For those interested in geeking out about the difference between two types of leadership: the "charismatic leader" and "community as leader". 

Most projects that come to be in our culture tend to be driven by "charismatic leaders" through whom all decisions ultimately get funneled through. They provide inspiration for devotion to the project, much support, and extra energy. Egalitarian community leadership implies that the community as a whole makes decisions among each other -- NOT necessarily by consensus -- but by constant informal communication among the most relevant people regarding that specific question and considerations, that lead to decisions and actions. Communities with charismatic leaders can still be healthy communities, and sometimes they even survive the death of that leader - they change a lot in the process, but they persist. Strong community projects can happen in either scenario; it's simply good to be aware of the nuances.

An example for egalitarian community leadership: Means of Production garden in BC. 

Means of Production is a continuously changing creative space. Depending on who is putting energy into the garden for a season, the garden reflects the changes. Sometimes it is weavers. Sometimes instrument makers. Sometimes herbalists. The nature of it is truly wild to the community and its ever-evolving self-organization. Certain people or groups may invest in it for awhile and therefore care about how their part of the project is effected by others, and many people co-habitate and use various parts of the garden. Some people put energy into planting perennials and these plants grow and benefit everyone that uses the space in the future. "Grow Art" organization is the most persistent organizer around the space, offering workshops and tending perennial tasks. 

Because of the freedom of this site, its gift has been available to many people that would not perhaps have had access to a garden, or a reason to interact with other strangers, or a place that felt welcome for them to invest creative energy. 

'The public' can use and care for this space any time, any day, and becomes a focal point for the entire community to care for and interact with.

There is no boss. There is no set person that makes final decisions about what can and can't happen. The land and the people work together with no additional oversight. The garden simply absorbs and holds the energy of the current group involved. The long-term vision? A place for people to regard as a resource for materials and relationships. Wow. As simple as that is, it is accomplishing it with more integrity than any other project I have seen implemented in a city setting. 

An example for charismatic leadership: Planet Repair Institute in Portland. 

Planet Repair is exemplary in the world of community projects. The group at this urban homestead mostly makes decisions by consensus, but major changes to the land ultimately come down to the opinion of the owner, who has lived there the longest and will probably stay there forever. 

Planet Repair a great example of how this kind of "charismatic leadership" system works very well. It makes good sense that someone invested in this specific place has slightly more say. In this case, the entire community benefits deeply from their dedication as they involve other people in the decision making process, are considerate of new ideas, and provide educational opportunities far beyond even their immediate community when it comes to major improvements to the place. This house was the reason straw-clay insulation was legalized in Oregon and in the process of various building projects on the land, hundreds of people were able to learn hands-on natural building and permaculture techniques. An annual Urban Permaculture Design Class is taught here, with an added emphasis on neighborhood transformation and community organizing. Plus the neighbors can take any classes offered at Planet Repair for free. 

'The public' is generally most welcome only during specific events or workshops. 

It is surly worth noting, too, that resiliency in the community would be tested if the leadership at Planet Repair were to suddenly die or if his focus attention were called to another project. It is already true that if the group living there is not prepared to host guests that they are not openly welcome. Although many people love this place, there is a sense of its ownership -- and it's not "community ownership".

The first paragraph of the forward to "The Facilitator's Guide To Participatory Decision Making" is written by Michael Doyle saying, "I see group facilitation as a whole constellation of ingredients: a deep belief in the wisdom and creativity of people; a search for synergy and overlapping goals; the ability to listen openly and actively  a working knowledge of group dynamics; a deep belief in the inherent power of the group and teams; a respect for individuals and their points of view; patience and a high tolerance for ambiguity to let a decision evil and gel; strong interpersonal and collaborative problem-solving skills; an understanding of thinking processes; and a flexible versus a lock-step approach to resolving issues and making decisions." 

When it comes down to it, the primary concern in community projects is true inclusion. And what does that look like? The world of facilitation and leadership is literally filled with hundreds of books, everything from dealing with complexities in race, class, and empowerment to simple ice breakers. 

Personal Note: 

While it is good to be aware of resources for organizing community projects, the best resource of all is experience. The first time I was reading "Building Power Community Organizations" by Michael Jacoby Brown, it was the winter after I left Portland and organizing the Village Building Convergence, and I had retracted from that world completely for a time. I had an impending sense of impossibility sinking in me as I read the chapter on organizing in your neighborhood for local action. I thought without words, "how could anyone ever be brave enough to do this?" The more that thought became clear, I realized how funny this scene was. Less than eight months previous I had been Placemaking Coordinator, supporting more than 40 sites to do this very thing! 

