Imagine This in Oaxaca!!!

Berkana: Launching a Learning Center

The Berkana Institute connects and supports pioneering, life-affirming leaders around the world who strengthen their communities by working with the wisdom and wealth already present in its people, traditions and environment. We define a leader as anyone who wants to help, who is willing to step forward to create change in the world. We work with leadership learning centers, places where people gather to develop the capacity to solve their most pressing problems—such as food security, community health, ecological sustainability and economic self-reliance—by acting locally, connecting regionally and learning “trans-locally.” We have found these learning centers on every continent. We know they are everywhere.

What are we seeing that is causing us to call this into the world?
• Thinking green may have tipped—but it’s not sufficient. Living a “zero waste” or “one planet” lifestyle is barely on the horizon. We need a demonstration center in our urban communities that can introduce people to a direct experience of how to practice zero-waste living.
• We don’t really know how to “live locally.” As with going green, there’s a strong movement toward buying locally. But we really don’t know how to live within the resources of our bioregion—especially those of us living in urban centers. We need to learn together how to develop practices that rely upon locally available resources.
• Sustainability requires a shift in consciousness, not just action. It’s when we start looking at the interrelated aspects of our lives—food, waste, health, education, social systems—that we make available a new perspective on our impact. We need to create spaces that host people in this exploration.
• Transformation is more accessible face-to-face and hands-on. Virtual learning is strong and powerful, but it has its limitations—particularly when we want to practice with our hands. Cultivating plants, working with compost, making furniture out of waste—these activities engage us physically. And people still yearn for the kinds of connections we can only create in person together.

We could also host gathering space for meetings and events, workshops and conversations. ... and an incubation space for social innovators … Other space for artistic exploration... For music, dance, poetry. And so on…

mutual aid societies

"Beginning in southern India around 800 AD, a network of merchants' societies known as the Ayyavole 500 spread as far as Sri Lanka, Burma and Sumatra. The merchants agreed to cooperate and abide by a dharma, or code of conduct, ensuring honor both within the group and with outsiders. They sponsored trade fairs and maintained good relations with their local communities through philanthropic activities and tribute. The Ayyavole name was adopted far and wide for over 500 years; it became a "brand" associated with high quality products and fair dealings.

In the 1891 history Two Thousand Years of Gild Life, the social reformer Rev. Joseph Malet Lambert described the rules of guilds in ancient Rome, Anglo-Saxon England, and medieval Persia. Many of these societies united people by livelihood, some were religious cults, and others were locality-based, but they had common characteristics: regular contributions by members; bonds of fellowship confirmed by an oath or promise and reinforced by regular feasts and drinking parties; rules for preserving courtesy and order; and interestingly, most often, burial assistance. Beyond these basic attributes, the "gilds" were flexible, allowing for "the application of the fellowship or association to the most pressing need of the society of the day, whether mutual insurance against theft or fire, facilitation of trade, or in an imperfectly organized society, for purposes of police." (http://realitysandwich.com/node/482)

More here at the peer2peer foundation:

Me gusto las palabras de David. Son muy importantes. Todos.

Despues nuestra cena, incluyendo los personas que expresan interes en esto proyecto por correo: Carlos Ortega, Sten Maldonado, Mark Beam, Yolanda Lara Padilla, Kalindi Attar, Francisco Chupala, Ryan Bartlett, Alder Phillips, Marytere Osorio, Fabrice Edouard, Gerhard Buttner, Graciela Poliakoff, Juan Carlos Acuna y Val Nadeau.

Vamos a planear otra reunion en las proximas semanas.

Paz
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some words / algunas palabras

Trust Confianza
Education Educacion
Integrity Integridad
Transparency Transparencia
Ethical Etico
Community Comunidad
Feedback Retroalimentacion
Entrepreneurial Emprendedor
Socially Responsible
Socialmente Responsable
Prestige Prestigio
Environmentally Friendly Ecologico
Transcultural Awareness
Conciencia Transcultural

the co-oaxaca project - draft summary

Co-Oaxaca (working name) is a cooperative organization that seeks to enhance the “well being” of Oaxaca through the support of businesses, non-profits and NGO’s that create social value in a sustainable manner. There are no shortage of organizations that fit this category, however, many have overlapping services, lack particular skillsets or knowledge necessary to succeed and/or have difficulty in creating a model that allows them to survive.

Through the creation of a physical space with a rich online network that captures the collective intelligence of its members, Co-Oaxaca seeks to build 1) a social network that makes it easier for members to connect with each other, to exchange information and to leverage each others skills, 2) makes links with networks outside of Oaxaca in Mexico and throughout the world for mutual benefit, and 3) an adaptive organizational model that provides mutual incentives in each other’s success.

To be financially sustainable several revenue models are being considered including a scalable monthly membership fee or service requirement depending on ability, fee for specialized services, product distribution and sales revenue, apartment rental fees (see below), among others. Pending results of a survey of potential members, Co-Oaxaca services under discussion could include:

Physical space: Café-deli with meeting places, Demonstration Projects, Shop with Piedra member products, Internet, telephone, fax, computer access and classes…

People connections: Designers, Web design, Lawyers, Accountants, Artisans, NGO’s, Government, Manufacturers, Marketing, Branding, Product distribution…

Connections to outside world: Other Sustainable Business, Social & Environmental organizations, Fair Trade and organic product certification, appropriate technology, Microfinance and other forms of grants and investment.

Virtual network: Website: Newsletter, links to resources, social network, media access and coop branding, product distribution…

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