Microsolidarity Network Update
Leveling up our hosting skills one experiment at a time 🌿🌀
Hello dear Microsolidarity friends! Welcome to this month's tapestry of stories, updates, and invitations from across our network.
Today it’s
and from the Network Support Crew writing to you. Whether you're a longtime member or just discovering Microsolidarity, we’re delighted to connect with you through this month’s newsletter.This edition holds a rich smattering of lessons learnt, musings mused and invitations from our network members and friends.
👉 Take special note of today’s monthly Network Call where
and Jocelyn host an exploration of the pivotal points along our hosting journeys, plus an exciting update about El Tilo, Richard and Nati’s new retreat centre for you to visit near Barcelona!Community Highlights
👁️🗨️ Financial Sustainability: A Vision for Communities of the Future
Caleb Tenenbaum & Nina Raddy have written up a deeply thought-through financial vision for Community Village - a peer-led, community-first meditation sangha. They offer a transparent look at Community Village's financial past and present, alongside a vision rooted in Buddhist dana practices and gift economy principles. Their living document aims to contribute to a broader movement valuing community builders' work.
Caleb says: “If what you find there resonates with you, or you're working on something similar, reach out to me (caleb@community-village.org). We’re excited to collaborate, exchange ideas and welcome support to create models for sustainable, thriving communities together!”
🌐 The Nervous System as a Map of This American Moment
has written this moving reflection on the importance of building relationships that help us co-regulate our nervous systems and feel connected in a world that is pushing us apart.🌾 The Yincubator: Lessons Learnt from a Mutual Support Guesthouse
Don’t miss these interviews with Jocelyn Ames and Lauren Uba, two hosts of the recent Yincubator - an epically successful 2-month winter guesthouse for tribe support in Andalusia. How did they pull it off? What did they learn about leadership and hosting?
🏡 “Come to My House!”: Rich’s New Retreat Centre in Spain!
Rich and Nati are delighted to announce… They got a retreat centre! It’s a big beautiful villa in a forest park on the Maresme coast, 45 km from Barcelona.
“We’re offering this centre as a hub for our network of networks: The Hum, Microsolidarity, Enspiral, TPOT, and more. We’re imagining delicious meals with good company under this generous old tilo tree. We would love to see you there!”
Expect multi-day retreats, workshops, gatherings and regular co-living opportunities. Read the full announcement here and find the website here.
If you’d like to know about the process behind actualising and establishing Casa Tilo, here’s a brilliant interview between Richard D. Bartlett and Maeby.
Upcoming Events
🧰 Jonas Gröner is co-facilitating a 5-part online leadership training
Although part 1 started on April 1st, you can drop in to any of the remaining sessions (Tuesdays 18:00 - 20:30 CET via Zoom). The program covers core principles and practices of leadership for community organizers, some of which might ring a bell if you're familiar with Microsolidarity. Read more and sign up here or reach out to jonas.groener@civilaction.net if you have any questions.
🗺️ ‘Skills Tree’ Gathering in May
From 7 - 11th May, Rich and Jocelyn are hosting a small invite-only gathering at El Tilo, led by Michal Korzonek, bringing together more engaged network members to articulate the Microsolidarity skills tree and create a card deck of principles and patterns. If you think you've been overlooked in the invitation let them know - there are still two spots available! Email: microsolidarity@gmail.com
Resources
💬 In last month's Network Call, Lotti Neubert and Jocelyn Ames hosted an exploration of the Relationship Anarchy Smorgasbord - a helpful conversation starter about what you really want, expect and desire in your relationships.
Listen in as the group goes through the practice and talks about clarifying and navigating conflicts of interest and our experiences of bringing structured approaches into relationship-building. It was inspiring to hear that Synes Elischka already brought the tool into their project team vision building sessions! How and where could you use this tool?
Get involved!
👋 Monthly Network Call (today 19:30 CET / 10:30 PDT!)
Join Rich and Jocelyn to map out our stories and zoom in on the pivotal moments that increased our hosting capacity. Which capacities, skills and downloads did you develop that supported your next step?
Takeaways from this session will contribute to producing a card deck of Microsolidarity principles and patterns at the gathering at El Tilo in May.
To join these monthly calls, simply become a member via Open Collective for €3/month and you’ll receive a calendar invite with the Zoom link
🐝 The New Microsolidarity Telegram Channel is Thriving!
Our experimental Microsolidarity Telegram channel is now flourishing as a hub for connections and support. The space features regional channels for Berlin, Barcelona, Stockholm, and the US, plus Crew invitations and a Job Offers & Requests thread.
Join here: https://t.me/microsolidarity (make sure to read the pinned Welcome message)
Arriving in the channel is akin to arriving at a good houseparty, so make sure to introduce yourself within a week of arriving to let folks know who you are and what you’re up to! This is no place to be a stranger ;)
Note: While Discord will remain active, Telegram will become our primary digital connection space.
🗞️ We’re Building a Newsletter Crew — Want to Join?
has done an amazing job as our Newsletter Coordinator for the past year, and now it’s time to pass the torch. We’re excited to build a team of 2 or 3 people to share the task and expand its potential.If you enjoy writing, designing, or sharing ideas, this is a great chance to collaborate and help keep our network informed and connected.
If you’re interested, send an email to Jocelyn and Gui at microsolidarity@gmail.com
📨 Submit An Item to the Next Newsletter
Do you have a Microsolidarity-related invitation, request, piece of writing, art, musing or update you’d like to share in the next newsletter?
Submit your message here by April 23rd.
That’s it for now. Until next time! 🙋♀️
Jocelyn & Gui
Thank you so much for sharing my piece —thank you, Jocelyn, Gui, and everyone in the Microsolidarity network. Writing The Nervous System as a Map of This American Moment was my attempt to name something many of us have been feeling but struggling to language: the way cultural and political forces live in the body, and how relationships—especially in small, attuned groups—can become sites of coherence and possibility.
Microsolidarity has been a quiet companion in shaping this thinking, especially the emphasis on scale, trust, and relational practice. I’m grateful to be in conversation with others weaving care into the structures that hold us.
Looking forward to continuing to learn from all of you.