Why did I feel it was so impossible?

I have a theory: because it was written in a book by someone else. 

While books can be inspiring, empowering, helpful in guiding us in many ways... there is a sense of detachment from reality with a book, as well. So much of the process for community organizing projects comes more naturally to us than we realize. When we see the steps laid out on paper, they seem intimidating. When I ask my students what it feels like to imagine knocking on their neighbor's door, every time it is a conversation about fear. Once neighbors begin working together, it feels startlingly more natural that expected, even if it is awkward at first. 


And every project will run into difficulties, uncomfortable places, and hard decisions. Sometimes that's met with the reaction:

On January 1, 2015, a day in the icy cold woods with friends led us into marvelous circumstances. Each time we'd go somewhere off trail to play, stop somewhere beautiful, move on, 'find' something else magical, and continue, appreciating - over and over - the time-wittled magic of so many elements that needed to come together to create what we could notice. We could have stayed hours in one spot and remained spellbound. The anthology of enchantment seemed to permeate us deeper and deeper, making the four of us feel an incredible sense of Love. 

I have not often marked the gregorian New Year to be of much importance to my life. Solstice feels special. Dark. Deep. But so reflective that the process of understanding the year continues far past the turn of the date. The new year always felt like it happened in early Spring, for me. But there is something quite real about writing the new number in my journal. If 1/1/2015 is any indication of the kind of year 2015 is due to be, I am likely to be sweetly surprised and embraced by mythical rapture in ways that will completely stretch my concept of Love. (2014 definitely stretched it already!)

My friend Shay Hohmann remarked, "We've been going through this dark time, from the 21-31 feels like the peak of darkness, and January is like dawn. If the New Year is a day, January is the Dawn."

His comment went straight to my heart because the current poem I have been memorizing to perform tonight begins in this way, 

"My only faith in technologies are in that which are old. 
I trust in the "breakthroughs" of a seed through soil. 
This is a Revolution readying the heart
to rest under the morning blankets of frost
under the thinnest layers of snow
melting
just as the sky turns blue before dawn
and the landscape begins to refresh its colour..."

The poem continues, exploring concepts of darkness, before we break out of the soil in the end. This week, the poem has put me through several haunting initiations. I had no idea when I wrote it that it would effect me so deeply, but as I've been memorizing it, it has revealed many secrets, and brought up a lot of emotions. Synching up its story with events in my life in un-planable ways. Just once, yesterday, I was speaking the words of the poem in my mind - not aloud - completely through concentration, my body not able to be on autopilot because I wasn't using my mouth or voice. It's a nine-minute poem, and I felt, even through the concentration, my awareness of the three other human souls with me, the forest spirits, the cathedral frost, epic cliffs and icicles, and the music of the Little River. The pulsing Life from the huge trees around us. It felt like channeling. Like shamanic journey work. The same level of attentive concentration and openness to cosmic whispering. 

And if January is the dawn of the day that is the New Year, then this truly is the Revolution melting. It is ready, and it has made each and every one of us ready by putting us up to some really intense challenges. No way around it, 2014 was a year of extremes.

Astrologically, the Pluto-Uranus dance that has been happening since late 2012 will have its final exact square in March. Until then, we'll remain within 1 degree of the two being in this intense aspect with each other. A Square in an aspect of tension... the tension being: 
Pluto - Death and Rebirth. In Capricorn - Earth. Social structures and governances.
Uranus - Revolution, sudden changes in consciousness. In Aries - Fire. Initiation.

This is the global revolution. 

The darkest part of the year just passed. "Solstice" means to Stand Still, so we can bring together and focus our inward attention. We gather, reflect, tap into, and contribute to global healing energy potential. Intentions for focusing our collective structure on building a foundation from Love (rather than corruption) of designing social systems from a directive of collaboration and listening (rather than control).

Saturn moved into Sagittarius two days later, relieving the intensity of the last two years as Saturn plowed through Scorpio. We're beginning to understand where each person's heart is within the greater context of healing the plant, healing society, healing ourselves, by bringing our awareness into loving, caring interactions with every person we meet, inclusive of our interactions with our environment to create a new system of interaction altogether. Sagittarius is the fire and passion of society, and now this is the arena of our lessons. (More on Saturn in Sag. from Michael Schultz.)

