Red Ridge, NC — engage, educate & employ to create a just, equitable & sustainable world
This may sound childish, but really? I just want to make the world a kind, open-minded place. A place where everyone has both what they need and what they want, as long as that doesn’t harm anyone or anything else. And while I do realize that this sounds a bit like I’ve got blinders on, certainly can’t happen overnight, and may never happen to the entirety of the planet, it is my dream to do this for the small corner of the world where I can make a difference.
My goal is to design, create, build, forge, and grow Red Ridge, NC (RRNC), into an effective, longterm, sustainable, and self-sustaining non-governmental (NGO) entity, likely a B-corp, that while having a significant physical footprint (based in Saxapahaw, NC), it will develop into an entity with a much, much larger synergistic reach.
I envision forming RRNC into a structure that connects a wide variety of social pioneers and change-makers — making connections to mobilize resources and joining forces to achieve the best social value possible and other outcomes. Both resource mapping and impact gap mapping will help avoid the pitfalls of redundancy, while strengthening the value of our constituent parts. Having clear plans laid out, including aiming at achievable milestone goals and metrics to create the most needed change, will offer a roadmap to help keep RRNC on course.
RRNC is predicated on the concept that, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” In other words, when individual parts are connected together to form one single powerful entity, they are worth more than if the parts were in separate unrelated installations without the benefit of the ability to interact, especially when those parts transverse industry and issue area “silos” that don’t normally interact with each other.
While focusing on local/regional issues and organizations, RRNC will also partner with national and even international entities to draw on their strength, resources, and depth of knowledge. RRNC will advocate and lobby for legislative change, implement awareness campaigns, and write policy papers. It will secure funding for itself and its community partners through multiple revenue streams including micro-financing, writing and managing grants, socially aware investing, donations, crowdfunding, and the establishment of microbusinesses.
A significant portion of RRNC’s resources, both in literal and human capital, will be spent being the pivot point for its many partners, sharing technical support and fostering knowledge exchange. RRNC’s strong commitment to teaching and outreach will be conducted through forums, networks, list-serves, and events, including developing and hosting a variety of workshops and conferences, both physical and virtual.
RRNC’s commitment to achieving and maintaining a triple bottom line — Engage (planet), Educate (people), and Employ (prosperity) — is non negotiable and are expressed in the very structure of RRNC itself, as it’s programs and microbusinesses are organized into RRNCEngage, RRNCEducate, and RRNCEmploy.
