How to hold warmth and depth in virtual spaces

Virtual community building (systems meetings)

• Empathy in digital space
• Human connection first

Micro interations

• 1-to-1/regional

Macro community

• Global movements

Access issues

• Youth
• Minorities
• Elders
• Income

This is not a new problem.

• Tech makes these community building issues more visible

Indicators of health community

• Love
• Warmth
• Vulnerability
• Humor

Virtual culture building

• Onboarding: expectations for new
• Set up at the start
• Old timers set up and teach new people (shadowing program)

Name the shared values that empathy building exercises build

Feedback systems are critical

Break down culture of "rude/efficient"

Best practices

• Pre-review of documents
• communication time is precious
• Daily check-ins - different culture @ text messaging

History of online community

Importance of real time:

• asynchronous: Expectations, accountability, @chat

vs

• synchronous: full attention, presence

All the practices of in-person meetings

• Practice social emotional learning techniques
• It is all about embodiment

At iEcology for video meetings:

• Breathe together
• Meditate
• Guided with voice

It does feel weird, offer to turn off camera

Bravery and vulnerability

• Play with finger puppets
• Play with format of video chat (costumes)

i.e. blog post at Forward Together

Forward Stance: staff Tai Chi

Hand mirroring in digital space