Winter 2024 Resources
Videos
January 18: Hosting Conditions For Creation
Welcome to the Journey
Beth Mount welcomes the Pathfinders' Studio Group to the flow of our Journey together - introducing the hosts for the 8 sessions - and our shared commitment to build full contributing lives in the community. The overarching question: What more is possible? in the interest of inclusion.
Hosting A Creative Space
Jack Pearpoint welcomes the talents of the group into a safe space for listening. learning, connecting: A place to share stories that reveal our gifts - and discover our dreams and possibilities - avoiding 'boxed boundaries'. It is an invitation to build a bigger we - a creative space for sense making. The invitation is to be courageous and create Radical Hospitality with open minds, open hearts and open wills.
Threads and Shifts
Dave Hasbury tells us his story - threads and shifts in his life - that have allowed him to begin a deeper understanding of his and our creativity. He recalls that Shafik Assante taught us that 'we are all born in' and then asked the question about how we need to prepare our society to receive and not exlcude our children. Following his thread and exploring creativity, he reminds us that Rick Rubin says that everything begins with a question. And if we are open to questions, we will discover what we do not know - and that is the window to creativity.
Organizational Conditions
Patti Scott introduces the complexity of maintaining both 'heart' and a spirit of creativity in organizational cultures that are dominated by demands for compliance and endless rule changes. In that reality it is vital to remember that the purpose of our structures and support systems is to support people to have a good life. Patti talks about some of the ways they make it work at her organization - Neighbours Inc.
Words to "Live With"
John O'Brien draws from the wisdom of Sesame Street where individual segments were brought to you by a word or number. In that spirit - our word is INCLUSION. You are invited to notice how it comes up in your life and work as we begin our journey together.
January 25: Inclusion
Welcome
Beth Mount sumarizes Week 1, and introduces our group to Week 2 exploration.
A Brief History of the Language of Inclusion
Jack Pearpoint revisits 1988, when a decision and commitment to use the language of "inclusion" was born.
Getting From There to Here
Dan Trabue tells us the remarkable story of his partnership and collaboration with a wonderful young artist - Sebastian Duverge. He uses a video clip, slides of Sebatian's work - and his skill as a story teller. Watch and be inspired.
Lynda Kahn - Metaphors
Lynda kahn introduces the concept of METAPHOR - and gives examples of the power of using images that we already know to explain the inexplicable.
John O'Brien - Keywords
Drawing on the Sesame Street tradition, the Studio is givng the group a word a week to think about ,,, John O'Brien introduces the Word of the Week: CHOICES
How to Use Padlet
One of the approaches to sharing our learning will use the PADLET app. Dave Hasbury introduces the app with instructions about how to sign up - and post your learnings.
Padlet Page QR Code
You can use your phone to scan the QR Code for the Padlet page. You will have options to:
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Login if you have a Padlet account
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Sign Up for a free Padlet account
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Continue as a guest
If you use a Padlet account, your posts will be attributed to you. Guest posts will be anonymous.
February 1 - Choice
Welcome to Week 3
In support of our purpose to support families, Jack reminded us that given the presures of our current realities, we must build 'Islands of Sanity" where we can nurture curiosity, listening and respect. Then he introduced two people who contributed their reflections after week 2. Sariah Syeda thinking about "A Garden of Diversity" and Sarah Grandberg who riffed on the Pink song, "All I Know so Far".
Mindfulness Bridge to Inclusion
Kirk Hinkleman is the Director of Creative Design and Wellbeing at LifeWorks. As a mindfulness practitioner, Kirk reminded us that humans are hard wired for connection... We need to connect with and fortify our own hearts... Kirk led us into a Meditation to cultivate a heart that includes - and for Kirk creates a bridge from the qualities of the heart - to Inclusion. Our open hearts are compassionate. Kirk concluded with a John O'Brien quote: "What got us here, isn't necessarily what will get us there"
Life Works Stories - All In!
Beth Gallagher introduces a series of stories introducing team members - and their uniquely designed journeys based on the conviction to work for Choice and Love. Beth and Lamika relay stories about the gifts of Sally, Shay, Usha, Joy, Rafi, Dwayne, Daniel, Erik: In short: TEAM ALL IN
Journaling - John O'Brien
A brief time of reflection and journaling with John O'Brien
February 8 - Neighborhood
Walking the Neighbourhood
Sandi Cooper, Doug Adams and Josh Godown tell stories about the adventures of 'Walking the Neighbourhood' - a newish practice emerging from Neighbours Inc - probing to find ways to make connections with people in their neighbourtoods
An Introduction to Cynefin
Patti Scott introduces CYNEFIN - developed by Dave Snowden - a way of looking at the world to make sense of it - so we are able to act in the world.
February 15 - Family
Welcome
Patti Scott reviewed some of the reflections posted in the chat and on Padlet for the past week - then welcomed the group into Week 5, Keyword: Family
Family - Marieta Austin
Marietta Austin is a remarkable connector in New York. She talked about pearls of wisdom which Lynda 'expanded' in her introduction. Marietta then talked about her work with families - and her remarkable success - over TIME - with Alex
Beloved Economies
Beth Mount gives us a compressed synopsis of the book (in your collection) - Beloved Communities: Transforming How We Work.
