Tipping Point Network Mini-Jam 2010

A gathering of 25 diverse and intergenerational social change movement leaders for four days of strategic thinking, personal and professional development, networking, community building, and spiritual attunement.

Summary

This Mini-Jam will bring current members of The Tipping Point Network together with a small group of selected guests. We will convene as humanity moves through a crucial moment of crisis and opportunity, seeking to better understand ourselves, one another, and how we can best serve in these rapidly changing times. The essence of a “Jam” (developed by YES! in gatherings of young leaders from more than 65 nations) is a space in which social entrepreneurs converge to support our paths of self knowledge, healing, liberation, and strategic impact. We meet up with a diverse group of exceptional leaders, and build partnerships based on the real ground of authenticity and trust. This is not so much a Jam of music (although there may be some music too!), but rather a Jam of ideas, inspiration, and commitment. We will create intentional space for the unscripted magic of our unique talents, ideas and spirits to show up and together create a synergy that is born of our chaordic self-organizing brilliance, and tempered with our love for convergence with a community of peers and allies.

The April, 2009 Tipping Point Network Mini-Jam generated wonderful responses.  Participant evaluations showed that, among other things, 100% of participants felt the program allowed them to show up and be present with themselves and others; to deepen their perspective on their lives, work, and the world; and to be supported in deeper relationships with people who are different from them.  As well, 96% of participants felt that the TPN Mini-Jam would help them to be more confident and capably in their lives and work.  And, 100% said they would like to participate in another gathering in a similar format.  That's why we're organizing it again!

"The example of so many people walking their talk and diving deep into difficult subjects inspires me to expand myself to great height, depth and breadth. I know I have many eyes and ears, many clear minds and full hearts to rely on for support, assistance and friendship.”  — Ben Mates, The Robert G. Hemingway Foundation 

Objectives

• Develop ways to use our collective wisdom to piece together a clearer picture of the challenges to and opportunities for accelerating the shift, and identify some of the best ways we have found to take action individually and collectively.

• Share information about our lives and initiatives, challenges and opportunities, creating the space to facilitate deep connections, offer assistance and support, and capitalize on synergies (including making use of the ever popular “barn-raising” format for giving participants support in their areas of greatest need)

• Create space for “taking off the mask”, for sharing our truth, and for vulnerability to be held in a context of love and wisdom – thus supporting the building of authentic relationships

• Bring to each day a healthy mixture of space for nourishing the body, stimulating and challenging the mind, and growing and healing in the emotional and spiritual realm

• Incorporate a variety of formats and models to connect, grow and learn together

• Maintain a focus on healthy, organic and vibrant processes

• Intentionally deepen our network and collaborative leadership practice, and develop the “service lab” – our learning lab for service and action

• Meet with key community leaders to deepen our own learning, and to share ideas and connections with the local community focused on sustainability

Think/Do Service Lab

Think: We will use a framework developed through past TPN gatherings for mapping our own efforts and tracking the crises to aid us in understanding where priorities for action might lie over the short and medium term. For example, participants in an October 2007 TPN meeting identified that the global economic meltdown might be one of the first of the "crises" to get attention of the mainstream. We'll also use our meta-strategies – changing big systems, building resilient communities, mythos (telling the new stories), and collaborative leadership – to help provide the holistic-thinking for understanding the challenges and opportunities of our times.
Do: Once we have identified a set of challenges and opportunities, we can then identify what actions need to happen next to accelerate the opportunities and ameliorate the challenges, and make these conclusions visible to those outside of TPN.
Do: Participants could use the Think/Do Lab analysis and action recommendations to a) implement in their own work; b) self-organize to implement with other TPN members; c) share with other organizations and networks—the analysis and/or the call to action.

