Diversity in Community

2010 Conference Logo! Putting Down Roots!

There are many different kinds of intentional communities across the globe, and each one is united for a different reason—service to others, ecological concerns or spiritual beliefs, to name a few. But there’s one thing that all communities have in common. Instead of sitting back and complaining about the systems and social norms already in place, these groups have actively chosen to create a new way of life for themselves. They’ve transcended the negative in favor of the positive—in favor of empowerment. For this reason, we've decided to make "Diversity in Community" the theme of this year's conference. Our intention is to encourage intentional communities of all kinds to come together with the single goal of creating a better planet.

Of course, "Diversity in Community" can also mean diversity within an individual community, which has its benefits and drawbacks. It can be balancing to have a wide array of opinions, backgrounds and life experiences within a community, but it can also be a source of disagreement and strife if this diversity causes a communal identity crisis. How should a group navigate such a dilemma? If you have the answer, let us know—we’re looking for people who are interested in leading workshops inspired by this year’s theme. Please contact us if you have something you're itching to say about diversity in community.

(But if you’d rather just come to the conference to learn and play, that’s great, too!)