Dear friends and supporters,
It is with a profound mix of sadness and excitement that I share with you the news that I will be stepping down as the Executive Director of the Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture in late 2016. Everyone always says this kind of thing when they write this kind of letter, but for real: it’s been an amazing, growthful journey for me, and I am incredibly grateful to all of you for supporting us as we’ve grown this vibrant, impactful nonprofit the past three years.
In the time since I stepped into the Executive Director role, we’ve seen extraordinary growth: from 4 staff positions to 17, and from an annual budget of $45K to right around $200K. We’ve done more publishing and public talks than ever, created more on-site educational offerings, and pioneered partnerships with researchers and other nonprofits, all of which adds up to more people reached and greater impact. We have a more diverse Board of Directors, a more professional staff, and a more engaged base of supporters (including the donors and foundations that support us financially).
We’ve done strategic planning and, just late last year, changed our name to reflect more accurately the force we are in the world, catalyzing a deep transition to a sustainable and cooperative culture. This is not only about promoting natural building and organic agriculture; it is about fundamentally changing who we are as people, in relation to other people and the planet. During the strategic planning process we identified the two social ills we most directly address: climate change and social isolation. I’m very pleased to report that our offerings consistently address both issues, and trust they will only get stronger.
That’s powerful stuff, and it has its roots, always, in Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. I’ve said this before, but let me say it again: this nonprofit would be nothing without this amazing demonstration project. Our values, message, and tangible lessons all come from the village in some way or another. Whatever we know about culture change comes from the work of hundreds of community residents over nearly two decades, dedicating their lives to answering the question: How do we actually live sustainably, while living well, in this modern world?
What’s next for me? I will be leaving Dancing Rabbit to join my partner, Matt Stannard, in the high altitude, progressive western mecca of Laramie, WY. And since there is no intentional community in town, I’ll be brushing the dust off my community founder’s hat and starting one. Wyoming has the highest per capita carbon emissions of any state in the US: imagine how impactful a successful ecovillage there could be! I’m getting the chance to take what I’ve learned from my years in this remarkable community and translate it to a different climate— both ecologically and politically.
I’m relishing the challenge.
Matt and I have also partnered to start the Materialized Empathy project, through Commonomics USA. This project focuses on law and policy reform for economic and ecological justice, including putting the needs of poor communities at the center of climate change solutions, and making the formation of communities like Dancing Rabbit easier. After years of living here and working with the Fellowship for Intentional Community, I feel well-prepared to take my activism to another level with this new project.
And of course, I will still do public speaking and teaching work, because I seem to be a wee bit addicted to both. (Side note, speaking of speaking: there are still some slots available on the 2016 Speaking Tour, so get in touch soon if you want to bring me to your town!) Dancing Rabbit will always be a model for me when I talk about how to do sustainable and cooperative culture well. Very few public figures have the kind of unique, practical, compassion-based experience with sustainability that I have had in this ecovillage, and I plan to continue as a strong ambassador for DR for a long time.
As I reflect on my own trajectory and all the ways I’ve grown while living and working here, one thing I’ve noticed is that I’m not alone: Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage has been a powerful training ground for a number of incredible activists. Our founders have gone on to play major roles with Citizen’s Climate Lobby, the New York Green Building Council, and Rocky Mountain Institute. We’ve been a formative experience for professors at universities from North Carolina to Iowa to Oregon. There are sustainability consultants and teachers all over the US who include internships, courses, and residencies at Dancing Rabbit in their resumes, and whose work includes the key principle of cooperation because of it.
So I will be joining a long line of impressive former Rabbits who are still changing the world. Like me, they remain committed to the core principles that make Dancing Rabbit a phenomenal example of what’s next culturally. And many of them cut their activist teeth here. There is clearly some magical nourishment here for people finding their voices and strength. While a lot of people stay here and use that strength to keep growing Dancing Rabbit, others carry it to new places and build amazingness wherever they land.
While there is sadness every time a Rabbit leaves, I like the image of this community planting strong seeds out there in the world. It’s been fun watching many of them sprout and flourish. Wish me luck in being the latest example of this phenomenon.
Thanks so much for walking with me. I’m looking forward to meeting you wherever we next cross paths.
Ma’ikwe
as the outgoing Executive Director
Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture
P.S. This announcement obviously means that we will be seeking a new Executive Director. Stay tuned for official search and hiring announcements, but in the meantime feel free to put your thinking cap on about who might be amazing in this role!