Unconference: Exploring Regeneration in the Bay Area with Insights from Jem Bendell

Exploring Regeneration in the Bay Area: A Day with Jem Bendell

Join us for an thought-provoking unconference on Saturday, October 19th, as we delve into the crucial topics surrounding relocalization and regeneration in the face of global challenges. We welcome the author of the Deep Adaptation paper and collaborator on the Breaking Together book, Jem Bendell, to kick off this transformative event.

Jem is in the Bay Area to co-lead a 4 day course Leading Through Collapse (a few places are still available).

Event Highlights:

• Welcome and Presenting (9:40 AM) 
• Keynote Address by Jem Bendell (10:00 AM): From Acting Up to Digging Down: one path for change in an era of degeneration.
• Collaborative Agenda Creation (10:45 AM): Facilitated by Kaliya Young, a long-time friend of Jem's, and internationally respected facilitator. We'll use Open Space Technology to support those gathered to co-create the rest of the day's agenda. 
• Interactive Sessions (11:30-4:30): Engage in dynamic discussions on a range of topics you bring to discuss including:
  • Local food systems and food security
  • Ecovillages and sustainable community models
  • Small-scale economies and alternative currencies
  • Personal and community resilience strategies
  • Ecological restoration and regenerative practices
• Closing (4:30-5:30): Reflection all together as a group about all the sessions. 
• Networking Opportunities: Connect with like-minded individuals, activists, and professionals passionate about creating positive change in the Bay Area and beyond.

Why Attend?

This event offers a unique opportunity to:

1. Learn from Jem Bendell's extensive experience and insights on adapting to our changing world.
2. Contribute your own knowledge and ideas in a collaborative, participant-driven format.
3. Explore practical solutions for building resilient, regenerative communities in the Bay Area.
4. Network with a diverse group of change-makers, from grassroots activists to sustainability professionals.
5. Be part of a growing movement towards a more sustainable and equitable future.

Event Details:

• Date: Saturday, October 19th
• Time: 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
• Location: Nile Hall, Preservation Park 13th St and MLK in Downtown Oakland, CA
• Lunch: Included in ticket price

• Doors Open at 9am
• Keynote by Jem at 10-10:45 am
• Agenda Co-Creation at 10:45-11:30 am
• Session 1 11:30 - 12:30
• Lunch  12:30 - 1:30
• Session 2  1:30 - 2:30
• Session 3 2:30 - 3:30
• Session 4 3:30 - 4:30 
• Closing    4:30 - 5:30 

Attendees have shared these potential topics for the unconference so far:

• More humans gardening equates to more humans connecting to their biology which includes honoring the entire life cycle, including death.
• Bioregional Belonging Programming
• Regenerative financial system & economics
• Solar punk
• systems change
• bright mirror
• Integral Bioregions
• “Bioregional governance and coordination in the Bay Delta, watershed by watershed" (baydelta.org) a conversation about 
• operationalizing bioregionalism in our home.
• collective vision building and sensing, how can we sense and see our community and participants (dreams, their projects, etc), 
• 'energy democracy
• Once you become collapse aware, what are the channels available to adapt, to change your way of life to respond?
• advancing storytelling
• Technology- what can we do with it, systems of power/ how do we stop weapons industry, fungi and fermentation
• What are the challenges in the ways in which we collaborate with others in the field of permaculture?
• cooperatives networks identity
• Bioregionalism
• Coordination Tools
• Participatory Governance

Don't miss this chance to be part of a transformative day of learning, sharing, and action. Together, we can explore new pathways for regeneration and resilience in our local communities and beyond. Secure your spot now and join us in shaping a more sustainable future for the Bay Area!

Jem Bendell is a prescient leader who 5 years ago posted the Deep Adaptation paper and catalyzed a community to offer mutual support and community for people in a range of professions.  To deeply adapt he chose to move to Indonesia and be part of founding, Bekandze Farm School.  He also worked with a group of collaborators to research Breaking Together published in 2023. 

Presented in partnership by Bay Area Permaculture Guild, Global Regeneration CoLab, and Identity Works, LLC.

FYI: This event is NOTAFLOF (no one turned away for lack of funds), please reach out if you want to attend but are limited monetarily.  OTOH if you are well off please register at a higher price to help others attend.  All money raised is going to be going to pay for the venue, food, donations to the farm and if there's anything leftover, it'll be a stipend for the organizers.