Advocacy.

“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” – Frederick Douglass

Advocating for a compelling issue or worthy cause is a losing battle if nobody hears what you’re championing or knows why they should join you! We’ve got three tips for more effective advocacy:

The most effective campaigns choose one core message with a call to action that is concrete, actionable, and doesn’t interrupt residents day-to-day lives.
In these days of information overload, choose a message that’s appealing and simple to understand.
Be innovative. Take a look at Global Citizen. Their platform makes it easy to learn about issues, take action, and join a community committed to the social change they’d like to see.

o Here's how an advocacy approach works (4 min. video)

o Resources (1) (2)

Contact us for more information

Bridging Differences.

"MAKE UP A STORY. NARRATIVE IS RADICAL, CREATING US AT THE VERY MOMENT IT’S BEING CREATED.” —TONI MORRISON

A week after two black men were arrested at a Starbucks store in Philadelphia, the company announced plans to close 8,000 stores for an afternoon of racial bias training.

"Implicit bias” is the brain's automatic processing of negative stereotypes about particular groups of people often without conscious awareness.

Buried biases influence our feelings, decisions, and behavior in sometimes surprising ways.

It takes more than one day to completely address implicit biases. Recognizing and overcoming these biases can be challenging, but, we do have the capacity to override our biases.

With that in mind, we’re working to create a different narrative to bridge differences.

o Here's how the approach works (4 min. video)

o PBS Video Series: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

o Resource (1)

Contact us for more information.

Common Ground.

"DISAGREEMENTS, MISCOMMUNICATIONS, OPPOSING BELIEFS — OH MY!”

Some days, it feels like the only thing we can agree on is that we can't agree — on anything.

What can we do to help reduce the discord and create an environment where real communication can occur?

Here are a few suggested resources that may help in finding common ground.

o Here's how the approach works (14 min. video)

o Resources (1) (2)

o Contact us for more information.

Culture of Collaboration.

At its heart, a collaborative culture values the idea that we are better together.

Collaboration isn’t the same as teamwork or cooperation. It’s a cultural value that becomes embedded in an organization’s fabric.

A collaborative culture doesn't just occur if someone happens to initiate it.

It's baked into how people do their work every day and the attitudes they take about that work.

o Here's how the approach works (7 min. video)

o Resource (1)

Contact us for more information

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

“Diversity is where everyone is invited to the party. Equity means that everyone gets to contribute to the playlist. And inclusion means that everyone has the opportunity to dance." — Dr. Robert Sellers

This is one of the most preeminent issues of our time. Being free to be who you are … Having a seat at the table … Belonging to a community that embraces you. These things matter to people.

Diversity, equity and inclusion really need to be at the heart of who we are — we shouldn't settle for anything less.

o Here's how the approach works (16 min. video)

o Resource (1)

Contact us for more information

Do No Harm.

“A focus grounded in justice and human rights. It requires working with with people without judgement, coercion or discrimination”

Harm reduction is all about understanding that different people have different needs and experiences.

We hope a focus around this topic will open up a discussion of how we can better support each other through empathy and non-judgement.

o Here's how the approach works (3 min. video)

o Resource (1)

Contact us for more information

Leadership.

“Leading from Your Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength”

We want to inspire and enable community members to help build a high-performing team that brings out the best in people.

Jenni Catron offers a new framework for understanding leadership. You can study and practice concepts outlined in the "4 Dimensions of Extraordinary Leadership."

The premise is that our leadership skills are directly tied back to the two greatest commandment given to us by Jesus:

“We are to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength” and, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

We want to walk in love toward and with those around us. With God’s help, we hope to do our best work to address the toughest problems residents are facing in our communities.

o Here's how the approach works (3-4 hr. read)

o Resource (1)

o Contact our office to get a copy of the book.

Learning Circles.

“There’s something special about a circle. IT provides a sense of completeness, safety and Belonging”

A learning circle is a highly interactive, participatory structure for organizing group work.

The goal is to build, share, and express knowledge though a process of open dialogue and deep reflection around issues or problems with a focus on a shared outcome.

Learning Circles members share their knowledge and experiences, learn new information, apply and test new skills.

Learning Circles are built upon the idea that every member has something to contribute and that every member has something to learn.

Teams using the learning circles approach can produce better substantive ideas, useful relationships, new agreements across stubborn divides, and obtain wider support for action.

o Here's how the approach works (Diagram) 2 min. read

o Resource (1)

Contact us for more information

Making Decisions.

“So, do it. Decide”

Decision making teams have immense power to widen perspectives and as a result, can triple the number of choices considered.

This kind of approach is helpful in understanding: "what stands out?" and what is missing?"

But how do you get better at either? There are three rules that stand out:

Rule #1: Be less certain. Then you can revisit the logic of your decision.

Rule #2: Ask “How often does that typically happen?” Take the “outside view” and start with similar cases before considering the specifics of your individual case.

Rule #3: Think probabilistically — and learn some basic probability. Research has shown that even relatively basic training in probability makes people better forecasters and helps them avoid certain cognitive biases.

No one makes perfect decisions all of the time. We'll explore the ways we can improve our decision-making skills.

o Here's how the approach works (3 min. read)

o Resource (1)

Contact us for more information

Social Justice.

“and what does God require of you — but to pRactice justice, to love mercy, and walk humbly with God” — Micah 6:8

Churches can play a big role addressing injustices in their communities.

Individuals and local organizations can explore the practice of building relationships.

