Swimming (and Biking) in the Same Direction

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Swimming (and Biking) in the Same Direction

Greeting Everyone,

I hope that 2021 has started off with a bit more optimism and hope for you. We still face incredible challenges in our country but now have a federal government that recognizes and is working to address the problems we face (see excerpt at the end of my newsletter from the President’s inaugural speech). It’s going to take a tremendous, sustained and coordinated effort to end the pandemic and recover the economy while mitigating the intersecting crises of climate, inequality and systemic racism. We all need to be part of the solution. Many state and local governments have been stepping up in important ways. Non-state actors from the business, nonprofit and philanthropic sectors are doing their part. We’re starting to swim in the same direction.

Please see below for:

Climate Ride fundraiser (‘biking in the same direction’) and how you can help. The picture above is from a morning ride up Twin Peaks behind our home on a remarkably clear day recently.
Consulting News: New Place-Based Partnership
Writing News: My Book Recommendations
Connected to Place Partner News

Please reach out if I can help in any way or to just let me know how you’re doing. It’s always great to hear from you.

With hope,

Matt

I’m joining a Climate Ride (read about their impact) to raise funds for nonprofit organizations on the frontline of addressing climate change and promoting livable, thriving and just communities. Over 3 days in May, I’ll ride 170 miles on the Central California Coast. I’ve made an initial pledge of $150. If you can, please join me and support my Climate Ride through a tax-deductible donation of any amount. Simply go to my Fundraising Page and click the ‘Support Me’ page. I appreciate your support!

Consulting News

In addition to supporting government agencies and nonprofits with strategic planning, my core practice continues to be supporting place-based networks and partnerships. Over the next few months, I am working with leaders from the Nature Conservancy of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City Zoo, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City Public Schools, local government, conservation and arts sectors, and the local community to develop a common vision and proposal for 134 acres of largely urban wilderness in central Oklahoma City. The collaborative process is supported by the Kirkpatrick Foundation. We’ll make use of my ‘Essential Conditions’ framework. Click buttons below for the framework and two prior blog posts I wrote on two of the conditions.

Essential Conditions for Place-Based Networks

Alignment in Networks

Backbone Support in Networks

Writing News

In writing my book, tentatively titled Connected to Place: Catalyzing Change for Environmental, Community and Personal Well-Being, I’ve drawn on the wisdom of so many clients, colleagues, researchers and experts and am grateful to all of them. This includes many great books from some wonderful authors. Please see my book recommendations below. The link will take you to Bookshop.org (an alternative to Amazon and other large retail corporations) that is an online portal supporting independent bookstores. If you can’t get to a book store in person, this is the next best thing!

Matt’s Book Recommendations

Matt’s Articles on Medium

Connected to Place Partner News

Walk SF (a Climate Ride beneficiary): Vision Zero Report Cards

With increasing pedestrian fatalities and injuries from car crashes in San Francisco, Walk SF has compiled and recently released the first District-by-District Vision Zero Report Cards. Constituents in each district of San Francisco now have data to request specific safety improvements in their neighborhood and their respective Supervisors are hearing from them. Safe walking throughout any city is imperative for its livability and sustainability.

Environmental Video Contest for Students in San Mateo County

Students in grades 4 through 12 who live or attend school in San Mateo County are invited to enter environmental videos in the CEC Student Film Fest cosponsored by the Citizens Environmental Council of Burlingame (CEC) and the Burlingame Environmental Club (BEC) of Burlingame High School. CEC is providing cash prizes that will be awarded to student filmmakers in three categories: grades 4-5 ($100), grades 6-8 ($150) and high school ($350). For details on the Film Fest and to submit entries, visit burlingamefilmfest.com or email burlingameenvironmentalclub@gmail.com.

Excerpt from President Biden’s Inaugural Address (January 20, 2021)

Few people in our nation's history have been more challenged or found a time more challenging or difficult than the time we're in now. Once-in-a-century virus that silently stalks the country. It's taken as many lives in one year as America lost in all of World War II. Millions of jobs have been lost. Hundreds of thousands of businesses closed. A cry for racial justice, some four hundred years in the making moves us. The dream of justice for all will be deferred no longer.
The cry for survival comes from planet itself, a cry that can’t be any more desperate or any more clear. And now a rise of political extremism, white supremacy, domestic terrorism that we must confront and we will defeat.
To overcome these challenges, to restore the soul and secure the future of America requires so much more than words. It requires the most elusive of all things in a democracy: unity, unity.

Visit Us at www.connectedtoplace.com

Consulting Services

Contact Matt at mbiggar@connectedtoplace.com

Articles on Medium by Matt Biggar, Ph. D.