I am currently reading David Brook's book "How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen", It is jam packed with insights into the art and science of being good human. Amazon describes the book as "Driven by his trademark sense of curiosity and his determination to grow as a person, Brooks draws from the fields of psychology and neuroscience and from the worlds of theater, philosophy, history, and education to present a welcoming, hopeful, integrated approach to human connection."
In this book, Brooks describes how he helped to establish Weave: The Social Fabric Project with the Aspen Institute. I got curious and signed up for their newsletter. And since then, I have been inspired and encouraged by the work of these amazing "Weavers". I thought this blog was a perfect place to amplify their work and demonstrate their impact.
"In 2018, New York Times columnist David Brooks founded Weave: The Social Fabric Project at the Aspen Institute to address the crisis of broken social trust that has left Americans divided along many lines, isolated and unable to address our common needs. The project aims to turn Americans into a nation of weavers, spreading connection and belonging."
I think that we can all agree to some extent that the United States is living through a crisis of connection. Suicide rates have risen dramatically, especially among youth. The opioid epidemic has devastated communities. Fifty-eight percent of Americans say they are lonely. Violence, hatred, and political gridlock have become the norm. Yet, there seems to be little hope.
In communities throughout the country, in ways big and small, people are showing up for each other and building connection and trust. You probably know some of them. They are the people neighbors count on. They value everyone, no matter our differences, make us feel we belong, and act to bring people together to address shared needs. We call them weavers. You may be one of them.
Weavers create deep relationships with others where they live or work while tackling shared needs and building social trust. The Aspen Institute's Social Weave Project is dedicated to supporting these trust builders and inspiring all Americans to weave.
Here's how:
Weave supports the trust builders
The Weave Newsletter
Weave’s newsletter is a weekly dose of weaver stories, resources to fuel weaving, and reflections from many perspectives on what it means to invest in relationships and weave a strong, inclusive social fabric from the ground up.
The Weave Community
The Weave Community is an online home where weavers gather for peer support, learning, and collaboration. They share resources, discuss challenges, offer mentorship, and celebrate successes.
The Weave Learning Center
The Weave Learning Center is a place to gain or strengthen your community-building skills at your own pace or with other weavers. Offerings range from community organizing to public speaking to facilitating groups.
The Weaver Network
The Weaver Network of volunteer opportunities is a search engine to find and join organizations that are weaving near where you live.
Weaver Awards
The Weaver Awards unleash the power of philanthropy for neighborhoods. The Awards are a community-led model that enables foundations and corporations to find and invest through microgrants directly in the people weaving trust locally.
The Weave Speakers Bureau
The Weave Speakers Bureau trains and places weavers on stages large and small across the US to inspire others and create a nation of weavers. You can request a Weave Speaker to come to your community.
The Social Trust Index
When it comes to building social trust, three things matter: trusting behavior, trusting intentions, and trusting spaces. We’ve analyzed which of these are strongest for every neighborhood in the US.
The Social Trust Map
And just recently, they released the Weave’s Social Trust Map. They describe the Trust Map as a tool that "rates every neighborhood in the country on its Trusting Behaviors, Intentions, and Spaces, using dozens of data points from the US Census, surveys, and social media."
Watch a great video about Weave: The Social Fabric Project and restoring social trust across the US.
Learn more at: https://weavers.org/
Through these initiatives, the Aspen Institute’s Social Weave Project aims to create a more connected and caring America. Join us in weaving a stronger, more inclusive social fabric, consider getting engaged with the . Together, we can make a difference.
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