[FreeGeek] bicycle bee potluck & consensus demo

[ifny]

just a reminder that you're all welcome to come to the bicycle bee
potluck meeting, tonight from 5pm onward (no problem if you need to
come late!). http://bicyclebee.blogspot.com

i hope we can transfer the lessons/strengths of the bee over to our FG
styled endeavor. there are many affinities. it was consensus based,
non-hierarchical, & was an event where there was a huge difference in
skill levels. we offered a supportive, accessible space for people who
were intimidated and/or had had negative experiences in the past,
either because of cool-factor/cliques, insensitive experts or
perceived roles (e.g. girls don't play with tools).

it was also a process where everyone was encouraged to
learn-as-they-went, & try new things & play. attention was given to
supporting risk-taking. it also had a social aspect, making new
connections & reinvigorating existing communities.

in general, i believe firmly that everyone brings things to the table.
unfortunately we're trained to defer to experts & authority figures
(apparently they've stopped learning), or people who have precedence
(apparently timing is everything). deferral usually means that
potential for participation / diversity / innovation / interactivity
is wasted. waste bothers me, in any context.

the bee was designed with these, (& lotsa other things) in mind. (btw
lots of this stuff has crystallized in retrospect, through its
development. the weekend worked out pretty much as we'd hoped, & yet
hadn't exactly known was possible) :
how do we let people know they are valuable?
how do we undo damage caused by exclusion?
how do we make a good learning environment?
how do we encourage people to participate, & have fun doing it?
how do we do this in a way that is natural & fun & subversive, for us too?

i'm very proud of what we did. not just the weekend itself, but in the
precedent we set, & the effect on the community. we learned just as
much through our planning potlucks as anything else, just as we
intended to.

the last bikebee was the first of many. too much fun, & too subversive
not to repeat!

please join us for dinner & a listen. we'll eat, talk about the last
bee, & future directions. our meetings are always open to everyone,
whether you're bringing food, thoughts, or just yourself!

!fny

http://bicyclebee.blogspot.com
good ole potluck meeting+debrief
SUNDAY NOV 5, 5:00pm
ALL ARE WELCOME
the chair factory, 2nd floor, 1624 franklin st. (betw commerical &
woodland, 1 blk north of hastings.)

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=1624+franklin+street,+vancouver+bc&ie=UTF8&z=15&om=1&iwloc=A