A Note for TPN Members

This gathering has no intention of trying to become an organizational meeting or the launch of some big new initiative. Rather, we seek to build on what many feel has worked best in TPN’s first four years – the people involved. By convening a gathering whose primary focus is on supporting the work of a diverse group of exceptional human beings, and building partnerships and connections that can further our efforts, we believe the impact will be highly leveraged. We are all up to something big in the world, and this is a space for helping that something to become more true, more clear, and more wisely connected to other people and movements with which we interweave.

The Facilitators

This gathering is being coordinated by YES! founder Ocean Robbins, hosted by People's Grocery founder Malaika Bishop, and facilitated by Malaika and Ocean in tandem with Green America founder Alisa Gravitz and Transpartisan Alliance founder Joseph McCormick.

The Guests

In addition to TPN members and their spouses, we will invite approximately ten guests that add to the particular diversity we feel we need to optimize the richness and depth of our convergence and bring some new energy and insights into our learning journey. (We will be particularly interested in young people, people of color, philanthropists, and green transpartisan conservatives.) There is an application form for anyone interested in participating. Applicants must be nominated by a TPN member. TPN member's spouses are welcome to participate, and are asked to also fill out the application form so the organizers can get to know them. The application is linked below.

There is an application form available for anyone interested in participating. Applicants must be nominated by a TPN member. If you are a TPN member and wish to nominate someone, please invite them to fill out the application linked below.

The Site & Cost

Near the historic Sierra foothills town of Nevada City, Sierra Friends Center (home of the "Woolman Semester"), is located amid more than 230 acres of meadows, streams, woods, ponds, and organic gardens. This rustic tranquil setting has enhanced a wide variety of programs held there over the last four decades. Participants will sleep in single or double occupancy rooms and A-frame cabins with multiple common bathhouses.  Food will be primarily organic and plant-based.  If you have special dietary needs, please let us know.  The cost of this gathering, including room and board, including four nights and 11 meals, is $1,200, but participants can self-select on a sliding scale down as low as $600 if financially necessary, and can also request scholarship support to bring the cost lower still.  The true cost (factoring in all meeting planning, hosting, operational and related costs) is $1,200 per person. Tipping Point Network is committed to diversity in many forms, including class. We ask that participants contribute at the actual cost level of $1,200 if they can. As well, we invite and need donations to support an intended scholarship fund that can cover room and board for participants whose wealth of resources is not significantly monetary. For more details on budget, or to contribute to or apply for support from this fund, please contact us. IF YOU ARE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SCHOLARSHIP FUND PLEASE TELL US AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AS THE SCHOLARSHIPS WE CAN OFFER WILL DEPEND ON CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED Contact Ocean Robbins to offer support or for more information.

Timing and Travel

This TPN Mini-Jam will start with registration at 3 PM on Saturday, March 20. We will start our first session at 5:00 PM. Please plan to arrive by 4 pm to settle into your room, get comfortable with the space, etc. so we can start on time with everyone present. We will hold an afternoon of community engagement workshops on Sunday, March 21, with a variety of TPN members and guests offering workshops for the local community. This represents an opportunity to give something back to the community that is hosting us, and to share some of what we are up to with one another and with other changemakers in the area. The TPN Mini-Jam will complete on the morning of Wednesday, March 24. Those TPN members wishing to stay for a time of debrief and an exploration of what’s next for the network are asked to stay for a Wednesday morning meeting and to leave after lunch, and to tell us of this intention upon registration so we can arrange the necessary food.

If you are flying in, the closest airport is Sacramento, California (80 minutes away).  Reno airport is about 100 minutes, Oakland airport is about 2 1/2 hours, and San Francisco airport is about 3 hours drive.

Because we want to make the most of our time together, please plan to stay on site with us for the entire time we are together. If you can, please plan to leave office work behind, so you can be fully present for this time. There is a pay-phone on site, wireless internet access, and you will find extremely spotty cell phone access. For directions to the site, please click here.

Registration

Existing TPN members and their spouses, and guests whose applications have been accepted, can register online here.

Potential guests being nominated by TPN Members are asked to click here for the application.