Word of the Week: Community
Every week we pick one word and sit with it. Not the dictionary definition, but what it means where we live and work. This week's word is community.
What does community mean?
Most people hear "community" and think of a place: a neighborhood, a zip code, a church, a block. But a place is just where community can happen. Community is what people do for each other there: showing up, looking out, and passing on what they know.
It's the neighbor who jumps your car before you have to call anybody. The mechanic who explains the repair instead of just handing you the bill. The older head who teaches a young person a trade so they don't have to learn it the hard way.
What does community look like?
You can see it when you know where to look:
People sharing skills, not just stuff
Young people with somebody in their corner and a real path to a trade or career
Local businesses hiring local and buying local
Neighbors who check on each other before an emergency, not just after
Disagreements handled face to face, with respect
You can also see when it's missing: empty storefronts, kids with nowhere to go, and people who only meet when something has already gone wrong.
What do you want to see in your community?
This is the part we want to hear from you on. Think about your block, your church, your job, your city, and answer these three questions:
What's one thing your community does well that you'd want to protect?
What's one thing missing that you'd want to help build?
What could you bring to the table: a skill, your time, a space, a connection?
Community isn't something you find. It's something you build, one person and one act at a time.
Share your answers in the comments below or email us at info@diligententerprisellc.com. We'll feature some of your responses in a future post.
Got a word you want us to take on next week? Drop it in the comments.
Ready to build it?
The Regenerative Community Playbook is a guide and workbook for turning ideas like these into something real on your block, in your church, or in your city.
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