Every time I look at the news in Kootenai County, I feel like the world is falling apart. People say terrible things on social media. Our community has appeared in the news more than once for hate crimes, and my own children often talk about how scared they are for the future, both locally and nationally.
When I started with OCE, I expected to see some of those same alarming dynamics playing out across the organizations I observed. Instead, I found the complete opposite. I have attended more than 80 convenings across a wide variety of organizations and met hundreds of people. The one thing they all share is a desire to do something positive and meaningful with their time. Their energy has given me new hope for our country.
Some of these groups are strictly social, while others are trying to solve problems that may never be fully fixed. But every group I have observed exists because the people within it want to do positive things together.
When I began this work, I fully expected to see people self-segregating along political lines. Instead, I repeatedly saw organizational leaders shut down that kind of rhetoric, actively rejecting polarization and toxicity. And people seemed relieved to let it go. It is strikingly clear that even those who disagree with one another still want to be together. They want to do good things, and they want to be part of something larger than themselves. Coming together gives them energy and joy.
It is common knowledge that humans need social connection and that meaningful work can make us happier, but rarely does someone get the privilege of seeing that play out so clearly. I feel very fortunate to have had this experience, and I am excited to see what we learn from the data. The people I am observing seem to feel the same way.
