This is a good question for the hivemind so I started a Twitter thread about it :)

https://twitter.com/RichDecibels/status/1256173468221087746

Hey all, during our call Rich mentioned that there are some sparks around the US relating to Microsolidarity / mutual aid community. As a US citizen, I'm curious to learn more about this sphere. I also have some disheartened US friends and family who currently believe that "this kind of stuff" (Microsolidarity-esque care) is only happening outside of the country. @Richard D. Bartlett , can you share a bit more on this?

Hey Ronen, I haven't listened to the latest Maastricht call myself yet, but just read your comment here and felt to share that I appreciated your lines of enquiry and enjoy how your brain works. In our own Collective in Chiang Mai we've just noticed how recently we've become more much globally inclusive as many key members have moved overseas but stayed engaged in a meaningful way online. I thought this might somehow dilute the core bonds of the community but it has actually added a beautiful new element, and also dispelled fears for others that if they choose to leave Chiang Mai they won't lose their connection to the group they have come to love so dearly. With increasing us of AR and VR tools on the horizon for community building, I think the trend will continue in that direction, as well as lead us to form closer bonds in our closer proximities.

@Ronen Hirsch

The drink is Mate from South America (I'm from Argentina) :)

1: Wider/deeper reverberation?

As I was listening to this conversation I was wondering what it would be like to have one or two more people in the call. One person from the next circle of 3-4 people who are more active in the group. One person from the long-tail of the participation curve.

I imagine that there may have been reverberations both into the call and from the call out to the group.

I wonder about this as a pattern ... I sense a presence of power structures, leadership, ownership ... and I feel an urge to want to "mix things up" a bit.

2: Physical proximity as bias.

I have a deep respect for physical proximity and experience (still!) a yearning for it myself.

However, for me, personally, the Coronavirus has had a positive "flattening the field" effect. Because I live in retreat and am disinclined to travel, the online space is the primary participation space. When groups are founded on physical proximity (whether people live close together or share nomadic tendencies making it natural & appealing for them to travel in order to meet) I experience this as a systemic bias that draws in certain qualities of people and keeps out other qualities.

Beyond experiencing personal alienation (which I consider to be a valid outcome if that is, consciously or unconsciously, a group's choice) I believe that it seeds additional social and cultural biases that limit a kind of "genetic makeup" of the group (eg: a leaning towards fast-moving do-ocracy cultures that leave little space for qualities of presence & well-being).

If memory serves me correctly, it is Matt Mullenweg (project lead for WordPress), whose company is distributed all around the world, who suggested something along the lines that face-to-face meetings should be had as if they were continents apart - that things like documentation and decision making be respectful of the distributed nature of the shared space (if distributed is what you aspire to be).

Listening to this call I was left with questions ... I'm not asking for answers ... merely pointing out some lack of clarity:

• am I invited / would I be welcome to partake in this congregation or is this a Maastricht-only?

• I heard mention of people from other places but feel unclear about their standing in the group?

• which evokes in me question: what does characterize a congregation?

3: @Nati Lombardo 's drink :)

... what was that cup-ish container (small with two handles) and what was in it that is best consumed through a small straw?

I feel more brewing in me and will try to followup in the context of the "virtual meetup group" thread.

Thank you for having and sharing this conversation.

We had another conversation today, @Beatriz and @Joshua Glass sharing their latest updates and upcoming plans, and me and @Nati Lombardo sharing our impressions and advice.

We recorded the conversation so you can catch up on video or audio

future anthropologists and historians are going to be so happy with this pristine documentation 😂

An update from our 2nd congregation meeting aimed to orient the newly invited. We were 14 plus Ria and Simon who facilitated and did technical hosting : https://www.notion.so/microsolidaritymaastricht/Meeting-II-What-happened-in-April-fb0faf6355264e3fa3b782799293e46f

honestly I am so so happy to see this documentation, thank you for sharing your work in progress 🙏

Yay transparency! Yay consent!

Excellent! She is the best 😍

Hope to see you soon

Simon

Hey there! Thanks @Richard D. Bartlett for creating this thread for us. It's good timing because our Notion page following the project for a public audience is now ready to view!

