Today's newsletter proposes a plan for creating an organizational structure to deal more effectively with social justice issues in the Tri-Valley. You are welcome to make suggestions for improving the plan and its implementation. Especially welcome will be your offers to help in whatever way you can.



TriValleySocial Justice Issues in the Tri-Valley

Proposed Plan for Addressing Issues
  
Plan for creating an organizational structure to promote the flourishing of the Tri-Valley and make it an open and welcoming community that shows concern the homeless, the frail elderly, disadvantaged children and teenagers, and all 
others in need of help

Steps to be taken

1. Begin building a core group of volunteers 
a. Long-term residents, employers, and employees in each city with experience in organizing community volunteer efforts 
b. Other volunteers with a diversity of skills  
c. Create teams in each city and set up communications protocols to keep things coordinated and everyone informed
2. Attract individuals and groups from religious congregations and civic organizations
a. Google "Religious Congregations Tri-Valley, CA" and find volunteers to look at their websites and plan how they will be approached
b. Google "Civic Organizations Tri-Valley, CA" and find volunteers to look at their websites and plan how they will be approached 
c, Assemble team to make contcact with congregations and civic organizations and recruit helpers
3. Begin building relationship with Tri-Valley Anti-Poverty Collaborative, Interfaith Interconnect, and Contra Costa County Interfaith Council
4. Make contact with city governments and senior centers
5.Develop communications and recruit helpers
        a. Website and blog
        b. Facebook Acct
        c. Newsletter
        d. Existing blogs in the Tri-Valley
        e.Newspapers and E-newspapers [like pleasanton.patch.com]
6. Create a more permanent organizational structure and plan events

To be part of this effort write to socialjustice@catholicsofpleasanton.org
SocialTeachingCatholic Social Teaching and the Real World 

Co-creation

Theological exploration of co-creation has been going for some years: 
  • God and humanity as co-creators of human development and human history
  • God and each individual person as co-creators of the person's life story: self-understanding, faith formation, and relationships with other human beings, other living things, and God
Two academics associated with this exploration are Brian Swimme, click here for Wikipedia article, and Matthew Fox, click here for website. 

Theology of the Laity

Click here for The Vocations of the Laity, Boston College, Fall, 2010.
Click here for briefer Jesuit material on the same subject.

WiderWorldThe Wider World 

Politicians struggle with opioid epidemic in New Hampshire, PBS Newshour segment, Jan. 6, 2016, click here
 
Why we shouldn't let the food industry dictate our diets, PBS Newshour segment, food expert Michael Pollan, Dec. 30, 2015, click here 


SpecialFeatures Special Features

Developing a new generation of global problem solvers, Cisco paid post in NY Times, click here
 
Can This Man Make Artificial Intelligence More Human?
One cognitive scientist thinks the leading approach to machine learning can be improved by ideas gleaned from studying children, click here
 
Questions?  Click here to e-mail the Social Justice Committee
Click here to sign up for the Social Justice Newsletter
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