COMMON GROUND CONSULTING LLC

Hope & Possibility

On my flights to Belgrade the past couple of days, I finished a great book that has been influencing my thinking in several areas. The book was a thoughtful gift from Gayla Nicholson, a board member with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Park County, Wyoming, a recent client.

I referenced portions of Ros and Ben Zander's 2002 classic, The Art of Possibility, in the closing keynote I gave at last week's Department of Education mentoring conference in Seattle, as it is so consistent with my framework for sustainability.

The book is inspiring, thought-provoking, and packed with strategies and actions that each of us can take to transform our thinking and our lives. This is one of those books that you could read ten times and still find something new. It reminded me of one of my all-time favorites books, Richard Bach's Illusions (Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah)—a book I've read and given away to friends over and over again. It reads quick, like the Zanders' book.

Although I haven't stopped to read the new bestseller, The Secret, I'll bet it is similar. I have been in a couple of great workshops lately which used concepts and ideas from The Secret as a framework. I love this kind of thinking and I'll be reading the book soon.

One of my mentors, Lynne Twist, says that “We don't actually live in the world, but rather the conversations we have about the world.”

This is an essential concept that runs through all of these books and videos. Its about reclaiming (or acknowledging) our personal power to decide the kind of life we want to live. Its not about money or fame or material things (although I have found that those things often follow when we we live into our passion), but instead its about defining who we want to be and how we want to live—our values, our beliefs, our priorities.

Some of you know that I am a big fan of personal mission statements. You can read mine on the main Common Ground website by Clicking Here. It seems like this is an idea that fits well into this conversation. Take a look and you can even download one of our Quick Tip newsletters that focuses on this strategy (for members in the Resources section of our site).

Crescent Rising: The Big Easy Back Up

Over the years, we've had a strong connection to New Orleans through our work. We've been there so many times and have always been struck by the spirit of this amazing city. When Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, I was a part of raising a lot of money to help provide humanitarian aid. Late last year, I helped coordinate a retreat for executive directors wanting to look at the roots of racism.

Now, Common Ground is involved in a major part of the reconstruction effort, offering our fundraising and management experience to Crescent Rising. Our role is in building the non-profit (social profit) infrastructure for the program and in assisting to promote and market this great new program to individual donors and investors.

Common Ground's staff drafted the project's mission and wrote and designed the following case statement. I hope you'll download it and think about ways you may want to get involved.

Nearly two years since Hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf Coast, many of New Orleans’ hardest-hit communities remain in shambles and more than 250,000 displaced residents struggle to survive in shelters or makeshift housing. Regulatory red tape has hindered the FEMA-funded demolition process – at the current pace, homeowners must wait more than a year to rebuild.

Amid endless talk of reconstruction, Crescent Rising is prepared to offer people affected by the catastrophe the chance to begin rebuilding their homes and reshaping their futures in just seven days. FEMA, the New Orleans Department of Environmental Quality and the Orleans Parish City Council all support the Crescent Rising free demolition program and agree that it is one of the most promising ways to speed the pace of relief and spark the city’s revitalization.

The success of Crescent Rising relies not only on its experienced management team and demolition partners, but also on private funding from corporate sponsorships and individual donations.

My Mentoring Family

One of the things I cherish about all of my work in youth mentoring, are the great friends I've made a long the way.

I thought I'd share a few pictures of the great people I've gotten to work with over the years. These are some of the brightest and most passionate people when it comes to improving the lives of kids through mentoring. I'm privileged to get to work with and learn from them as often as I do. This year, that has meant offering outstanding technical assistance and training through conferences in Chicago, Boston, and Seattle. I can't wait until next year!

Just some of my mentoring family . . .

Department of Education Regional Mentoring Conferences

Some of you have inquired about the workshops I provided at the regional mentoring conferences in Chicago, Boston, and Seattle. I've pasted the workshop abstracts below. Please let me know if you're interested in learning more.

Sustainability Planning

In order to ensure the continuation of critical youth and family services, it is essential to integrate proven sustainability strategies into the day-to-work of these programs as soon as possible. It is critical to think about sustainability in a broader sense and with a longer-term vision, extending beyond just the next grant cycle. In order to remain viable, programs must develop competencies which include marketing the benefits of the program to the community, demonstrating that services result in improved outcomes for children and families, and sharing and leveraging resources through partnership and collaboration. This workshop will provide strategies for achieving these goals.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the basic principles of social-profit sustainability.
2. Understand and be able to create logic models.
3. Describe the key roles and responsibilities of social profit boards.
4. Develop strategies for involving stakeholders in sustainability planning.

The Power of Diversity

If youth service programs are to succeed in improving social conditions in this country, it is critical that the field is actively engaged in understanding and addressing issues of diversity. This session will provide an opportunity for participants to engage in a variety of thought-provoking and highly interactive activities designed to challenge each of us to “step outside our comfort zones” and explore the ways in which we have been socialized concerning human differences. This workshop will involve participants on a personal level, as well as provide strategies for incorporating community building and anti-oppression strategies into existing and future programming.

