Creating a New "We"

PA Downtown Conference Reflections PLUS a New Trail Town 101 Course

Photo credit: Alan Levine. Titled “As Neighbors Do,” Levine says of this photo that he met Malcolm and Mariana while out for a walk. Malcolm, who shares his land with walkers and school kids, told Levine, "The world's made better by sharing."

I’d like to welcome all my new subscribers, many of whom I met at the Pennsylvania Downtown Conference last week. I’m happy to have you as part of the Cycle Forward community. I use this space to write about trails, placemaking, and the wonder of nature. It’s a newsletter that reads more like a blog. More importantly, it’s a place for trail advocates and community champions to come together and imagine a better collective future.

Scroll down for info on upcoming trainings and speaking engagements, a newly released federal resource (the ARC Chartbook), and a couple of recent Cycle Forward spotlights. But first, I’d like to reflect on the conference’s opening keynote presentation, which focused on how we can aspire to become a stronger, more unified nation. The speaker, Shaylyn Romney Garrett, co-authored The Upswing: How America Came Together a Century Ago and How We Can Do it Again. Her co-author was Robert Putnam, best known for Bowling Alone.

Romney Garrett shared how the Progressive Era of the early Twentieth Century brought people together to affect social, political, and economic change following a time of rampant individualism. She spoke about improvements that were made possible via settlement houses, labor unions, Black associations, women’s clubs, and the like, saying that change was brought about through the “immense collaboration of countless Americans living in a time of loneliness.”

By midcentury, the U.S. had experienced an “upswing” to a more communitarian society. But we’ve slipped back again. Hearing this – and seeing the data – reminded me of something I recently heard from one of my Appalachian Leadership Institute instructors, Dr. Tim Ezzell. He believes that self-centeredness is currently the biggest problem we have in this country. That makes twice in a three-week span that I’ve heard that individualism does not work well for us.

So what are we to do?

Romney Garrett holds that social, political, and economic change must begin with a change of heart. She argues that we don’t need to start in the halls of power, but rather in “places of heart, places of connection.” She shared that we often “skip right over neighborliness” in striving to affect change. It’s a critical misstep. She urged us to create a new “we” rather than blaming the other side for our societal problems. She calls for “over the back fence citizenship.”

And honestly, friends, this is the hardest part. When the person across the fence or down the hall has beliefs that are counter to your own (sometimes to the extreme) it is really hard to find the common ground, to recognize and acknowledge the best in them, and build trust and relationship. This is hard work. It’s an ongoing practice. And it’s essential. I’m going to be working on this for a long time (because, again, it’s not easy) and hope you will be, too. In the meantime, if you’re looking for ideas on keeping your own personal frustration at bay, you might want to check out my “Good Neighbor Resilience” post.

Trail Towns 101 Course

I'm so excited to partner with Michele Archie of The Harbinger Consultancy to offer this first-time trail town training, Trail Towns 101! We are offering three 2-hour live video conference sessions plus one-on-one coaching. Trail Towns 101 will help you take the next steps toward unlocking the full potential of your local trails. There's also an "accelerator" option if you want to get involved even sooner.

Use code CycleForward for 10% off the cost of the course. When you register by August 31, you can receive the 20% early bird discount AND the 10% off discount!

Trail Towns: Cultivating Community through Hiking

Join me and the Intentional Hiking community on Thursday, July 18 at 7PM (EDT) for a live virtual conversation on trail towns. I will be sharing insight and inspiration for leveraging trails to enhance community. Whether you're a community leader, trail advocate, or simply interested in the dynamic relationship between trails and towns, this conversation is for you. I hope you’ll join us!

Appalachian Regional Commission Feature & Resource

I’m deeply honored to have been featured in the Appalachian Regional Commission’s Pride Month series. The spotlight series included LGBTQ+ partners who help lead and uplift Appalachian communities. I've never felt more sure about my place in the region, thanks mostly to being involved in the Appalachian Leadership Institute over the past nine months.

In the same feature newsletter, ARC announced the lowest number of economically distressed Appalachian counties in 19 years(!). Though there is still work to be done, this is good news for Appalachia and those of us who live and work in the region.

ARC also recently released its 14^th annual update of “The Chartbook,” a compilation of 300K+ data points on Appalachia's population, education, employment and more between 2018 and 2022.

SBDC Feature

Speaking of feature stories… Duquesne University Small Business Development Center recently featured Cycle Forward as a Success Story! I started working with Duquesne University SBDC over 10 years ago to get Cycle Forward off the ground, and I recently requested their help with hiring and growing my business. I’m grateful for Duquesne University SBDC's support during this time of growth for Cycle Forward, and I definitely recommend this center to other small businesses.

Read the whole story here. View the Success Story video here:

Gratitude Notes

It’s been a wild few months with projects, work travel, and getting through my Appalachian Leadership Training (we graduate in D.C. later this month!). I’m so grateful to Kathi for being such a steady force here at home, to Alicia Broudy for her work at Cycle Forward, and to everyone who’s offered me so much grace and support. It’s much appreciated and has allowed for my personal and professional expansion, moments of wonder, and feelings of deep and lasting connection.

How fortunate I am.