Co-Creating A Thriving Future for the Bay Area: An Unconference

Join a community-crafted gathering to explore community, resilience, restoration, and regeneration in the San Francisco Bay & Delta.

These are days of darkness & possibility, uncertainty & opportunity. We are calling doers and dreamers from all walks of life to join together and create the story of a thriving future for all life, where we live: the Bay Delta Bioregion, and its many beautiful watersheds and communities.

The Question: How do we better collaborate within and across communities and watersheds to co-create a thriving future for all life?

In true unconference fashion, the rest is up to you! Participants will create the agenda. You can propose your own topic and there will be many stimulating sessions to join.

Sessions will cover a wide range of topics, such as local food systems, bioregionalism, land stewardship, social justice, solidarity economy, ecological restoration, regenerative practices, Indigenous leadership, storytelling, solarpunk, the "collapse", and cooperation. Formats will run the gamut from inspiring conversations to somatic exercises to “roll up your sleeves” problem-solving.

This event is for everyone whether you’re professionally involved, active as a volunteer and community member, or curious about how you can contribute.

Don't miss this chance to experience a transformative and joyful day of networking, connecting, sharing, and action-making. We hope this will be the first of many gatherings that grow the movement to re-imagine a world that works for all life. Together, we will create new pathways for regeneration and resilience in the Bay and beyond.

Presented in partnership by east bay permaculture guild, Global Regeneration CoLab, Kaliya Young’s unconference facilitation team, and The Bay Delta Trust.

Event Details:

Date: Saturday, May 3rd, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM PDT
Location: Laney College Student Center in Oakland, CA
Tickets: $50-$200 (includes lunch)
- This event is No One Turned Away For Lack Of Funds. Please reach out if you want to attend but are limited monetarily.
- On the other hand, if you are well-off, please register at a higher price to help others attend. Proceeds will be used to pay for the venue and food. Anything left over will be a stipend for the facilitation team.

Event Schedule

Doors open & socializing with coffee & snacks (9:00 - 9:45 AM)
Opening Circle (9:45 AM)
- Introduction to Bioregionalism (10:00 AM)
- Collaborative Agenda Creation (10:30 AM): Facilitated by Kaliya Young, a long-time Open Space unconference facilitator.
Morning Interactive Sessions (11:30-12:30): Engage in dynamic sessions on a range of topics and formats offered by participants
Lunch Break & socializing (12:30-1:30)
Afternoon Interactive Sessions (1:30 - 4:30) More dynamic sessions on a range of topics and formats offered by participants
Closing Circle (4:30-5:30): Group reflection on the day and sharing of next steps.

FAQ

What’s an “unconference”?

An unconference is a participant-driven gathering where attendees create the agenda on the day of the event rather than following a pre-planned schedule. Anyone can propose topics, lead discussions, or move freely between sessions based on their interests and where they can best contribute. The format emphasizes active participation and collaborative learning over traditional presentations, capturing the energy of those valuable "hallway conversations" that happen at conventional conferences.

What’s a “bioregion”? And what is “bioregionalism”?

Bioregion is shorthand for ‘bio-cultural region’. Bioregions reflect natural boundaries, such as watersheds, mountain ranges, or ecological zones, rather than abstract political borders.

The concept of bioregion emphasizes the interconnectedness of all life in a place, and promotes the idea that human communities should adapt their lifestyles and practices to align with the specific ecological characteristics of their bioregion.

Bioregionalism is a philosophy that connects people and ideas into place, which work watershed by watershed, in ways that are sustainable, democratic and just.

Why should I attend?

This event offers a unique opportunity to:

Contribute your own knowledge and ideas in a collaborative, participant-driven format.
Explore practical solutions for building resilient, regenerative communities in this bioregion.
Connect with like-minded individuals, activists, and professionals passionate about creating positive change in the Bay Area and beyond.
Be part of a growing movement towards a thriving, regenerative future.

What are some of the topics that might be discussed?

Climate resilience and nature-based Solutions
Collaborative governance
Community resilience
Economics and equity
Ecological restoration
Environmental justice
Farming and food systems
Innovative solutions
Narrative & storytelling
Non-violent communications
Participatory planning
Personal regeneration
Positive futures
Public health
Regenerative practices
Social justice
Sustainability
Water stewardship

Attendees have shared these potential sessions so far:

check back we'll be posting them