The Optimistic Anthropologist Vol 2: Halloween, Life Sabbaticals, New Workshop & More!

October 2017, Vol. 2

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Happy Halloween Changemakers!No matter where I’ve lived in the United States, Halloween has always been playful and communal. Which made me wonder, how did what we know as Halloween in America today come to be?  I had a vague notion that Halloween has its roots in Celtic tradition and at some point the Catholic Church got involved too.  And thanks to the History Channel, I now understand a lot more about Halloween's European history. I also learned that Halloween wasn’t really celebrated in colonial New England because of strict Protestant beliefs, whereas in the southern colonies, it was celebrated with ghost stories and mischief making.  The wave of Irish immigration in the 1800s helped to spread the celebration nationally.  But it was only about 130 years ago that American Halloween shifted from scary to playful, and supernatural to communal.I love learning how culture develops, and figuring out how we can develop culture for a more positive world!  Which is why I'm excited to share the latest that we're  learning and developing at Optimistic Anthropology!  And if you have questions, feedback, or suggestions please let me know what you like and what we can improve.  Be well, do good, and have fun trick-or-treating!Alison

P.S. I'll be on the road in November (Philadelphia, New York City, and Chicago), December (Phoenix), and January (San Francisco Bay Area).  If you're in one of those cities and want to connect, please let me know!

New! The Life Sabbatical Blog Series

Ever since she returned from her "life sabbatical," people have been reaching out to Optimistic Anthropology Founder, Alison Gold, wanting to understand how she  approached her experience and what she learned. So, Alison decided to write about it! Enjoy the first two posts in what will be an ongoing series!

Register for "Life Sabbatical at Home" in Washington, DC!

A new, evening workshop series launching February 1, 2018

Often, a sabbatical is thought of as a period for travel and learning, "time off" from our regular routines. But, what if we could facilitate an experience, create a community, and support one another to build our individual practices of inquiry, reflection, exploration, sharing, joy, and change right here at home?

Join Optimistic Anthropology and The Well for this first-of-its kind workshop where we aim to do just that over 4 evening sessions in Washington, DC.  

Just 3 Things: Recent Resources for the Curious Changemaker

This latest round-up features a podcast about the dangers of algorithms, an article about mindfulness and emotional intelligence, and an app for self-guided audio walking tours in cities (with a coupon code, so you can try it too). Read it here!

USA250: Organizing for the Semiquincentennial & Our Nation's Future

Since 2015, USA250 this has been laying the groundwork for our country's 250th Anniversary. Their approach? Catalyzing cross-sector engagement and collaboration to make the most of this milestone in 2026 and beyond.

Last year, their efforts contributed to the formation of a Federal Commission and just this month, Pennsylvania became the first state to announce a statewide commission. Congrats! Learn more about Optimistic Anthropology client USA250 and its vision!

Looking ahead to 2018? So is Optimistic Anthropology! If your organization or cross-sector collaboration needs support in qualitative research, emergent learning and continuous improvement, developing collaborative structures, or building new problemsolving behaviors, we hope you'll consider us! Check out our approach, work, testimonials, and methodologies or email Alison!

From Alison's Camera Roll...

I was recently in Rome for the first time, and when in Rome, I knew I had to visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel.  While the overall experience was stressful because of the crowds, one of my the highlights was walking through the Gallery of Maps. It is an entire corridor filled with painted topographical maps of Italy based on drawings by friar and geographer Ignazio Danti.  The gallery was commissioned in 1580 by Pope Gregory XIII as part of other artistic works commissioned to decorate the Vatican. It took Danti three years  to complete the 40 panels of the 120 meters long gallery. As a lover of water, I was particularly taken by the exquisite representations of the Mediterranean Sea in the maps, and I think anyone would be hard-pressed to find a more beautiful example of a compass than the one in this detail here. So, I'm sharing this photo with you along with two wishes -- may you have the tools you need to help you navigate your work and this world, and enjoy a little beauty while you do. Cheers!