ADVISORY BOARD MEETING

November 6, 2024

MEETING SUMMARY

The meeting opened with updates on partnerships. Resonance Hub as a nonprofit arm alongside Mobius Dynamics, formalized collaborations with SAI Strategic Applications International, Resilience Institute in Switzerland, and Mater Design in Zimbabwe. The partnership with PSI School in Kyiv continues and aims to support conflict evolution materials, with ongoing exploration of further global connections.

The board heard updates regarding several key contracts in progress. Project Unloaded proposes a Multarity dialogue series across the U.S. on gun issues, potentially launching early next year. The Act Now initiative is set to expand community-based programs on chronic absenteeism and other social issues. Additionally, the China Prospect Program invites collaboration for youth leadership and cultural exchange, bringing Chinese students to the U.S. in February.

Ginger and Chris will be in Boston the week of November 18th for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges leadership conference where they will deliver the opening keynote: The Future of Dialogue: A Multarity Approach to Belonging. Following the conference, they will work with Advisory Board member Luke Ryan to conduct the first Multarity Pop-Up.

The board was then introduced to Joy Rothenberg, Esq., a new board member supporting legal counsel, East Coast business development. Joy’s involvement brings added expertise, particularly with Middle Eastern business expansion.

The leadership is exploring compensation structures for members who bring in business opportunities.

Wyatt Jones was introduced as the newly appointed Youth Advisory Board (YAB) Chair. Wyatt presented the vision for the Youth Advisory Board, highlighting a mission to engage youth perspectives, foster empathy, and promote conflict resolution skills. The YAB board will recruit members through targeted outreach, with quarterly meetings scheduled throughout the year. Members shared ideas for expanding university and NGO connections, emphasizing the value of empathy and cultural understanding in these challenging times.

This section of the meeting concluded with expressions of gratitude, recognizing the collaborative spirit and diverse perspectives that define the Advisory Board’s work.

KEY NEEDS

  • We’re looking for business opportunities! Please continue to connect us to people and organizations you feel could benefit from the work of the Multarity Project and Multarity Thinking.

  • Youth Advisory Board Recruitment. If you know young people who you think would be a good fit for this board, feel free to send them the application when it is circulated in later November.

NEXT ADVISORY BOARD MEETING

Wednesday, February 5, 2025​

During our 2024 Q4 Advisory Board meeting , we facilitated a Multarity Session on Growth, drawing upon the our layered experiences that shape personal, professional, and societal transformation. It was a rich conversation that considered how growth often requires stepping into discomfort and accepting the unknown, where resilience and patience play a crucial role.

Reflections surfaced on how our individual journeys contribute to collective progress, sparking insights into the ways we can intentionally foster growth amid complex dynamics. We explored growth in contexts like popular culture, politics, and relationships, unpacking both the supportive and challenging forces that shape our paths.

This conversation invited us to question our own assumptions and to see adversity as a catalyst for change.

As you review the material below, we’d love your feedback and further insights. Please either complete this reflection form or send us an email with your feedback.

Pathways of Growth: A Journey Through Life’s Transformations

In this vivid landscape, the winding path symbolizes each of our journeys through life’s defining moments, inviting us to pause and reflect on what shapes us. The central tree, reaching upward and rooted firmly, hints at resilience and the branching choices we make. Rays of light illuminate the way forward, evoking hope, clarity, and the pull toward connection.

Each scene along the path holds a unique story, as shared by participants: the rugged mountains for the challenges that build resilience, a distant trek in Nepal as a symbol of self-discovery, the loss of parents as a journey through grief and renewal, and the pursuit of knowledge in the midst of personal crisis. Open books lie nearby, reflecting the wisdom gained through life’s trials and lessons. In the distance, a hot air balloon floats upward, echoing participants’ reflections on courage and the willingness to explore beyond comfort zones. These symbols invite us to see our own growth reflected here—to consider how adversity, wonder, and quiet persistence shape who we are becoming.

Wisdom of the Ages

In this timeless library, growth is depicted as an intrinsic part of our DNA, a legacy passed down through generations. Towering shelves filled with ancient books remind us that much of what we need to know has already been discovered, learned, and taught by those who came before us. Ethereal figures emerging from open texts represent inner wisdom, ancestral knowledge, and perhaps even the new insights of modern mentors like AI. Together, they symbolize our enduring drive to learn, grow, and avoid the hard-learned lessons of the past. This visual invites us to recognize growth not just as personal advancement but as a shared journey, rooted in the collective wisdom of humanity.

A HOUSE DIVIDED

Set in a grand, dignified library, this scene portrays the stark divide within a council of political leaders, each seated on opposing sides of a long table. The room is filled with portraits of historical figures, suggesting the weight of tradition and legacy. A deep fissure cracks through the center of the floor, symbolizing the political and ideological divide that has disrupted unity. An apt image for our time.

