While the ideas and ideals around “community” and living IN community are appealing, are we really ready for it? What fears and hesitations do we hold? What about introverts – does living in community work only for extroverts who thrive on social interaction?
Jump into the recent explorations of Saphia Suarez, who navigates these questions through her series “Off the Hook,” featured on Nonprofit Quarterly.
Episode 1: I Don’t Think I’m Ready for Communalism
“Interdependency sustains the life of the planet. That’s what bell hooks says in her chapter on communalism in Where We Stand: Class Matters. I’ll be honest—I’ve been dreading this chapter.
Not because it’s not well-written or pithy or all the things bell hooks usually is—quite the opposite.
It is precisely because she is so right—communalism is integral to communal liberation. Obviously. How are we to obtain liberation in community without…communalism? The only thing is…communalism terrifies me.”
Episode 2: Find Your People
In this episode, Saphia reflects on a week spent at the Garrison Institute and her new excitement for the possibilities of community and communalism, and encourages us to “find our people.”
This article was originally published at https://nonprofitquarterly.org.
Going Further:
- Learn More about “Off the Hook” (NPQ)
- ‘Beloved Community’ is a Present Possibility (Sellassie)
- Start with What You Have, Where You Are: The Kheprw Story (Kheprw Institute)