This means we are - we have the capacity to - dream in a new world. Traditional astrologers see "squares" - such as the square between Uranus and Pluto currently - as bad luck. Evolutionary astrologers consider "squares" to be the greatest gift for action and growth. It is not easy. Especially with Pluto involved. I have heard others describe Pluto as the "astrological blowtorch" and they're not far afield. Pluto is digging out the deepest level of corruption in our social system and bringing them to the surface -- from governments to families to our own personal value structures, fracturing through all levels, together, we are revealing what needs to change. And yet the trick is not to focus on the problem.

If we refrain from focus on governmental and political problems in our social interactions, we have the greatest potential for healing at this time. What is "amiss" that needs attention is something we can apply to the structure, process, or ways of being through our Love. What kind of world will we create? Depends on how deeply attentive we can get. And it requires quite a lot of stillness among a busy "holiday" world in order to know what is right for us. Winter is a naturally slower time in nature, not a time of "doing", but a time of Listening.   

The reason to refrain from focus on the horror of all that in wrong, while it is important to be aware of it, to be angry at it, to feel the truth and frustration of injustice -- it is more powerful to realize these systems came from somewhere, rather than to stop your discovery at Anger and stay there. The next question, after the "what" is revealed, is "why". Why? It is not due to erroneous fault in individuals alone. It is not solely because of "greedy" rich people, "violent" police, "lazy" houseless folks, or the "silent" middle class. Human beings created large systems (Capricorn). And those Systems are being turned upside down and need to be transformed (Pluto). If we want another wold built upon Anger, then stay in your Anger. If we want to grow into a culture of equality, justice, freedom, health, and Love, we must choose to act out these qualities in our personal life. I find it is MUCH more interesting - and requires much more focus attention - to be perfectly honest with myself and seek Love and understanding for every person I interact with than it is to be blatantly Angry at the World.

And because of the work in finding that honesty everywhere, I will say I notice Life takes on a nature of radical beauty, as well as haunting neutrality.

It is wonderful to realize that some of the best days of our lives are yet to occur. Perhaps some of the worst too. Yet, equipped with only the wisdom we have gathered from our own experience, we know that Life goes on. And Love -- however we want to describe it or feel it -- will forever be the foundation by which we can let Life construct magic from the unknown.

This post is inspired by a story my friend, Wayne, told me about a young girl on the east coast that wanted her school to support a recycling program. She collected all the data and information needed to not only 'make the case" for why, but also the resources necessary to do it. She kept presenting her case to adults - teachers, principals, deans - and no one would take on the work. Wayne asked her why she needed an adult to accomplish the task. She had all the tools, why wait? 

She went on to successfully implement recycling in her entire school district.

We hear the phrase, "Kids are our future," tossed around, and yet it is rare to include them in the basic decision making processes of how this "future" is being shaped. On the whole, children are not included in processes of governance, parks and city planning, building, growing food, or business development, and yet are expected to take responsibility for these things - and change them for the better - as adults. 

At the intersection of SE 9th & Sherrett in Portland, also called "Share-It-Square", the neighborhood has visioning sessions each year for what the street painting will be. Since its origin as the first intersection painting in the country in 1996, each year it has been painted with a new design based on what their neighbors feel is right for them this year. And who is in the room during the visioning sessions? Everyone. Neighbors of all ages, adults, elders, kids. Most years, the best designs come out of the kids. 

In the photo above, the design of a flower in bloom, spreading its seeds around the neighborhood was an idea that came from a nine year old during one of the design charrettes. Everyone loved it and it became the theme for this year. 

Involving kids in the decision-making process on a neighborhood scale not only re-inoculates adults with creative energy and bring vibrancy to design ideas, but it involves them in a culture of inclusion. Kids that live in neighborhoods were these projects take place, are surrounded by adults who are collaboratively working with each other to transform the place where they live. They're surrounded by adults who are respecting each other, listening to each other, and co-creating together. It's a level of Trust and Love to be infused into practical, daily life, one project at a time. 

Designing Playscapes, planting gardens, building houses, tending water sources, working with crystals, creating art... in a culture whose values are based on inclusivity, the line between "activities for kids" and "activities for adults" blurs. We see the most productive and least destructive societies are ones where, intergenerationally, we work together, thus creating less superfluous work, and greater meaning and fulfillment for the whole.

From big projects, to daily decisions, involving kids in the process and celebrating their contributions is vital to "the future" we so seek to better. 

Kids are not our future. They are our now. Their ideas, energy, and Love are valuable now. And it is for the benefit of everyone to cultivate their feelings of worth, belonging, and personal power. 