The faces of those gathered reveal tension, uncertainty, and resolve, reflecting the complex dynamics that prevent alignment and cooperation. The towering shelves of books lining the room hint at the collective wisdom and lessons from history that could bridge this divide, yet the chasm remains—a stark reminder of the challenges in overcoming deeply rooted differences. This visual calls viewers to reflect on the cost of division and the unheeded lessons from those who have navigated conflicts before us.

CROSSING OVER

This surreal scene captures a powerful moment of transition and transformation. In a dimly lit, cluttered room filled with remnants of the past—old photos, scattered belongings, and symbols of restriction—a young figure gazes at an older self stepping through a portal into a vibrant, open landscape. The path beyond glows with possibility, a stark contrast to the confines of the room. A butterfly on the wall hints at metamorphosis, while musical instruments and forgotten memories speak to abandoned aspirations and unrealized potential. This visual invites reflection on the courage needed to leave behind what no longer serves us and to step into a brighter, unknown future.

AS IF BY CLAY

During the Multarity session, one panelist shared a story about an ancient statue, long hidden under layers of clay. When the clay was chipped away, it revealed gold underneath—a metaphor for the hidden potential within each of us. This story resonated with the idea that we carry an “inner gold” waiting to be uncovered as we grow and break through self-imposed limitations. Another participant reflected on the clay metaphor, imagining a person still being molded, whose cracks allow for new growth to emerge. This imagery captured the ongoing process of personal development, where even imperfections can be fertile ground for new ideas and transformations.​

This image reminds us to see each person as if they were made of clay—continuously shaped by their experiences, both visible and hidden. Growth isn’t a single moment of transformation; it’s the subtle, ongoing work of a lifetime. Each conversation, each encounter, reveals a person being molded by the forces of life, slowly uncovering the gold within. As we move forward, may we remember that we’re all works in progress, shaped by the journey, as if by clay.

MEASURES OF BECOMING

This scene, titled Measures of Becoming, captures the essence of growth through symbols that reflect aspiration, resilience, and introspection. The hourglasses measure time’s steady passage, reminding us that becoming is a gradual process, unfolding with patience. Open books represent the knowledge passed down and the introspection needed to understand our place in the world. The ladder speaks to aspiration, each rung a step toward potential, while compasses and directional markers offer guidance through life’s complexities. The mountains stand as a symbol of resilience, marking the challenges that shape us. Bathed in soft light, each item becomes a measure of the lifelong journey of becoming, where growth is both deliberate and timeless, shaped by every experience and choice.

IN THE SHADE OF TRANSIENCE

This image invites us into a quiet reflection on change, appreciation, and the fleeting nature of each moment. A winding stone path leads up a rugged mountainside, culminating beneath a solitary tree with golden leaves—capturing a moment of transition, as if caught between seasons. Beneath the tree, figures sit in stillness, embodying a meditative state that speaks to acceptance and presence.

The tree, mid-transition, serves as a reminder that nothing lasts forever; even the most vibrant seasons will pass. Each step along the rocky path marks both progress and an acceptance of what is, appreciating each vista achieved while recognizing that the journey is never truly complete. This visual encapsulates growth not as a destination but as an ongoing process of change, where each moment is both temporary and precious, inviting us to pause, reflect, and embrace what is before moving forward.

DUALITY OF BELIEF

This image explores the contrasting aspects of spiritual growth and the coexistence of light and shadow within one’s journey of faith. A beautiful temple stands at the center, acting as a dividing line between two realms—one vibrant and blossoming, the other dark and turbulent. On the left, bright sunlight illuminates lush gardens and blooming flowers, symbolizing peace, clarity, and the flourishing of newfound beliefs. A serene figure sits in meditation here, embodying inner tranquility and spiritual growth through moments of harmony and assurance.

On the right, the landscape shifts to a starker, more turbulent setting. Leafless trees, stormy skies, and ancient, imposing structures evoke themes of struggle, decay, and the challenges of spiritual doubt and questioning. A second figure meditates within this shadowed realm, suggesting that even in times of hardship and uncertainty, there is space for introspection and resilience—a quiet growth that comes from facing one’s doubts.

This visual serves as a meditation on the duality of belief, reminding us that faith is rarely linear. Instead, it is marked by cycles of clarity and confusion, peace and struggle, creation and decay. Each side of the temple represents essential facets of the spiritual journey, inviting us to accept both light and shadow as integral to the evolving understanding of self and spirit.

OVERFLOW

Here are additional images that capture various aspects of our conversation on Growth. If an image doesn’t immediately reveal its meaning, look deeper and think in the abstract. Consider what AI might be reflecting back to us about our individual and shared thoughts and feelings. Let these visuals serve as echoes of our dialogue, inviting you to reconnect with the themes we explored together.

GROWTH: OUR BIRTHRIGHT