NW Intentional Communities Association: Spring Gathering

It was a blast attending the first in-person gathering of the Northwest Intentional Communities Association (NICA) since pre-covid, as their past several gatherings have been held online. But last weekend we gathered at the Geoclectic Grove in Buckley, Washington - a beautiful example of grassroots community building with an eco-intensive mission. I had never joined an online NICA event, so it was a treat getting to learn about the organization for the first time in person.

There were close to a dozen different communities present, each with a unique origin story, living situations, and community agreements and relationships. For some of us, co-living is a necessity and for others an ideal living style. For some, it began as a way to cut costs, for others it began as a way to co-parent.

Some communities present: Songaia, Jackson Place, The Hive, Lilium, Star Community, Dragonfly, Puyallup Cohousing, and ties to the Life Center in Philly and Findhorn in Scotland. The Cohousing and Ecovillage history is complex - but when all the “messiness” converges at a community of communities… real magic happens. The culture and housing issues of our time and place were the topic of the day: bringing together rural and urban communities. What were the benefits and challenges of rural and urban cohousing groups? How can urban and rural communities become partners to cross pollinate information between housing developments, so we can learn from each other as we continue to build better neighborhoods?

The current board of NICA was delightful: Lorna inspired me with the future of industrial hemp houses, Libby with her balanced and thoughtful opinion, Thomas reminded us to be careful of institutionalizing virtues in our community agreements (with his Jungian psychology background, DEI and meditation training, and business coaching), and Johnathan reminded me how the work of Martin Luther King Jr. & Gandhi with the Movement for a New Society have resonant values to my work as a human rights advocate in housing, land use, and food system rights.

I hope to stay again at the Geoclectic Grove soon, and attend the next NICA gatherings. I’ll keep you posted in my blog and emails about upcoming cohousing events and updates, holistic real estate services like land stewardship, storytelling, and market updates. Contact me directly for questions or sign up at the NICA website for community news!