Let's break that down: 

1. Placemaking
Making a place. A place is a physical location invested with value and meaning. People care about it and have memories associated with it. Making - creating, having directly designed and implemented aspects associated with the place (for example, building a bench or planting a garden). 

Placemaking distinctly implies that projects are created in the places where people live, by the people who live there. A history of Placemaking from The City Repair Project's perspective in Portland: here. 

2. Process
There is no 'end'. Once a project is completed, there is clean up, and at sunrise the next day it is already changing. The paint is wearing, the plants are growing, the wood is expanding and contracting. Placemaking implies some level of maintenance and thus a cyclical celebration of clean up, repair, revision, improvement, expansion, simplification, and adjustment. The projects evolve as members of the community come and go, the level of involvement waxes and wanes depending on the season, and over time the history of the Place rests in so many people's personal memories it takes on a life of its own, impacting each person interacting with it in a unique way.

3. Multi-layered 
Part of why I am passionate about this work is this very aspect of multi-layered... Actively since 2008, new dimensions of what "Placemaking" means unfold for me... It feels strange to separate them into categories given they are all different expressions of the same work, but while this is by no means representing all possibilities for understanding its application, we can begin to see the many ways this concept is at work. 

Transforming neighborhoods? Completing a project for an intentional community? Forming a rural tool-sharing network? Overall, these processes are fun and the results are usually quite beautiful. At its simplest, Placemaking is just about getting to know the people around you and trying something together.
 
Physical - 
Considering the ecological implications of most of our lives being played out so far from our homes and most of our resources coming from very far away, Placemaking brings our daily needs closer to home. Even a 1 day block party gathers neighbors together to not drive, not consume, but instead enjoy the simplicity of staying, and security in getting to know the people who live near. Physical projects create totems of these relationships formed, and bring us ever closer to "Walkable Neighborhoods". 

Social - 
In the United States and other 'developed' nations, cultural isolation is of serious concern for the mental health of the general population, and the ability for local governances to be effective by actually having an opportunity to talk to one another. When people thoughtfully interact with their government, and government acts on a local level, appropriate decisions can be made for the total health of the community. 

Asset maps and neighborhood networks build resilient communities that learn how to work with each other for daily needs as well as effectively respond and prepare for emergencies. 

Emotional - 
When we go to places where we have good memories, we have good feelings, and good feelings reduce our stress, regulate our heartbeat, and balance our emotions. 

As human beings, we like to put our stamp on the environment, and when we do it in a way that is harmonious with nature, it makes us feel relaxed, and the project better suits the surroundings. In the end, it is less 'work', and more time for enjoying the process. 

Spiritual - 
Spiritual revival of the land is taking place. Placemaking projects say, "Hey! We're paying attention to this land, we're doing things that we love, and we're trying to heal this place." It invites the Spirit of the Place back if it has ever left, and it strengthens the spirit present and gives it expression through the community action. One could also think of it as the 'good feeling' people get when they come there. 

Personal - 
We create a personal "place" in our Hearts by asking ourselves what part of this work really calls to us? Are we the artist, the organizer, the bookkeeper, the builder, the work party cookie baker, the behind-the-scenes support, the historian, the charismatic spokesperson, or the kid's clubhouse extraordinaire? There are many roles that have a chance to be honored in collaborative projects and it is an opportunity worth embellishing. 

Global - 
World Peace starts at home. 

"Typically other people’s problems seem simpler, uncomplicated and easier to solve than those of one’s own society... in simple terms, the lack of knowledge of other cultures makes them easier to help." ~ Rafia Zakaria

When we do Placemaking Projects, we are transforming our immediate community for the benefit of all, developing a hyper-local culture we can be proud to come from. Many Placemaking projects are accomplished with a group of people who six months previously did not even know each others' names. We put aside our judgements and fears in order to work together from a basis of what we have in common, and the values that we share. The ability for us to practice this small level of compassion and collaboration radiates out in many realms - the simplest being our direct relationships - where we know our actions are making a difference because we can see, sense, and feel them changing in a positive way. 




When we learn to meet our direct needs in the places where we live, we come from a Generative Place of genuine peace and creative action. I'm sure if you were to consider the essence of Placemaking for yourself, you would find you are already doing it in your own life in some way. Savor the reality of living in a world that is functional, beautiful, and healthy, which you can amplify in your own way at any time. In the singing words of Frances Michaelson, "The world is as beautiful now as it every will be, there is nothing more to wait for."