Next Week’s Public Event—The Crash Course Live

Academy of Music, Northampton, MA, Thursday, July 8, at 7:00 pm    Event Link

I’ve traveled widely this year, and I am greatly looking forward to bringing a well-honed message to a live audience at a really nice venue right here in my own backyard.  On Thursday, July 8th, I’ll be presenting a condensed version of the Crash Course, updated for recent events, followed by an ample audience Q&A segment.  Want to hear my views on where the economy is headed?  Then come to this talk and ask away.

Opportunities like this represent one of the very best low-cost opportunities that I can offer to bring together like-minded folks under one roof, allow you get to know each other face-to-face, and foster the kind of mutual understanding and regionally-relevant dialogue that is critically important right now.

This talk inevitably raises the question, "Okay, so what do we do?"

Several groups that are already well down the path of offering solutions will be a part of the event.  There is so much incredible work being done around here in the Pioneer Valley:  Community farms are being created, time banks are in full swing, and the essential relationship-building work of Transition is happening all over the Valley.

For those unfamiliar with the Transition movement, it’s a genuine grassroots movement to build resilience on a very local scale.  I’ve had the pleasure of spending a morning with Rob Hopkins, the founder of the Transition movement, and working with the Transition organization in the UK.  I am delighted that two local Transition initiatives, Transition Northampton and Transition Montague, requested that I give this talk as an awareness-raising event.

We’re really hoping that efforts like Transition can catch on, because they are needed urgently.

After the talk, two international Transition trainers, Sophy Banks and Naresh Giangrande, will be speaking about the Transition Movement.  In the lobby outside the talk, we plan to have tables where local organizations like those above can share information and materials and gather new members.

Of course, the talk will still be relevant to those outside of Western Mass, especially if you want to see, hear and touch real organizations that are up and about and not waiting to be told to get started.

Regardless, whether you live nearby or within tolerable driving distance, I encourage you to join us, check out the Transition movement, the Time Bank, and Grow Food Northampton, and be a part of the positive answer to the inevitable and increasingly urgent question: “What do we do?”

Academy of Music Theater
274 Main Street, Northampton   (Directions)

Thursday, July 8th, 2010
7:00 pm, doors open at 6:15pm
Suggested Donation $10