Recently, I attended Day 1 of a two day Action for Regional Equity forum on November 30, 2012 and was so impressed by the event that I thought I would share a few take home points with you.

First, Action for Regional Equity was founded in 2002, as part of a national effort to promote policies to create an equitable agenda. It is made up of various community organizations that work together in a coalition. Equity is an often misunderstood word, so at the forum they began by explaining what exactly the term meant. Equity is just and fair inclusion. An equitable society is one in which all can participate and prosper. 

The first take home point that I left the forum with is to: Lead with Equity. Many of the problems we face as a society intersect and can seem daunting to tackle, but if we first consider who is benefitting from a proposed policy change and who is it harming, we will know how to make the right decision.Read more

I paused to capture the first snowflakes falling on the red wooden footbridge, trying to highlight the contrast with somber grays and browns of the woods on this brisk first day of December. I'd share the photo as part of my Foursquare checkin, pushing it out to Facebook and Twitter as well. Such an action is now a regular part of my walks by the pond near our home; but stepping back, I can see how social media can be a powerful tool for those of us interested in the soul of our community.Read more