Campfire Connections

Hello Permaculture People, 
2020 is in the soil, and our reflections are like mulch; helping us digest the inputs of the past season and transform them into good fruit for the future. We see that our convergence community has shifted, our direction pivoted, and our reach grown as society at large is looking for answers to sustainable design.  Please share your thoughts on how Northwest Permaculture has impacted your life, and how we can best serve.
Last fall we met digitally and encouraged people together as they could in little groups:  Converge-in-place and connect online. It was beautiful to find that we had more meaningful facetime with each-other than years past. Teachers, organizers and people from all over, finding time to be more present with each other’s stories as we were spared running from classroom to classroom. Our 1-track schedule brought us together around one thought-train, and integrated chat to share ideas and connections deeply with a collaborative notespace.  Our #Slack and Discord channels allowed us to have live spaces for conversations outside of the Zoom meeting that have carried over past the event, laying a framework to establish a confluence of permaculture systems as the new mainstream, dug with the tools of our ancestors and defined by the tools of today. 
In 2021 we will be carrying over the best of the convergence in microcosm every month.  This flows energy toward finding partners in education and holding regular campfires with a zoom portal for regional connection. 
Sharing knowledge, crafting the future.  We are looking for educators and activists lifting up sustainable systems. Do you know a teacher or admin at a junior college, highschool, youth center or the like we should be working with? So many great teachers pass through our doors, and skillshares taught on the fields. We are ready to document and share how the Northwest Community ticks. Please connect us to those doing the work in your area, and what schools have programs on sustainability.  We can match those who want to learn and have the technological resources to record sessions to those who are designing systems that work, sharing methods to inspire best practices. Our role as the NWPCC is to link the nodes across our community and amplify the voices of sustainability practitioners.January 19, 2020

The Campfires
​Starting this winter, our team will be holding space around a big bright burning idea every month.  We will have a speaker share their story around the digital campfire (like our Keynotes). later, we will hold space for a community discussion around the themes that emerged in that time and co-create a monthly Vlog.  Starting late February, let us gather to discuss and grow. Submit your preferred time and topics here and email us if you'd like to share as a speaker during these discussions or have anyone to recommend.
-> February’s topic is LOVE. We will be talking with community organizers involved in Anti-Racist work, and hold conversations around locally led reparations and social justice and practical love. Lets open up a suggestions forum on how we love each-other  COMMUNITY  VLOG: please write or send in a short <1 min on LOVE
-> March's topic is SEED. We will be talking with Seed Advocates and hold conversations around the theme of play allyship (planthropocene) seed saving and our role in stewarding biodiversity.  COMMUNITY VLOG: please write or send in a short <1 min on SEED
-> April’s topic is TRUST. We will be talking with Land Access Specialists and hold conversations around the theme of  community held spaces, land reparations, and food sovereignty. COMMUNITY VLOG: please write a few words or send in a short <1 min on STEWARDSHIP
-> May’s topic is TRUTH and DECOLONIZATION. We will be talking with an activist doing the work to create a culture of honor for all people. In particular, for those who have a historically discriminated against and marginalized identity to be seen and heard. Also a space for those who are perpetuating this violence to honestly see their part and lean into healing for all. The goal  is to hold a community container for conversations around decolonization in action, and to give examples of growing a healthy future based on honesty, respect and real reparations. COMMUNITY VLOG: Please write a few words or send in a short <1 min on DECOLONIZATION
-> Potential Summer and on topics are Play, Soil, Pruning, Harvest, Preserve, Resilience, Rest and Growth.  What do you want to talk about? Who should kick off the discussions? When is best?

Happy to listen

I am grateful that one of the outcomes of this year is an increasing interest in resilience, and growing harmony between all people. The rifts and sickness that emerged beg us to change our patterns and adopt systems that honor rather than destroy. Let's keep doing it. Thank you for taking the time to read this and co-creating a future we want to harvest.
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With you,
Shaelee on behalf of the NWPCC team