts for change. But it is spiritual, alternative focuses, the esoteric, and lesser acknowledged, that are in fact the biggest change agents. Focus, mindfulness, practice, and others, are all ways to express models instigating personal change which ultimately causes the greater, societal change.
- Scott Krabler
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Foundation for Community Encouragement (based on M. Scott Peck's work). Sat in silence, waiting until we were moved to speak, for hours. Paired with a 6'5" ex-Marine. He told her she had changed his perception of white women--this was the first time a white woman had treated him with respect. All she had done was to listen deeply.
This is important because it was like peeking into a future where we stop labeling each other and can connect at the heart level. "When you meet the 'other' and you get to know them, 'the rules' change."
- Elaine Hansen
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Vietnam war - I had a low draft number and they also were willing to drafting a lot of other people that had no business being involved. My efforts were individual. I was a conscientious observer.
- David
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The people have been protesting in Syria for 11 months even though people are being tortured and killed because they want their freedom. Plus Occupy Wall Street in New York. Everything in the last year has inspired me.
The Nonviolent Communcation support line - I cannot believe that there is a support line for people involved in Occupy. People usually have to pay to have empathy. To have a safe place and be accepted for being an activist and have empathy for being an activist is so great. It's a big burden to bear when you're thinking differently from the rest of society. So, having a safe place to go.
- Lyndsay Werbecky
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Krupala Yoga - I lived in an ashram for 14 years and incredible change happened there. Teaching people to live a yogic lifestyle. People came in for 2 to 4 months but then could continue to stay if everyone agreed for a year or two. I was a counselor/teacher. Taught 11 women how to live the 8-fold path of yoga - teaching how to get fulfillment through service and work, balancing energy through action. How do practice nonviolence. Bringing people to their own hearts, opening them to more expansive and positive change. 1,000s of people came through the center so we affected the yoga movement in a huge way.
- nita
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The first time I took the Barbara Marx Hubbard Agents of Conscious Evolution training, I realized how many people around the world are working for change. Paul Hawkins, speaking at the Bioneers conference, was listing all the groups already working for positive change.
- Nina Roark
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He was invited to speak at a major event for the peace movement, with many world leaders--The inaugural meeting for The Foundation for a Culture of Peace in Madrid, Dec. 2000. Had the "unity drum" of chief Arbol Looking Horse that he played on before his talk. And the drum didn't just play, but began to "sing." An awesome transformative experience.
Then he goes into the meeting. Afraid he won't be called up after all this travel and work to be there. But he was. Gives his presentation, and it was OK. Read a prepared statement. Federico Mayor Zarragosa, former Sec'y General of UNESCO, who had initiated this meeting, picks up Mitch's paper, waves it at the audience, and says ""this is what we're gonna do."
Many leaders signed the document Mitch read. It set things in motion, but the actual mission he outlined was not actually carried out. So the message ultimately may be not to trust these leaders to be able to follow through on what they promise.
- Mitch Gold
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1978: The longest walk, a native american protest, against the us government for breaking treaties, driving off land. Caravaned with 6 people to D.C, where walk was culminating. At camp, within half hour of arriving, a fight broke out. AM people thought a guy was an FBI agent. Incredible tension and heat. Indians screaming "we're at war with US gov."
Intense moment/conflict: Ideal picture of supporting AI and reality of the moment. SWAT teams, black suits, ears plugs. Washington monument park was flooded with people.
Elders were speaking, weren't too fiery and hard to understand as cameras focused in. As stronger speakers began to speak cameras went down.
After days events went to relatives home nearby. Realized that not very many people were aware of protest and realty of Indian situation. Media played huge role to focusing attention away from situation.
Realized consciousness in people need to change. Closed non-profit and moved into Ashram. Defining moment/shift from activism to more spiritual focus. The experiences drastically shifted perspective of personal presence on earth from pure activism to spirituality and internal territory. After 35 years the active spirit is rejuvenated with deeper experience and loving perspective.
Elder wisdom that is coming through from the 50's, 60's, 70's, is inspiring.
- Jitendra Darling
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The thing I’m most proud of - the result of a lot of research - is a writing project I undertook to convey to people in a digestible way the important big picture. It became a novel, “Saving the World (and Being Happy)” which has been well reviewed, including by a writer I admire. http://biowrite.wordpress.com/2009/09/14/reviews-of-the-book-of-which-i-am-most-proud/
- Robert Eric Swanepoel
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"In 1989, Bodie took a trip to Mexico with his wife. Went to 7 Mayan sites where Mayan rituals were forbidden and performed the ceremonies. Culminated at Chichen Itza where they formed two complete circles around the pyramid, dancing and chanting during the equinox. 100 people, surrounded by 60,000 tourists, who were invited in. Intense challenge came from the authorities toward the end. Heard breaking glass and things fell apart at that point.
Sense of coming together to do something good and right despite being forbidden. Changed something in the world--although he's not sure what-- and his life changed dramatically after that. His eight child was conceived that day. Moved from CA to CO right afterwards.
"It anchored in us an awareness of how power structures have been created to alienate us from rituals and activities that empower us through unification. A realization that I am the group as much as I am my individual self. I.e. when I make a choice to do something that is right for others as well as me, something in Nature recognizes my needs and gifts and supports my offering them for the greater good. A feeling of being effective, which is my main desire in life. Comes from stepping beyond my own personal boundaries and the things that hold me separate."
In this story, he was far from home, engaged in civil disobedience ("Occupy Chichen Itza!")
- Bodie McCoy
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working w/commun in amazon to create fresh water for themselves. Helped facilitate community to really empower themselves, feeling proud of work they did together. People were so empowered and proud of themselves. made me want to go back and support people to have those kinds of empowering feelings.
Family coming together in support for mom. Uncle took off work for 2 wks, came together to talk about the society we're in & waht family means and what responsibilty do we have btwn ourselves and family. How do we carry our responsibilities in a healthy way.
- Jeremy Capdevielle
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The Occupy movement. Powerful. Tremendous positive energy and impact. Drew people out of the woodwork and we made a dent. Heard about the movt 10 days after it started in SB and was immediately drawn to it. Next step after the Coffee Party, which was very top-down by contrast. Reckless, and messy and immature, and still brilliant an beautiful and represented the Global Heart, reflecting a deep-felt energy. Heard the call and jumped all over it.
Built a "high level group behind the scenes." Parades and pot-lucks. Exciting and interesting. Next stage is calling, with greater sophistication possible. Circle process, vs. GAs.
Trying to figure out how to build a powerful sense of unity without denying our diversity. Self-selection. Diversity as a strength.
Important because it's a chance to be successful and the time is coming for sophisticate new insights on tough problems. A sense that we are waking up and I want to be part of that somehow. Some sense of destiny and a personal call. Feels it in his body chemistry--joy, peace and excitement.
- Bruce Schuman
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