‘Financial Engagement’ at Peavey Plaza promises new conversations and ideas about economic sustainability

For Immediate Release

Contact:

Molly Priesmeyer
Good Work Group
molly@goodworkgroup.com
612.239.6358

A Public Thing’s “Financial Engagement” event on November 5th at Peavey Plaza brings together artists, cultural producers, thinkers, doers, experts, neighbors, and more for an exchange of ideas that can change the way we think, work, and live

“We hope to provide a collectively-authored resource for those interested in engaging these ideas and experiences in new ways.”–A Public Thing collaborators

November 1, 2011 (Minneapolis)—Spurred by new conversations and movements concerning economic stability and independence, A Public Thing is hosting a “Financial Engagement” at Peavey Plaza in Minneapolis on Saturday, November 5th, from 1pm till 4pm.

The public engagement event will give attendees an opportunity to ask questions of experts and each other in an effort to gain a greater understanding of what an economically sustainable community might look like.

The event is free and open to everyone. The process is simple. Once assembled, small groups will self-organize to discuss questions generated by attendees through a facilitated process. Participation will be open, public, and non-hierarchical. Each person is an active participant, either convening a conversation around a question, sharing their thoughts, or actively listening and recording what is shared as a documentarian.

Questions that might be addressed include: How does our economy work? What are some strategies for creating more economically sustainable families and communities? What is the difference between a credit union and a bank? How can sharing my personal economic experiences empower others in my community? Should student loans be forgiven? What are my rights when responding to bill collectors? What is income vs. wealth? What financial education resources are available? What does financial independence mean to you? What is possible? What is needed? What is to be done?

Artists and other documentarians will be embedded in the small-group conversations to help record and tell the story about ideas discussed and generated.

These stories and documents will be used to create a publicly-generated newspaper that will be designed, printed, and distributed widely on “Black Friday”– the largest shopping day of the year. For many this time of year is a time of anxiety, worry about money, and also, a time of gathering. The “Financial Engagement” organizers hope to provide a collectively-authored resource for those interested in engaging these ideas and experiences in new ways.

Writers, artists, illustrators, and more are encouraged to sign up to volunteer to record the conversations.

Through this participatory event and the subsequent collectively created newspaper, a “Financial Engagement” seeks to seed, grow, and sustain a public conversation that can change the way we live.

About A Public Thing

An experiment in two parts.

A Public Thing gatherings are facilitated using principles of Open Space Technology. Open Space works best when the work to be done is complex, the people and ideas involved are diverse, the passion for resolution (and potential for conflict) are high, and the time to get it done was yesterday.

Here’s what will happen: All of the issues that are MOST important to the participants will be raised. All of the issues raised will be addressed by those participants most qualified and capable.

A Public Thing publications are co-created by participants at A Public Thing gatherings. Creative documentarians will be embedded in the gathering’s small group conversations to help record and tell the story of what was discussed and generated. A Public Thing collects these stories and documents, and uses them as the basis for a publication to be be designed, printed, and distributed within weeks of the initial gathering.

We hope to provide a collectively-authored resource for those interested in engaging these ideas and experiences in new ways.

Collaborators

Shanai Matteson & Colin Kloecker (Works Progress), Sarah Peters, Molly Priesmeyer (Good Work Group), Sam Gould (Red76), Molly Balcom Raleigh, and a growing group of artists, designers, & writers. Let us know if you’d like to be involved by emailing hello [at] worksprogress [dot] org.

Learn more about the event via Facebook.

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