US Social Forum, NVC Jail Work, MovetoAmend.org & More

I want to let you know what has gone on for me in the last month, but quail at the thought! Such movement and growth, witnessing the power of NVC in my life and how I share with others...who share with others....who.... ripples, waves, seeds...

What we are all co-creating together, and what the world will look like only a few years hence...

My hope is that homo empathicus will actually emerge vital  and together we will re-frame and re-purpose humankind to a planetary stewardship. There were 14 interest area tracks at the US Social Forum, held in Detroit in June. Go to www.ussf2010.org to learn more about it. Friday's theme was Solutions, Strategies and Visions...something like that....and I presented an NVC workshop there that had been proposed by Miki Kashtan; "Be The Change-But How?" To let people know the workshop was happening, I put on my giraffe ears and conversed with people as they waited in the registration line each day. I had a flyer with an image of Ghandi on it. The combination of the Ghandi image and  the wearing of giraffe ears served to invite  connections. I learned where people were coming from (in all meanings of the phrase); what was important to them, what they wanted from their experience. Something like 15,000 participants!?!?!?! How is networking and organizing done in this context, with this kind of scale? For me, the answer was one person at a time! Some of those I met were people interested in learning about NVC, in sharing NVC, making connections with others.

Others it was challenging  for me to interact with. Some people told me that they were  there to "Fight for Peace and Justice". A few people said if they came to my workshop they would "bring their bow and arrows" or "bring their gun"...I think I connect with some of the despair and outrage and dissatisfaction with the ways things currently are for them-so many needs not being met-or it seems even considered-and the impetus to action to change things. Some people told me that the time for talk was over, that it was time for action 'against the oppressors".

I have my own despair with the  idea of fighting for peace. It just doesn't make sense to me. Pogo (the cartoon character) said it in the 60's: "I have found the enemy and he is us."

The way I look at it, as long as we see an "us" and a "them",  as long as we continue demonizing those who don't agree with us, as long as we continue in our 'othering'; that is how long we will have someone to fight against.

I think a study of history shows that over and over again, when a ruling class is overthrown, a new ruling class is instituted. Rarely do the "us" when they become "them" remember to include the new "us" that is created! I feel a sense of hopelessness and helplessness and despair. I interacted with people from Chile, Palestine, India, European and African countries, Australia....I noticed then, upon reflection, and still experience now in rememberance how different are the situations and stories and how similar are the human emotions, feelings and needs.

Whether I am at the US Social Forum, in jail connecting with people who self-identify as "bad", with my family, with people I interact with on the street in a strange-to-me or familar place, people want to have power and experience compassion, want to contriubte and want choice on how they live their lives....yes, and me, too.

I'm going to add to this blog tomorrow...there is a theme and a message emerging more clearly to me as I write...
I just read an article from the Washington Post July 8, 2008 about the founder of CharityFocus.org. The founder is