I wanted to put a sticker on my car: “Let’s play in the sandbox together.” For years I have been wondering why there is so little collaborative efforts in this world, in this country, in our very own community.
How much more work could get done if we would actually know about each other, learn from each other and work together instead of inside our silos?

I have been engaged in community development in Merced County for 15+ years and it always breaks my heart when I see how much more could be accomplished if we worked together. We (including myself) often live in a deficit mind set: there are only so many people to volunteer, only so many donors, only so much grant money… so everyone is holding on to their turf for dear life.

What if we could think of abundance? If we could recognize that we are better together, that we can accomplish more when we work side by side?

Let me be the first to admit I don’t get that right all the time. I am protective of our organization, who we engage with, who we ‘let in’….. The ‘good’ answer is: I want to ensure no mission drift. The real answer is often: I am afraid. Afraid that someone could do it better, get the grant, make us obsolete….. Crazy right? I teach a strength based approach and yet I worry about such things.

Anyway, I see so many duplicated services, so many areas where we could partner and work together for better outcomes for the community. There are so many things that I cannot do and where others do a much better job, but there are some things I am really good at. And if I could focus on my/our strengths and partner with people and organizations with their strengths… it would create a better world.

So, let’s figure out how we can play in the same Merced Sandbox together to make it a better community, a better place to live, a more just world.