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Dear Reader, 

I love every YES! issue, but this one is special. It addresses what I’ve come to believe is the overarching challenge (and opportunity) of our time. For more than 25 years, YES! has reported on real solutions, rooted in equity and care, that are improving people’s lives and preserving the vitality of our planet. While there are barriers to the mainstreaming of these solutions, none are insurmountable. But overcoming these barriers requires recognition of a shared purpose, which necessitates connection between a critical mass of people. Without connection, there is no movement. And as this moment has shown us, disconnection leads to isolation, loneliness, and polarization. We’re facing systemic challenges that, if not meaningfully addressed, could prevent all other solutions from being replicated at scale. 

As I shared in my last letter, I’m part of a group establishing Rooted Northwest, a co-housing community in Washington state that combines agri-village living and permaculture farming. We realized early that we needed a group decision-making model that avoided the pitfalls of both democracy (where 49% of the group feels disenfranchised) and consensus (where a single person can halt progress). Our solution was sociocracy, a peer-governance model rooted in equity and consent, where participants work together to find solutions that are within everyone’s range of tolerance. I’ve been amazed by the number of complex decisions we’ve been able to make that balance both community and individual needs. After seeing sociocracy up close, I now dream of a day when it becomes the go-to governance model for community organizations, small businesses, schools, even local governments. 

This solution, if broadly adopted, could literally help change the world. But like so many world-changing solutions, it takes practice, patience, and perseverance. And it only scales up if people connect, and stay connected. 

When things get hard or uncomfortable—as they undoubtedly will in 2024—we must collectively commit to staying focused on the big picture: creating the conditions to bring about a safe and joyful future. And that commitment begins with connection.

In community, 
Christine

P.S.: Thank you to everyone who supported our work in 2023—from those who became first-time donors to those who’ve been with us a decade or more, and everyone in between!