For all who'd like follow our process, I'll be making the most detailed content updates and experiment documentations here.

I'll be adding more detail as we continue to bring this project to life as best as possible for all of you viewing through the interwebz. I'll have to get consent from the group before sharing anything like photos of humans or our Kumu map. More to come!

Hey @Joshua Glass I shifted your comment here out into a separate thread.

I would love it if you could use this as a space to occasionally drop in with updates, like a kind of public diary for you and @Beatriz to let us know how you're getting on with your plans. <3

Hey Simon,

I'm excited to see that there are some folks like you and Ria nearby ! Hopefully our communities can join forces. I'm reaching out to Ria to connect directly since she seems to be potentially available and nearby. Perhaps Bea and I end up coming out to Ransberg before 4 March. We'll be in touch !

Hi Joshua and Bea! The idea of something in Maastricht sounds great -- I am in the (slow) process of moving to a place half way between you and Brussels! And the people I know there are all into Art of Hosting, so there are loads of people who could help facilitate gatherings. Rich himself has visited Ria and me in Ransberg, so could fill you in a bit more from that perspective. Unfortunately I won't be in Belgium on 7th March as I've already booked my train back. I will be around in Ransberg from 21st Feb to 4th March, so maybe some opportunity to come and visit in the meantime?

All best wishes

Simon

A call for facilitation – a new mutual aid community out of Maastricht, NL

Hello out there! This is a call to connect with a great facilitator. 

My name is Joshua Glass. I am reaching out from Maastricht, The Netherlands on behalf of myself and co-host Beatriz Fonseca in hopes of connecting with lovely facilitators who would be available to hold space for our community. 

What: We are co-creating a new mutual aid community of about 20 to 40 people in and around Maastricht, the Netherlands based on Richard Bartlett’s proposal of Microsolidarity.

When + Where: There are three very special moments when we’ll need your facilitation.

MARCH 8 [½ day in Maastricht] 
APRIL 12 [½ day in Maastricht]
MAY 15–17 May OR 22–24 (!)  [2-3 days → within 3hr radius of Maastricht]

In between these moments we would like to remain in touch as we will be working closely with our group in a digital space (Whatsapp, Loomio, and/or Autopia) to co-create a program and set of topics for the May Gathering. The dates in May are the most crucial. If you are totally unable to join us during either of the first two meetings, we’ll do our best to find an additional person or facilitate ourselves.

The group: Our core is Bea and myself. We are a pair of co-hosts and organizers of this Congregation and Gathering. We are now having talks with 13 of our most trusted and motivated friends and colleagues in Western Europe to bring together the core of the Congregation. From there, the group should expand to about 30 people. We are between the ages of 23 and 40. Many of us are socially and/or environmentally engaged entrepreneurs or freelancers; some of us are finding our ways since recently graduating university. Overall, we are a group of people from many parts of the world who care about deep, genuine, emotional and playful connections with each other, ourselves and the planet.

What we need from you: 

• We are looking for someone who has experience in getting people to know themselves and each-other better. Someone who has a background in holding spaces for personal and interpersonal self-development.

• We would highly appreciate it if you’re fun and playful in your approach (but if you feel like you aren’t, we’re willing to compromise ;)) .

• You will definitely be able to join us during either of the proposed dates of our May Gathering, and you are also available to meet online –– especially between April and May –– in order to co-create the program of the Gathering.

• You’ll put cherries on the cake if:

  • you already know about Microsolidarity and have experience facilitating gatherings in this context.

  • you can join us in Maastricht during the first one or two meetings as well.

How we can reciprocate: We have some budget for facilitation. Let’s connect and dialogue about both of our costs and needs. This should be a win-win!

This is what we think we need to become an awesomely supportive group of people who are strengthening our abilities to do good work! We want to listen to your thoughts. We are working out loud and hope to share the process. Please reach out if what we’ve written here resonates with you and you can work with us.

With warmth and gratitude,

Joshua and Bea

P.S. have a look at our hour long Zoom call with Rich on starting up a new group here! https://youtu.be/Jg0X6YfHKaw