All of us can create campaigns and get involved in advocacy efforts with others to address social justice issues.

“let America be America again — The land that never has been yet
And yet must be” — Langston Hughes

o Here's how the approach works (6 min. video)

o Resources (1) (2) (3)

Contact us for more information

Advocacy.

“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” – Frederick Douglass

Advocating for a compelling issue or worthy cause is a losing battle if nobody hears what you’re championing or knows why they should join you! We’ve got three tips for more effective advocacy:

The most effective campaigns choose one core message with a call to action that is concrete, actionable, and doesn’t interrupt residents day-to-day lives.

In these days of information overload, choose a message that’s appealing and simple to understand.

Be innovative. Take a look at Global Citizen. Their platform makes it easy to learn about issues, take action, and join a community committed to the social change they’d like to see.

o Here's how an advocacy approach works (4 min. video)

o Resources (1) (2)

Contact us for more information

Bridging Differences.

"MAKE UP A STORY. NARRATIVE IS RADICAL, CREATING US AT THE VERY MOMENT IT’S BEING CREATED.” —TONI MORRISON

A week after two black men were arrested at a Starbucks store in Philadelphia, the company announced plans to close 8,000 stores for an afternoon of racial bias training.

"Implicit bias” is the brain's automatic processing of negative stereotypes about particular groups of people often without conscious awareness.

Buried biases influence our feelings, decisions, and behavior in sometimes surprising ways.

It takes more than one day to completely address implicit biases. Recognizing and overcoming these biases can be challenging, but, we do have the capacity to override our biases.

With that in mind, we’re working to create a different narrative to bridge differences.

o Here's how the approach works (4 min. video)

o PBS Video Series: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

o Resource (1)

Contact us for more information.

Common Ground.

"DISAGREEMENTS, MISCOMMUNICATIONS, OPPOSING BELIEFS — OH MY!”

Some days, it feels like the only thing we can agree on is that we can't agree — on anything.

What can we do to help reduce the discord and create an environment where real communication can occur?

Here are a few suggested resources that may help in finding common ground.

o Here's how the approach works (14 min. video)

o Resources (1) (2)

o Contact us for more information.

Culture of Collaboration.

At its heart, a collaborative culture values the idea that we are better together.

Collaboration isn’t the same as teamwork or cooperation. It’s a cultural value that becomes embedded in an organization’s fabric.

A collaborative culture doesn't just occur if someone happens to initiate it.

It's baked into how people do their work every day and the attitudes they take about that work.

o Here's how the approach works (7 min. video)

o Resource (1)

Contact us for more information

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

“Diversity is where everyone is invited to the party. Equity means that everyone gets to contribute to the playlist. And inclusion means that everyone has the opportunity to dance." — Dr. Robert Sellers

This is one of the most preeminent issues of our time. Being free to be who you are … Having a seat at the table … Belonging to a community that embraces you. These things matter to people.

Diversity, equity and inclusion really need to be at the heart of who we are — we shouldn't settle for anything less.

o Here's how the approach works (16 min. video)

o Resource (1)

Contact us for more information

Do No Harm.

“A focus grounded in justice and human rights. It requires working with with people without judgement, coercion or discrimination”

Harm reduction is all about understanding that different people have different needs and experiences.

We hope a focus around this topic will open up a discussion of how we can better support each other through empathy and non-judgement.

o Here's how the approach works (3 min. video)

o Resource (1)

Contact us for more information

Leadership.

“Leading from Your Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength”

We want to inspire and enable community members to help build a high-performing team that brings out the best in people.

Jenni Catron offers a new framework for understanding leadership. You can study and practice concepts outlined in the "4 Dimensions of Extraordinary Leadership."

The premise is that our leadership skills are directly tied back to the two greatest commandment given to us by Jesus:

“We are to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength” and, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

We want to walk in love toward and with those around us. With God’s help, we hope to do our best work to address the toughest problems residents are facing in our communities.

o Here's how the approach works (3-4 hr. read)

o Resource (1)

o Contact our office to get a copy of the book.

Learning Circles.

“There’s something special about a circle. IT provides a sense of completeness, safety and Belonging”

A learning circle is a highly interactive, participatory structure for organizing group work.

The goal is to build, share, and express knowledge though a process of open dialogue and deep reflection around issues or problems with a focus on a shared outcome.

Learning Circles members share their knowledge and experiences, learn new information, apply and test new skills.

Learning Circles are built upon the idea that every member has something to contribute and that every member has something to learn.

Teams using the learning circles approach can produce better substantive ideas, useful relationships, new agreements across stubborn divides, and obtain wider support for action.

o Here's how the approach works (Diagram) 2 min. read

o Resource (1)

Contact us for more information

Making Decisions.

“So, do it. Decide”

Decision making teams have immense power to widen perspectives and as a result, can triple the number of choices considered.

This kind of approach is helpful in understanding: "what stands out?" and what is missing?"

But how do you get better at either? There are three rules that stand out:

Rule #1: Be less certain. Then you can revisit the logic of your decision.

Rule #2: Ask “How often does that typically happen?” Take the “outside view” and start with similar cases before considering the specifics of your individual case.

Rule #3: Think probabilistically — and learn some basic probability. Research has shown that even relatively basic training in probability makes people better forecasters and helps them avoid certain cognitive biases.

No one makes perfect decisions all of the time. We'll explore the ways we can improve our decision-making skills.

o Here's how the approach works (3 min. read)

“let America be America again — The land that never has been yet
And yet must be” — Langston Hughes