These are photographs from our brainstorm of Opportunities & Obstacles for Cultural Bridging in Santa Cruz County.

C3 Meeting 1 2015-2016

We were so happy to have you all here for the C3 kick off on October 3, 2015. Here’s a quick synopsis of our meeting in case you missed it (or want to relive it).

What an incredible group of County leaders we have in C3 this year! We had a great kick off meeting for C3. It began with a few icebreakers that allowed members to get to know one another, and some reconnection about why we are all coming together to do this work.

We individually reflected on what cultural bridging in Santa Cruz County means to each of us by answering the following questions:

• What are your hopes, dreams and/or visions for a more connected Santa Cruz County?
• Where do you currently see “pockets of greatness” – positive evidence of cultural bridging in Santa Cruz County?
• Where do you see opportunities for cultural bridging in Santa Cruz County?
• What are the main obstacles preventing cultural bridging in Santa Cruz County?

In small groups, we discussed what ideal cultural bridging looks like and pockets of greatness we already see in Santa Cruz County. Some artists in our groups illustrated these dreams. As a full group, we shared responses to map out a vision for cultural bridging together.

Small groups then discussed specific opportunities and obstacles for cultural bridging. Each group identified 3 opportunities written on blue paper and 3 obstacles written on yellow paper.

Alma and I sorted and grouped each topic into broad categories while members got to know each other better (please see this blog post that includes photographs of each grouping).

Everyone explored the opportunities and obstacles. Everyone thought about their own work professionally or personally in relation to these topics. Then members wrote their names and ideas on post it notes if they were working on or planning to work on any of these opportunities/obstacles this year.

Each member voted with green dots on the obstacle/opportunities they were most interested in exploring through C3. This will help us determine which topics and projects we will dive deeper into in the next two meetings. We’ll ask members who are working on projects relevant to those topics to present their work in the next two meetings. In those meetings we will all creatively brainstorm ways to strengthen that work. The following two meetings after that will plan the most engaging way to share our work and topics with the public at a 3rd Friday Festival at the MAH.

We had a yoga moment, members shared some upcoming events, we had lunch from India Joze with MAH board members and then toured the renovated Santa Cruz County History Exhibition.

Alma, Ana, Nina and I are now sorting through all the amazing notes and topics. We’ll narrow it down to a few to focus on and reach out to members working on those topics.

We are excited to share those topics and projects with you soon, and dive deeper into creative brainstorming this November!

Thanks for a great first gathering,

Stacey

Here is a compiled graph of community issues and interests, based on dot activity at the meeting.