Caroline's Ideal Role(s) in Shared Ground
Hi everyone! This is a space for discussing me, Caroline's, role in Shared Ground. The starting place is this document in which I outline my actual wants and asks. I also share more context about myself and how I'm approaching the work and the opportunities in Shared Ground. I lay out three scenarios that best match my "wants."
Please add your discussion comments in this thread. There's no formal decision to be made here—just space for exploring options, refining the ideas/proposals, and discussion.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-Jf3ZyV8V09lyO94mYOYIay18-pL04COyYitL7AzdvE/edit?usp=sharing
Drew Hornbein Thu 20 Oct 2022 3:39AM
This is great. My initial response is for option 2 & 3. I don't see the pastor/ED as the right shape and we don't have the resources to commit to something like that.
The other two options treat SG as a commons, a shared resource that we should all be allowed to use. I think that we should be focused on developing ventures that are profitable and can support us and service a need.
Running spiritual services is one of those needs. I think a 20% income share back into the commons feels right.
Increasing the event cost and giving that to an event manager also seems like a good idea.
I notice that both these ideas rely on you generating the income and sharing it back to the commons, this is how I think we should run things.
Bobbie · Thu 20 Oct 2022 2:21AM
Thank you so much for sharing this! "When I am working for Shared Ground’s growth and success, I am reducing cognitive dissonance and “making meaning” with these visions." WOW. I feel the same way, C! Currently I am a little frustrated at my position in the liminality between my job with the State and my future creating community climate resilience hubs. Still not sure how the big leap will work out, but every day I feel less doubt that it is my future. My volunteering with Shared Ground so far has been small, but it is a big part of how I am reducing my own cognitive dissonance, and working towards bringing my own vision to life. (If you're curious to learn more about my vision, here is a document I just dug up from my visioning in April 2022, about 3 months before I knew about this project. It's kind of neat to see the similarities, and differences.)
Personally, I am feeling very supportive of making one (or more?) of these options work for you, C. It just makes sense. Based on your skill sets and the organization's needs. But also based on all that you have invested in this and your relationship to the project and the community. As you have pointed out, this organization values relationship first. And that seems only right. Natural. Human. I think the sticky part is that making decisions based on relationship has in many contexts meant chronyism, and perpetuation of systemic racism and other "isms" and exclusion. I'd like to learn more about how we value relationship first without all that bad stuff coming along too. (If anyone has any resources to share on this topic, would love recommendations!) To be clear, I think we can do it. And I have faith in this group to navigate it, with some time to think and consult with wisdom from other perspectives.