09/08/2026
Sometimes culture-building looks much smaller than we expect.
I made some simple coloring pages for a series of community open houses this month.
Why?
Because I've been the parent who had spent all day working and managing two kids, then looked at an evening public meeting and thought, " I just don't have the energy for this."
A little coloring page wouldn't have solved everything.
But it would have told me something important:
My kids are welcome here.
And maybe they're not just there to be occupied. Maybe they're part of the conversation.
“What do you like about your neighborhood?”
“What don't you like?”
“What would you change?”
Kids notice things we sometimes miss.
If we're serious about building communities where everyone belongs, we should probably think about whether our public engagement spaces actually make room for everyone.
Including the littles.
Have you seen a simple change make a community meeting feel more welcoming?
