The Resilience We Want: Dreaming of Community Resiliency

Mutual aid networks and community gardens, buy nothing clubs and neighborhood dinners, ICE rapid response network and food pantries — the ingredients of community resilience are all around us.

We are facing environmental and political crises that can feel overwhelming and insurmountable, and yet all around us, people are coming together to make a better future. Community resiliency is this critical ability to come together to provide what our communities need for ourselves.

When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, people from across the island came together to create mutual aid centers. These hubs provided water, food, medical care, and more — allowing their communities to not only recover from the disaster, but to become even stronger than before. Learning from stories like this, we will define and begin to build community resiliency here at home.

How can we make our neighborhoods more resilient to disasters and other disruptions? What can we learn from other initiatives and communities?

Join us to explore what community resiliency could look like here at home

Our community is navigating climate change, an ICE surge on our immigrant neighbors, and rising living costs from corporate landlords. There are palpable and paralyzing feelings of despair, desperation, and powerlessness.

In this series we will face these challenges with creativity, care, and joy to help new and experienced organizers relight the fire inside, build our collective power and make real change. Together we will explore — what would it look like to not only survive a disaster, but thrive?

In this 2-part series we will create clear and motivating visions of community resilience, plan for how to get there, and take the first step towards making those dreams a reality.

Dreaming of Resilient Communities

"We can't build what we can't imagine."

Grounding in the inspiring stories of mutual aid centers in Puerto Rico, we will explore a range of questions about community connection and resilience, including: What makes a town or neighborhood feel like a community? How do we build connections today that can make life feel more joyful and connected—and help us feel more secure and resilient?

Using art, somatic practices, and Collective Imagination activities, we will develop clear visions of resiliency in each of our communities that activate and empower us.

Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.

Who is this for?

These workshops are open to all; we welcome aspiring, new and experienced organizers and groups of organizers from local organizations.

Each session will focus on different parts of collectively imagining and creating community resilience. You can absolutely attend one or both of these workshops individually, but we believe folks will get the most out of these if they attend both.

Part Two: Turning Dreams into Reality

Learn more about the second workshop and register here!

Accessibility - Masks are welcome but not required. The event space is up a flight of stairs. Participants are asked to refrain from wearing strong fragrances.

About the Organizers

GROUP PROJECT is a new space created to support locally focused projects in New Haven through relationships, resources, and skill-building.

This offering is supported by the Collective Imagination Practice Community. Imagination can change the world — learn more here.