February 22 - Citizenship
Welcome & Saniah's Creation
Lynda Kahn scans the earlier sessions - and introduces a remarkable artifact - created by Soniah and her sister.
Home & Citizenship
Community Vision
Community Vision in Portland has been innovating supports for people for over 3 decades. Kim Elliott, Rachel Witbeck, Jacob Jewkes, and Kristy Oliver, presented a glimpse of housing options for people developed and implemented by Community Vision
Citizenship - John O'Brien
John O'Brien outlines the basic elements of citizenship - which over time became the 5 Values Experiences that have been utilized around the globe as guidelines for a good life - as a citizen.
February 29 - Creating Possibilities
Welcome and Journaling
Miguel Torres Castro offered up a musical contribution, a fitting selection of Bob Marley's "One Love", a song that captures the spirit of the Studio group, and on the week of the movie release of Bob Marley's story call "One Love". John O'Brien guides a journal reflection for the group to begin to gather the shifts and movements inside of us in preparation for co-creating with our organization design teams.
Wisdom of Our Hands
Beth Mount offered instructions for a model sculpturing process to notice where we are now in Sculpture 1, and then create Scuplture 2 as a shift, a move into what is possible next in our movement forward. Experience the wisdom of our hands.
Nourishing Our Shifts
Patti welcomes the group back after the sculpting experience, discovering the wisdom in our hands, and invites participants to gather in our organizational design teams to consider how our organizations might be able to support and nourish the shifts that we identified in the sculpting exercise.
Co-Creating Possibilities
Dave Hasbury introduced a template for our organization design teams to identify the "great questions" we can rally around and the "safe to fail" probes (Cynefin®), small actions we can take in exploring how me might explore the great question that holds the value we seek.
Shining Seeds of Possibility
Beth Mount narrates the story quilt she has created as an artifact that captures the heart, spirit, and insights from our learning journey together in the Pathfinders' Studio - Winter 2024...a creative space for reflection, where we can pay attention to what is, and what more is possible, and deeply know that we are not alone.
March 7 - Harvesting Possibility
Documents
January 18 - Creation
Pathfinders' Studio Intention
Renewing Keywords Canvas
Reflections on Keywords
January 25 - Inclusion
How Art Creates Us - David Brooks (New York Times)
Credibility Through Visibility and Presence - Kirk Hinkleman
Our Hearts As A Bridge To Inclusion - Kirk Hinkleman
What More For Joaquin?
February 8 - Neighborhood
How We Know Our Community - John O'Brien & Beth Mount
Working on the Root System of Social Connections in a Community - Cormac Russell & Joop Hofman
February 15 - Family
February 22 - Citizenship
February 29 - Creating Possibilities
Wisdom Making: What The Hands Know - Beth Mount
CoCreating Possibilities - David Hasbury
Links
(icons in footer are links too!)
January 18 - Creation
Shafik Assante - Inclusion Press
Making Space For Social Change - JustUs Cafe
Following Threads Blog - David Hasbury
January 25 - Inclusion
Sebastien Duverge Studios
Dan Trabue Art
Podcast- Going Deep With David Brooks on Connection
February 1 - Choice
February 8 - Neighborhood
Cynefin - Leadership in Complexity - video
The Cynefin Co. (Dave Snowden)
Generative Images
Click on image for larger view
January 25 - Inclusion
Creative Tensions
contributed by Jim Karpe
Inclusion/Exclusion
Jack Pearpoint
A Garden of Diversity
contributed by Saniah Syeda
Killer Whales
by Doug Cranmer(Kwakwaka'wakw)1987
contributed by Rachel Witbeck
February 1 - Choice
Shifts
Shifts in thoughts create shifts in words and shifts in choices and vise versa.
Sarah Rogers
Borders
from Chris Liuzzo
from Becca Glore
from Rachel Witbeck
from Michelle Beazley
Holding
from Kim Elliott
February 8 - Neighborhood
Connect
from Rachel Witbeck
Our home group talked about the importance of "disconnection" (stepping away from the chaos!) in order to calm our minds and truly connect with others.
Inclusion. Choice. Neighborhood.
from Carol Blessing
Bringing words to life.
Shifts
from Kirk Hinkleman
from Dan Trabue
At the close of last week, someone said
"It starts with the opening of a door..."
and I ran with that.
When all the doors
and all the windows
and all the gateways
are all finally opened
and every barrier has finally been torn down
all the universe will be opened as well.
February 15 - Family
from Kayla Bolink
“Fit” into the “pattern” to introduce.