Learning Objectives:

1. Be able to define and explore the interconnectedness of a variety of diversity issues.
2. Be able to explore difficult, challenging and often controversial issues in a safe environment.
3. Explore strategies for dealing effectively (both personally and organizationally) with a myriad of related diversity issues.
4. Recognize the added strength of diversity in problem-solving efforts.

Youth Mentoring: Next Steps

Many of you know that I provide quite a bit of training and technical assistance to mentoring programs across the United States.

I got involved in this work more than ten years ago as a contractor for the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and the Northwest Regional Educational Lab's (NWREL) National Mentoring Center (NMC).

The past few years I've been working for EMT Associates who is the technical assistance provider to all of the Department of Education's funded mentoring programs. Their Mentoring Resource Center is a terrific place to check for help to many of your questions.

The work is incredibly rewarding as mentoring is such a proven strategy in our efforts to support healthy youth development.

Over the past few months, I've have the chance to work with many outstanding colleagues and friends to offer cutting-edge training through a series of regional conferences in Chicago, Boston, and Seattle. Our last conference ended in Seattle yesterday and I had the chance to provide a closing keynote that focused on the power of possibility when it comes to sustainability.

My work on the project will continue over the coming months with eight on-site technical assistance visits scheduled all over the United States.

And How Are the Children?

Earlier today, I provided a closing keynote address to the Department of Education's Regional Mentoring Conference in Seattle.

I liked giving this speech—which focused on the mindset necessary for achieving sustainability—because it really lets me talk from a place of passion. Its an interactive speech with the audience having the chance to be involved.

(Borrowing from a colleague) I began my remarks this way:

“And How Are the Children? And How Are the Children?

Among the most accomplished and fabled tribes of Kenya, no tribe was more well-known, intelligent, or fearsome than the Masai.

Even today the warrior spirit is still present with ritual and sacred ceremony. It may seem surprising to you then that the traditional greeting between Masai Warriors:

Kasserian Ingera

Which means ”And How Are the Children.“

The traditional and hoped-for response to this question, even among warriors who have no children of their own, is simply . . .

”All of the Children Are Well.“

Meaning, of course, that peace and safety prevail and that the tribe’s priority of protecting the young and the powerless is still intact—that the Masai society has not forgotten its values, its reason for being.

”All of the Children Are Well“ means that life is good. It means that the daily struggles of existence, even for a poor people, still includes taking care of its young.

How might our priorities here in our country change if we took to greeting each other with this daily question:

”And How Are the Children?“

If in every situation where greetings are exchanged we asked about our kids, their welfare, their safety . . . how would our communities change?

Imagine if it became the practice at every presidential press conference for our Commander in Chief to answer the question:

”Mr. President . . . And How are the Children?

Imagine our governors, our mayors, the principals of our schools, our program officers, our board chairs, our colleagues, friends, and families, all being asked that same question everyday . . .

“And How are the Children? Are the Children All Well?”

Imagine . . .“

Benjamin Franklin Pierce aka Cutest Kid on the Planet!

So one of the things that I have been looking forward to about this trip to the West Coast, is the chance to hang out with my newest “nephew” Ben, the son of my good friend Mike and his wife Bek. I've been working with Mike for almost ten years through various mentoring initiatives. He's a truly special friend to me. In fact, I was in his home city of Portland last year when this beautiful kid was born! He and I were arguing, of course, but that made it even more special.

Ben had a rough start in life, but as you can see, he's doing great and has an amazing gentle, loving spirit! Uncle Craig and Aunt (Dr. Mentor) Susan are very proud!

When asked about the name, the parents reply:

We’ve had a ton of folks ask about his name… The simple answer is that we loved Benjamin and tried for months to come up with a good middle name. When we locked in on Benjamin Franklin Pierce, there were several wonderful reasons:

1) It’s an ode to his dad’s roots in Iowa, the Hawkeye state.

2) The character of Hawkeye on MASH is one that actually meant a lot to both Bek and myself, but mostly me. Growing up, the character always fascinated me, and those that know me well will tell you that, other than my own father, that fictional character probably has more to do with who I am as a person than anything else. Among the qualities that Bek and myself loved about Hawkeye:

• His compassion and humanity. This was a character that was faced with the worst the world had to offer, yet he faced it with bravery, love, caring, and healing. In the face of horrors, he never lost sight of the beauty and preciousness of life. Hawkeye hated what we are capable of, it frankly devastated him. Yet he did what had to be done. If only more of us despised war and violence. If only more of us stood up to hate and fear with real love and caring, not lip service or self righteousness.

• His morality. The Hawkeye character was perhaps the most moral character in the history of mass entertainment. Which is something many found somewhat “preachy” as the show wound down, but which I always felt came from a place of honesty and purpose. Many of the episodes of the show center around Hawkeye wrestling with an ethical dilemma or trying to find an answer to a universal problem. And, to be clear, by morality I do not mean dogma or blind faith. In fact, many episodes feature him searching for meaning and understanding in opposition to others’ dogmatic “truths” and the harm they were causing. He did not believe in meaning without context. And in spite of his strong values, he was often wrong, yet not afraid to be so. His search for truth and meaning was just that: a search. Some may call that situational ethics, but I understood it as intelligence. As a young man, this was a tremendous influence on me. I realized that it is possible to have both morality and shades of grey. That is a lesson we seem to have forgotten. If only more of us thought that we were capable of being wrong.

