About Us

Dedicated to fostering soulful experiences and conversations that serve the common good.

How we came to be

“There is a quiet courage that comes from an inward spring of confidence in the meaning and significance of life. Such courage is an underground river.” ~ Howard Thurman

The roots of Circles of Courageous Commons were born decades ago during a conversation when a facilitator at a fund-raising workshop for non-profits was asked the question, “What is the biggest danger we are facing in our communities in the coming decades.” Her answer, “We are losing our sense of the commons.” She then went on to say, “We no longer value things like common green space in our communities, libraries that hold books for the use of all, our public common schools, transportation systems that support our commons needs, and health care systems that are accessible for all.”

Circles of Courageous Commons affirms that now is the time to come together in community and work toward creating a shift in our thinking and behavior. Now is the time to dig deep into our underground rivers and risk courageous acts in our own lives holding the hope that one courageous work might build upon another and create a movement toward the healing of our society.

What we hope to do

Courageous Commons believes that deep conversations and experiences of the heart require skill, courage, practice, and commitment. Every time we gather as families, with friends, in neighborhoods and communities, workplaces, town hall meetings, or within the larger arenas of government, we trust in the power of courageous conversations to spark our common healing through engagement.

We believe when soulful and trustworthy space is created it is possible to build communities of mutual respect and understanding. Circles of Courageous Commons, will provide the infrastructure to support the common wisdom of individuals and communities by offering a variety of gatherings, programs, and circles. We are inviting suggestions for topics, as well as program offerings. Together we will provide guidance in the basic skills that support soulful conversations, offer programs to experience the gift of safe space for such conversations, and partner in training to explore how such conversations can support the “common good”, thus offering healing and restoration to our world.

How we will work together

In our formation, we have engaged in conversations among those who might invest time, energy, and resources in Circles of Courageous Commons. We are grateful for the many individuals who have listened deeply and brought this concept into being over these last months.

As a collaboration of individuals and diverse small communities, each with their unique areas of expertise and passion, it is the intention that Circles of Courageous Commons will model the importance of community within its structure. Together we are committed to supporting the work of gaining inner courage and understanding the importance of leaning into the strength of the community. We believe in our hearts that change happens for the common good one courageous act at a time. As we collaborate and share ideas, we trust that together we will create new courageous possibilities for the communities where we work, live, and play, changing the trajectory of our present division.

Those who join us will build on the strength of the whole of Courageous Commons and will become visionaries supporting efforts to build a world for the common good of all.

Sally

Dr. Sally Z. Hare, distinguished Singleton Professor Emerita and founding director of the Center for EDucation and Community at Coastal Carolina University, is the president of still learning, inc. She is a product of South Carolina Public Education, from first grade through her doctorate. As Dean of Graduate and Continuing Education at Coastal Carolina for a dozen years, she served in the role of teacher, advisor, and mentor for more that 1,000 students. She served on the Kirkridge Retreat and Study Center Board of Trustees for five years, including four as board chair. After a Kellogg Fellowship changed her life in the early ’90’s, she created the Kirkridge Courage Fellowship and the ElderGarten Fellowship with the hopes of changing the lives of others.

Sally is a lifelong teacher and learner. Her passion is reading – and she lives at the intersection of education and community.

Jean

Jean Richardson has spent her entire professional career working with non-profit organizations. Whether serving a church, working in funds development, directing a retreat center, or volunteering on a board for runaway and homeless youth, Jean dedicates her life to trying to create spaces where all people are welcomed.

An ordained Presbyterian minister, a Courage and Renewal Facilitator, and an Associate member of the Iona Community, Jean recently expanded her world by becoming an ElderGarten Fellow. As she enters this season of her life, Jean imagines filling her own “ElderGarten” with seeds that will guide her next steps and offer sustaining fruit for the next generation.

Pat

I am a curious learner, an explorer, and a creative optimist. I am a teacher at heart, bringing out the talents and gifts of others. Providing opportunities for people to learn about themselves and others feels like the most important work. Circles of Courageous Commons is a new adventure where I hope to expand opportunities to learn in community – every day.

I have held many roles, including teacher, school and district leader, and learner. Yet, my most cherished roles are the ones that make me a family member, a friend, a colleague, and a companion on the journey. Pat has earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership, is a Courage and Renewal Facilitator, and a Learner.