Mtgs & Events

• Calendar of Events
• Planning Meetings
• Community Commons
• Related Events in Portland

 

Join our Email List Today!

* required

Email Address: *

First Name:

Last Name:



Email Management by VerticalResponse

Community Marketplace Meetings > November 16, 2007

Networking Meeting: Meeting Report

This was our second community meeting, a follow-up to our meeting on October 26 when Riane Eisler presented her call for a more caring economics, and we presented a panel of Portland community leaders working for a better economic system in the areas of food production, education, currency and overall sustainability.

We promoted the November 16 meeting to our growing contact list – our "partnership list" – gained from those in attendance on October 26 (of the over 400 who attended 150 gave us contact information), plus our previous list of local Portland activists.

The purpose of the November meeting was carefully thought through by the planning committee. We are definitely interested in directing the energy and interest shown in our first community meeting toward action projects. However, we recognized that we were working with people who were already working for change. Our initial task should be to acknowledge and support their efforts. Our meeting time would be like bringing people together in a chalice, to hold them and nurture their work in a safe and appreciative environment.

The evening was rainy and driving conditions were very bad. We had no idea how many would attend, but 30 brave souls fought the elements to attend. We had the chairs placed in a large circle in the Buchan reception room of the First Unitarian Church. Marcia Meyers opened the meeting with a chalice lighting and reading, and Hafidha Acuay presented the structure of the meeting. Participants were asked to count off 1 – 5 around the circle to form 5 small groups of 5 to 6 people each.

They were to work through an introduction and 3 questions, giving each person in the group a chance to respond.

Introduction: Please introduce yourself in terms of your current involvements.
Question #1:  What caring and sharing economics do you already see happening in Portland?
Question #2:  You are already changing the world.  Where does your passion lead you?
Question#3: What do you need to nurture and support your passion for a caring and sharing economics?

Halfway through this discussion, Marcia and Hafidha, the only members of the planning group not participating in the small group discussions, brought plates of assorted dessert breads, coffee, and carrots. This reinforced our message that we were acknowledging and nurturing our participants.

At the end of the meeting, participants were asked to give us written feedback on what they had experienced that evening. In addition to the comments below, the general feeling was one of appreciation from the participants in being asked to express their dreams, passions and needs, as well as the stimulation of meeting other passionate activists and hearing of their work.