Systems are made of humans. The systems we are part of and the challenges we face are as complex as our human relationships (super complex!). Therefore, the solutions are non-linear and will take time.
The process our community is engaging in requires the leadership and participation of all sectors, communities, cultures, races, ages, and genders. We may identify gaps and collectively act to address these gaps, but most of our work will focus on strengthening partnerships between the myriad of projects, programs, and businesses that already exist. We will create gathering spaces where innovation can emerge from the collective wisdom of resilient community members and leaders. We will trust young leaders to do their thing and provide them with support that respects their brilliance. We will know we are making a difference when we cannot point to one leader or project, but rather feel the movement of many aligning and building strength.
We are working towards imitating the natural state of flocking, described by Adrienne Marie Brown: "There is an art to flocking: staying separate enough not to crowd each other, aligned enough to maintain a shared direction, and cohesive enough to always move towards each other."