Local Well Being Economy Tour

We completed 5 ½ stops on our Chips, Salsa & Collaboration tour of Southern California in the summer of 2025.

Each location had its own special feel thanks to the location and the co-hosts. Many similarities emerged through the discussions and we felt they were worth sharing with everyone.

The tone of the meetings was energized and fun. People commented on how great it was to be heard instead of being spoken to. Attendees got a chance to get to know several people and there was a strong desire for future connections, collaborations and to bring more people into the dialogues.

The most surprising thing was the focus on time. This showed up in multiple ways.

On a personal level, more time to be relaxed, be social, to be creative and to do things you love rather than things you must do.

On a community level, more time to connect, build deeper relationships, to be of service.

More time to collaborate effectively. To have patience for each other. Empty time for new things to emerge.

The second theme was around money. Things you would expect in a Wellbeing Economy – housing, affordability, social safety nets, equity. Also, several conversations around what obligations businesses have to support the community and as a force for civic participation.

Nature was a big theme – parks, local gardens, protection and regenerative of nature.

The importance of 3rd Spaces for people to connect at without needing to spend money and resocializing Civic Participation as an obligation and create conditions to support it were also present in many discussions of the positive future we want to co-create.

Our second and third conversations were focused on HOW we create these beautiful visions.

Cross Organization collaboration was a significant theme. How do we do it better than we do right now:

Build community, trust
Diversity, generational
Relaxed time to build relationships
Celebrate and amplify existing resources
Plan to accomplish things so people can be proud of their effort and input
Act in service to something greater than ourselves
Practice long term thinking
Create a Collective vision
Rank Issues
Support for new systems – Toolkits, Training, Backbones
3rd spaces to connect
Education to understand the connection between democracy, engagement, policies and community outcomes
Lift up working examples
Sustainable funding sources

Thanks to everyone who participated.

Onward, to phase 2 – more events, larger events with action plans and events in new locations.

Help us plan more of these events and keep the momentum going.

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Signup Form to come to a future event

Partners

Catalina Langen, Civic Wellbeing Partners & Santa Monica Bay Area Human Relations Council
Dave Rice, UN SDG Orange County Chapter
Lina Mira, Latino/Latina Round Table
Megan Anderson, God’s Pantry
Doug Everhart
Elizabeth Castillo, California State University San Bernardino.
Dr. Stacy Rebich Hespanha, The Central Coast Wellbeing Indicators Framework
Jay Corrales, Sharing Prosperity, LLC (the half)