• His love of a good time. As moral and purposeful as the character was, he was also a total lout. He chased babes and had a still in his room. And while I hope Ben has the good sense to exhibit moderation in all vices, I do want him to live life to the fullest, to meet it head on, to have a good time while he’s here. Hawkeye also brought humor and laughter to even the grimmest of times. I want Ben to experience all the joys of this world, for it’s all we truly know. I want him to have one hell of a good time while he’s here. If only more of us valued the time we have, over worrying about how others spend their time.

There’s more I could write about this, but I guess it will come out over the years. Just know that we named him after more than a simple TV character. We named him after a character that somehow managed to embody the values, strengths, and spirit that we hope for our son. And one that gets him a kick-*ss nickname from day one.

Mentoring Resource Center

You all know that I have long been a fan of the National Mentoring Center (NMC) which was created as a result of JUMP (Juvenile Mentoring Program) funding from the Department of Justice through OJJDP.

With the majority of mentoring funding shifted to the Department of Education a few years ago, the Mentoring Resource Center (MRC) was created.

The MRC was created to provide United States Department of Education Mentoring Program grantees with training, technical assistance, publications, research, and consultation, all in an effort to help their program staff design and implement the highest quality mentoring programs. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, the MRC is a collaborative effort between EMT Associates, located in Folsom, CA, and the National Mentoring Center, located in Portland, OR. Both organizations have extensive experience in providing guidance, learning opportunities, and informational support to youth mentoring efforts.

The MRC works with the U.S. Department of Education on a number of services that should be valuable to ED Mentoring Programs. These services include initial training events to help programs get off to a good start, publications that will provide insights into implementing best practices, and a number of distance learning and resource sharing opportunities. I encourage you to peruse the website further for information about the U.S. Department of Education grantees and the services available.

Contact:

Questions related to the management and services of the MRC should be directed to:

EMT Associates
771 Oak Avenue Parkway, Suite 2
Folsom, CA 95630 
MRC Hotline: 1 (877) 579-4788, fax: (916) 983-6693 
email - [email protected]

For Technical Support:

MRC staff are available to assist grantees in the use of the website and the other technology driven components of our services. Staff is available in person Monday through Friday 8-5 PST. Staff is also available on a limited basis outside of those hours via email.

Copper River Salmon!

Can you believe that I managed to be in Seattle the very week that Copper River Salmon Arrived! Life is VERY, VERY good!

This was my third night eating salmon in Seattle (with my friends, Susan, Judy, and Kerrilyn), but my first Copper River Salmon (at the venerable Salty's Restaurant!)

(From Angela Brown)

Each May Pacific Northwest restaurants and markets herald the news - “Copper River salmon is here!” Copper River salmon? What is it? Why is everyone making such a fuss over it? One taste of this firm red fish, with its rich and nutty flavor, and you will understand why food lovers relish the three to four weeks that fresh Copper River salmon is available each year.

The Copper River flows in the state of Alaska. Almost 300 miles in length, this wild rushing river empties into Prince William Sound at the town of Cordova. Salmon that originate in these pristine waters are challenged by its length and its strong, chill rapids. Consequently, Copper River salmon are strong, robust creatures with a healthy store of natural oils and body fat. These qualities make the salmon among the richest, tastiest fish in the world. Fortunately, fatty Copper River salmon is good for you, as it is loaded with Omega-3 oils, which are recommended by the American Heart Association. Your heart is not the only part of your body that benefits from salmon consumption: studies have found that fish oil can help combat such ailments as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, breast cancer and migraines.

Northwest seafood lovers have turned the mid-May to mid-June Copper River salmon season into an annual celebration.

Seattle restaurateurs and markets compete to be the first to get an ice-packed shipment of the fresh salmon.

Area newspapers fill with advertisements announcing availability at fine dining establishments. Local residents pay top dollar for chef-prepared creations that feature the Copper River delicacy.

Copper River salmon is a big deal in Seattle and around the Pacific Northwest. Here are some resources to help you find out for yourself.

An Old Friend

While in Seattle this week, I had the chance to see one of my closest friends and meet his fiancé! I'll be a groomsman my buddy Al's wedding later this fall so, I couldn't miss an opportunity to meet the love of his life. We've known each other since college and lived together in both Philadelphia and Washington, DC. He's been an amazing friend, always there as someone to turn to when life gets tough.

Al and Amy and I shared a wonderful meal together on Lake Washington and dessert in the home they'll share once they're married.

Our time together was brief on this trip, but it was so easy falling into old conversations, talking about old friends and their lives and families, discussing great adventures, dreams for our lives, and hopes for seeing each other again soon. Its always great when despite the many twists and turns our journeys through life may take, we stumble upon familiar faces that slow the passing of time and help us find our way again.

Its even more wonderful to see those old friends so incredibly happy!