How to build community (and how to cope with failure when you get it wrong)
Hello from Denver! I’ve crossed another timezone, so figured it a prescient time to share another brief update.
I last wrote about life on the road and what’s ahead for 2019. Going forward, I’ll try to bucket these posts into general professional, personal and “in between” categories. If you have questions or want to chat in more detail about the events or projects I share about here, please reach out!
Lahayim
Things with Lahayim are going well from our “remote HQ” (current location: Denver, Colorado, next location: Seattle, Washington). This time out on the road has already proven fruitful in generating positive and unexpected connections. A highlight from the past week was introducing Ruben Cantu, UT Austin’s Director of Inclusive Innovation, with Keith Daniel, the General Partner of Resilient Ventures, a new venture capital fund out of Durham, NC that focuses on closing the wealth gap by expanding access to capital, networks and opportunity for African-American entrepreneurs. Ruben and Keith’s missions are tremendously well-aligned, and I was grateful that the timing of meeting Ruben in Austin corresponded so well with my getting to know Keith’s work.
Otherwise, Lahayim is still in growth mode and looking to build additional partnerships throughout 2019! We’d love any introductions folks can make to community foundations, early-stage companies, entrepreneurial support organizations and impact-driven funds we can support with our services, all of which focus on sustainably scaling values-driven organizations.
Family Dinner
Last Sunday, we hosted our first Family Dinner in Austin, Texas. To recap the rationale behind launching Family Dinner, the program was borne out of a growing desire and need for more authentic community-building, as well as my own long-standing dream of hosting a “house synagogue” and creating a space in my home for radical dialog, hospitality, story-sharing and vulnerability.
At version 0.1, we had attendees from five different spiritual orientations (agnostic, atheist, Christian, Jewish, and questioning) gather, break bread and share their personal experiences with and relationships to the concepts of spirit and justice. It was thrilling to see this vision come to life, to commune over complex issues and questions, and to have the opportunity to safely test and think through how to create spaces like this more inclusively going forward.
The next iteration of Family Dinner is this coming Wednesday, February 27th in Denver, CO and will be co-hosted by two local organizations (The Sursy and supperhood) whose work focuses on community, bringing neighbors together, and fostering deep, lasting connections. We anticipate a larger crowd but will maintain the premise of a shared meal, softhearted discourse, and strengthening relationships new and old. Please email tolife@lahayim.co to RSVP or to connect about future Family Dinners. If you’re not able to join for an upcoming session, I would still relish your views on the topics we’re addressing. Please share thoughts!
Current “jobs to be done”
I’m thinking a lot about how to improve and support people and teams in improving individual and collective abilities to engage in cross-belief and cross-value work. This week, I had several conversations that emphasized our growing need to cultivate and maintain a global perspective — while still finding ways to upend the state of civic discourse in our own backyards. Both are lifelong challenges requiring the support and wisdom of communities, or the humility to tap into a greater body of knowledge and experience than we can bring to bear on problem-solving by ourselves. In light of this, I welcome and ask for your continued support with this ongoing challenge. Please share any thoughts or examples you have on how best to build and clarify locally attentive and globally aware best practices below.
Toda raba, sweet family and friends. Until next time.
To life, and to you.
Hannah
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