photo by Fa Barboza
Audio recordings: Find audio of past discussions here.
Time and Place
7:30 pm ET each first Tuesday of the month
Link to each meeting: https://cultivate-caring.community/get-involved/
Facilitators
Roger Balson is a skilled facilitator focused on human connection. He has hosted online real-time groups each Tuesday for three years as part of a project described at Cultivating Caring Communities. For the Difficult Conversation Series (first Tuesdays of the month) he is joined by Ardell Broadbent, a court-rostered mediator. Consultants focused on residential intentional community are encouraged to join and share their expertise.
Meeting Structure
- The first half hour will be divided evenly as commentary from consultants who were invited to offer their expertise on the meeting topic.
- The second half hour will be for community members to ask questions of the consultants, including consultants who weren’t presenters.
- The third half hour will be for community members to share what actually worked in their communities, to focus on solutions more than gripes.
We’d like to audio-record the first hour. Participants can put questions into the chat so they will remain anonymous without voice recognition. The last half hour will not be recorded so participants can discuss their challenges freely.
Topics and Schedule
January
2025. Honoring MLK day!…How can we create a welcoming environment for racial and ethnic minorities within residential intentional communities? Is it okay and sometimes helpful to have all-minority ICs? With consultants Edward Troy and Elliott Cisneros.
2026. How can we talk to intentional community members that prioritize DEI issues over issues of basic community cohesion and economic survival? Their intentions and values are good and are typically shared. How do we realize our aspirations of including communitarians with diverse needs and preferences while recognizing a community’s limited capacity to accommodate those?
Ethnic culture-focused IC resource page
Understanding diversity in community online FIC course (external website)
February
Not my valentine…How can we prevent, effectively disclose, and/or confront sexual abuse within residential intentional communities? With consultant Philip Be’er.
Safety precautions for ICs resource page
March
Share a pint mate?…How can we show compassion for those struggling with drug and alcohol addiction at the same time we ensure safety and insist on members keeping agreements of the community? With consultant Philip Be’er.
Importance of boundaries and kindness together
April
So many taxes, so few services…How do communities who offer affordable housing to vulnerable populations survive economically? How many low-income and otherwise challenged members can we support without losing contributing members and going under? What can we do when there is no social safety net to send someone to when we can’t adequately support them?
Care and social safety net IC resource page
May
Memorial day…Let’s discuss the graying of communities and leaving a legacy. We need to do legal succession planning before it becomes a crisis or a contention that tears the community apart.
Senior cohousing or coliving IC resource page
June
2025. LGBTQ+ Pride month! …What are the biggest challenges to becoming “chosen family” and how do we overcome those?
LGBTQ+ IC resource page
2026. The favorite month for weddings…How can we prevent, effectively disclose, and/or confront partner infidelity within intentional communities?
Life partner within an IC resource page
July
Red vs. Blue…How can we help communities to not get embroiled or divided over political polarization? With consultant Spiel Meister.
Working with Conflict in Community online FIC course (external website)
August
The dog days…How do communities resolve differences about pets? We love licks and cuddles, but they put the fur on furniture. They come with issues of allergies, noise, wildlife preservation, and stepping on poop.
Physical security for ICs can include dogs as part of the team
September
Celebrating labor…How can we prevent and confront social loafing (people not doing their fair share) within intentional communities?
Accountability for work contributions
IC as a Work Team resource page
October
The dark side…When does community culture tip into culty? How can we steer back out of it or protect ourselves if we’re already financially invested?
9 ways to identify a cult-like situation
November
Elections and the consent of the governed…What happens when those in power (leadership positions and/or property owners) are not self-accountable? How can community members stay in solidarity to prevent or challenge authoritarian leadership?
The accountability meeting & power dynamics
Power and leadership in community online FIC course (external website)
December
Christmas isn’t always merry…What solutions have communities found for managing the stresses of holiday gatherings, consumerist expectations not shared by all (gifts and chopping down trees), and religious overtones not shared by all?
Cohesion-building, ritual, and celebrations in ICs
Contact
If your group is in need of facilitation for discussing other challenging topics outside these listed, contact Roger to schedule a session focused on your group and your chosen topic. He hosts groups each of the other Tuesdays of the month with focus on human connection and intentional community. There is no charge. If the Tuesday session is not workable for your group, it is possible an alternative time can be arranged.
Contact: [email protected]
Contact for consultants wishing to contribute in the first half hour: [email protected]