•Start with a blank slate
•Introduce yourself
•Walk the dog
•Sit with someone for a meal/snack
•Being kind by leaving a crosswalk free (backing the car up if needed)
from Linda Leavitt
seeing with eyes of the heart. transformative inner shifts. never ending learning journey and stretch, done collectively and committed to co- creation. SPACE MAKING. what more is possible?
from Lynda Kahn
from Kirk Hinkleman
from Michelle Bazeley
from Rachel Witbeck
When we talked about 'neighborhoods' it was less about a physical location or more about the people, places and activities in it.
from Saniah Syeda
​" Our family is an ocean of emotions we all share and the depths of our connections are not always visible on the surface"
​
This doodle art collage was co-created by me and my sister showing that a family is an intricate,deep and complex entity with a range of emotions and connections. Its true strength lies in the profound and hidden bonds.These range of emotions are vast, varied and sometimes vulnerable much like the changing moods and currents of an ocean. The word"visible" was intentionally hidden by a fish which is trying too hard to put up a brave front. We tried to show the creatures in the ocean(as members in a family) experiencing crests and troughs of life. Every little thing in the art signifies an aspect of life, physical, mental, spiritual and emotional like the family bus, music from the radio, churning wheel, broken and joyful hearts, leaves of different colors etc.We are all a family when we listen, understand, love and care for each other.
from Beth Mount
This image is sticking with me in relationship to neighborhoods...the possibility of bringing the star down to the ground...with care..
February 22 - Citizenship
from Kirk Hinkleman
"In the corridors of my mind,
I envision a state
where the barriers of nationality and citizenship
fade into the recess of collective consciousness.
I want to be unburdened by bureaucratic delineations and witness the dismantling of autocratic fortifications,
allowing the free flow of interconnected thoughts
and shared humanity."
Saniah Syeda
from Saniah Syeda
February 29 - Creating Possibilities
Sculpture 1
Sculpture 2
Anonymous
Sculpture 1
Sculpture 2
Carol Blessing
"Like water, bring life."
Sculpture 1
Sculpture 2
Dan Trabue
The rope was all tied in knots, the Pen, captured in the knots. The door handle was locked. The old chunk of wood was worn and gnarly.
The chunk of worn wood, when cut, turned out to be a beautiful cedar inside. The knots were untied and the Pen set free. The door had a Key to open it. The old bell was ringing like Freedom.
Sculpture 1
Lynda Kahn
Sculpture 2
Saniah Syeda
Sculpture 2
Sculpture 1
"Every soul finds its space in the cosmic dance."
Creativity...Rachel Witbeck
The phrase "we're not in social services, we're in creation" has really stuck with me these last few weeks. This poster in my office is a reminder of that--we can flex our creativity and dream up better worlds for ourselves and those that come after us.
​I've been off and on adding to this doodle as we've been meeting together and today I added in some of the words and phrases that arose in our conversations that I was visualizing. I let it serve as the backdrop for my "sculpture" today.
Doodling...Dan Trabue
March 7 - Journey Stories
Life Works
How do we realize our Highest Future Potential? Perhaps it starts with a pause, an opening and a relaxing into ourselves with curiosity. Can we be still enough to let the light shine through the cracks and illuminate the very best of us. As individuals first, then collectively. Let’s stay connected and hold each other with compassion so we may do the holding of others. Much Metta! ~kirk
Mattingly Edge
Community Vision
Alice Saddy
Saniah Syeda
How should we see people?
See me with love, a gaze so tender, In your eyes, warmth and understanding render.
How should we hear people?
Hear me with a heart, attuned to my song, In the melody of empathy, we both belong.
How should we mobilize people?
Walk with my feelings, step by step, Through the valleys of joy, the mountains of depth.
How should we train people?
Fly with my thoughts, like a bird in the sky, Unbounded by limits, together we'll fly.
No more questions Please.....
Hand in hand, let's venture, you and I, Through the vast landscapes where dreams touch the sky. In the symphony of connection, we're a shining star, See me with love, and we'll go far. See me with love, and we'll go far.
Sarah Grandberg
Books
Pathfinders - John O'Brien and Beth Mount
How To Know A Person - David Brooks
The Creative Act: A Way of Being - Rick Rubin
Your Brain on Art - Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent - Isabel Wilkerson
Who Do We Choose To Be? - Margaret Wheatley
Facing Reality / Claiming Leadership / Restoring Sanity
Creating Blue Space - Hanns Meissner
Pathfinders' Studio Songbook
All I Know So Far
Pink
Anthem
Leonard Cohen
Every Star in the Sky Above
Dan Trabue and Friends
We Should Start Right Now
Loving Caliber
YESS i'm a MESS
Wheelchair Sports Camp
"One Love" Studio version
Miguel Torres Castro
(with thanks to Bob Marley)
"A Million Dreams"
Pink
(The Greatest Showman)
"Welcome To The Rock"
Come From Away
Broadway cast
Re-Creating Us Podcast
Neighbours International
What happens to people, families, communities, and society when we designate a person as ‘other’, based on perceptions of abilities or disabilities? Conversations about the power and meaning of words, practices, and stories, that make a difference in the work of reclaiming personhood, and re-creating the experience of Us.
The Re-Creating Us podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and a video version on YouTube
