Our community fund is working on some challenging things. We are redistributing power and monetary resources. And we’re inviting a lot of people to do this work together in and as a community.
There is so much beauty, joy, possibility, and growth to be found in this effort! It makes me giddy to be meeting so many incredible neighbors, making new friends, and taking steps together toward our common futures.
At the same time, we recognize that money and power are charged and can be difficult to talk about. We all show up with different abilities to meet these topics and the challenges of collaborating. We arrive with our personal histories and from many different cultures. On top of all that, we’re human! Sometimes we show up joyful and energetic, and sometimes we show up tired and grumpy.
So what allows us to step up to the possibility of working in collaboration? How do we honor everyone’s humanity in our work together? What can help us feel more comfortable and supported in our shared spaces?
One useful tool is Community Agreements. You can download a PDF of them here. Kingston Common Futures has developed our community agreements based on our values and the Working Agreements of the original Design Team. We currently have seven agreements:
- Listen actively. Offer your attention to others generously, take time to hear what others are saying, allow the space for it to sync in, and consider asking clarifying questions to gain understanding.
- Make space as you take space. This is sometimes called take space/make space or move up/move up. If you tend to speak up, make sure you are offering space for others to share. If you tend to hold back, make sure you are offering your voice to the group to share your perspective.
- Invite curiosity and learning over judgment. Be in a practice of not knowing, suspending judgement, and trying on new ideas.
- Take care of yourself. Be honest and listen to your own limitations and needs so that you can best support yourself.
- Honor our differences. Acknowledge that we all have our own identities, needs, boundaries, abilities, and processes, that deserve consideration and respect. By honoring the differences in others we are able to nurture a diverse ecosystem that allows all of us to thrive.
- Be responsible for your actions. Take responsibility for your impact while being generous in your interpretation of the actions of others.
- Celebrate and support each other. Acknowledge and celebrate our efforts that align with these agreements while supporting one another to achieve an outcome that benefits all.
Together, these agreements help to guide our conduct and expectations. They are invitations to tune in, deepen our empathy, and to learn and grow together.
We hope that by doing our best to uphold them, everyone can co-create and cultivate courageous spaces that welcome and empower the gifts and voices of all members of this community to foster inclusive, connected, informed relationships.
Are there other working agreements or community agreements that have helped you to feel comfortable in a challenging space?
