How to start building your village

Hi there,

Ever since our last Good Talk, I’ve been thinking about how adult friendship doesn’t just… happen.

It doesn’t always start with a magical dinner party where everyone just gets it. More often, it begins with something much quieter – someone taking a risk. Someone sending the first text. Someone chatting you up at a Good Talk and saying, “hey, do you want to hang out sometime?” Someone putting that first brick down.

The other day, a reel from @kelsewhatelse came across my feed that put it bluntly: “You can't expect your village to show up for you if you are unwilling to be a villager.”

That line stopped me.

Because so many of us are craving real connection. And yet, when the chance comes to show up, it’s easy to default to “next time” or “I’d rather not tonight”. But what if this time is the one that starts something? What if being a villager means saying yes to awkward beginnings, potluck invites, or just staying for one more cup of tea?

Building connection is a skill. And like any muscle, it gets easier the more you use it.

Your voice shapes the village

What makes a neighbourhood feel like home? Not just where we live – but how we live together?

The City of Edmonton is inviting folks across the city to take part in their annual Sense of Community Survey – a quick way to reflect on what’s working (and what’s missing) in our shared spaces.

Think of it as a pulse check for connection: a chance to name what makes you feel like you belong – and what might make it easier to show up, engage, and be seen in your community.

This is exactly the kind of data we would have loved access to when we first started dreaming up We Belong in Jasper Place.

🗓️ The survey runs May 5–June 5

📥 Want to spread the word? Here’s the toolkit for community groups with graphics and text ready to share.

If you’re in Edmonton and have a few minutes (it took me less than five to complete), please take the survey – your responses will help future community projects and city builders ground their work in what matters most.

Upcoming events: Good Talk 2025

We’ve got two more Good Talks coming up this year, and we’re still shaping them – together. We want to hear from you. What conversations are calling your name right now? What’s feeling tender, complicated, or overdue?

📬 Reply to this email with your ideas – we’d love to know what’s on your mind.

🗓️ Next gatherings:

• August 14 @ 6:30 p.m. Join us!

• November 6 @ 6:30 p.m. Join us!

As always, these won’t be panels or presentations. Just good people, good questions, and space to speak (or listen) from wherever you’re at.

We’d love to see you there.

Conversations in progress

Not everything fits neatly into strategy or facilitation. Some reflections need a little more space – space to meander, question, and hold the messier pieces of being in community with each other.

That’s what Conversations in Progress is for. It’s where I share the behind-the-scenes thinking – on belonging, power, tenderness, and what it really takes to stay connected in a disconnected world.

If you’re drawn to slow questions, thoughtful tension, and the kind of conversations that live with you long after they’re over, I’d love for you to join me there.

You can find my latest reflections here ⤵️

Conversation starters

Some sources of inspiration and information I’ve found compelling lately:

I Never Thought of It That Way by Mónica Guzmán – If we want to build communities where people feel seen, heard, and safe, we have to get better at talking across difference. I loved this practical, heartfelt guide to having the kinds of conversations most of us avoid: the ones that challenge our assumptions and stretch our understanding.

Part personal story, part toolkit for brave conversations, Guzmán shows us how to stop talking about each other and start talking WITH each other. In a world that feels increasingly fractured, this book is a reminder that connection doesn’t require agreement – just a willingness to stay curious. It’s a generous, hopeful guide for anyone ready to listen a little deeper and build community that can hold complexity.

🌀 A reflection I’ve been holding: What would it take for our communities to become places where disagreement isn’t a threat, but a chance to deepen our understanding of one another AND ourselves?

If you’re thinking about what it takes to build belonging across difference, this book is a powerful place to start.

A final thought

Whatever your village looks like—whether it’s built of text threads, backyard chats, or shared projects—know this: it doesn’t need to be big to be beautiful. It just needs to be real.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for being part of my village.

Until next time,
Lindsay