Social + Racial Justice


Village-Building Stumbles: A few of the things Earthaven Ecovillage has gotten wrong

Posted on October 1, 2019 by

Those of us privileged enough to find ourselves in an intentional community often imagine that our environment will be free of the horrors and evils of the world. But alas, we bring it all with us.


Does Community Heal Trauma, or Reproduce It?: Challenges for abuse survivors living in community

Posted on August 20, 2019 by

Survivors of traumatic abuse face many problems in trying to form and participate in community. Trauma-informed community commits to keeping the survivor safe in wide zones of ambiguity, as challenging as that might be.


Do Communities Need Feminist Dissent?

Posted on August 16, 2019 by

In the midst of wider social movements in the areas of gender and sexuality, communities everywhere need a place for feminist dissent and a willingness to engage in difficult conversations. Dissent is part of how we build resilience together.


Centering the Margins: Diversity and Inclusion in Intentional Communities

Posted on July 22, 2019 by

Article originally published at http://cynthiatina.com/ “I came to Camphill thinking I was going to learn about social therapy for people with special needs, but then I learned it’s actually mainstream… Read More


The Sting of Discrimination: When Polyamory Is Considered a “Red Flag”

Posted on June 25, 2019 by
9 Comments

Previously on the path to community acceptance, an applicant experiences for the first time “the direct sting of bigotry, the shock of exclusion based on stereotypes” when her family is denied on the basis of polyamory.


The Triangle of Consent

Posted on June 18, 2019 by
5 Comments

Recognizing each other’s agency, addressing power imbalances, and communicating with honesty and clarity about sexual desires and boundaries are all essential elements of consent.


Sexual misconduct in the sphere of power: The nexus of gender, intimacy, and discrimination

Posted on June 4, 2019 by
3 Comments

An unwanted, rebuffed sexual advance from a previously trusted community leader spirals into numerous, serious consequences in the victim’s personal and professional life.


Effective Community Justice

Posted on May 30, 2019 by

“It wasn’t the first time someone I knew had raped me, but it was the only time I had an adequate response from my friends and community.” A rape survivor living in community recounts her story.


Community Accountability: The Struggles, Challenges, and Hope for Community Action on Sexual Assault

Posted on May 28, 2019 by
1 Comment

When we think of sexual assault and boundary violations, it is common to think not in my community, or the person I know wouldn’t do that. As a result, our communities become especially vulnerable to predatory behavior.


Cooperative Groups, the FIC, and Sexual Politics: Sharing, Learning, Healing, Persisting

Posted on May 26, 2019 by
1 Comment

In trying to undo generations of conditioning and trauma, we need to start with the mistakes, learn from them, learn how to love a little more, and try, try again.


Notes from the Editor: Introducing the Sexual Politics Issue

Posted on May 24, 2019 by

Sharing the truth is not always easy, but as #MeToo has shown, breaking the silence is the first step toward healing and toward the evolution of healthier sexual politics.


Sexual Politics, #183 Contents and Free/By Donation Digital Download

Posted on May 22, 2019 by

Directly inspired by the #MeToo movement, Communities #183 (Summer 2019) focuses on Sexual Politics. Intentional communities are not immune to any of the challenges or problems that afflict the wider culture. How can communities respond when confronting the sometimes harsh realities of human behavior and relationships, especially in the realms of power, sexuality, and gender? Authors share their stories about sexual assault and harassment; power dynamics related to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and sexual expression; attitudes toward polyamory; understanding of consent culture; creating fulfilling relationships by combating climate change; getting pronouns right; and a host of other topics. Please join us!


Cross-Class Cooperation and Land Access

Posted on March 23, 2019 by
1 Comment

It is important to not only talk about the role class privilege plays in our movement, but also celebrate the ways that cross-class cooperation can be a form of much-needed solidarity.


The Dilemmas of Being a Benefactor: Creating a Community Land Trust

Posted on March 16, 2019 by
1 Comment

CommonSpace CLT fulfills its founder’s dream of using her inheritance to create an affordable, not-for-profit example of diverse community on protected land in perpetuity.


Land Speaking through the People: The Great Work of Our Times

Posted on March 9, 2019 by

Through Community Land Trusts, we can reimagine and experience anew our relationship with the land as communities of place-based people.


Review: Farming While Black

Posted on February 26, 2019 by

This book is written for young Black, Brown, and Latinx people with dreams of farming, but it is also a gift to all of us who care about farming, equality, and justice.


Black Land Matters: An Interview with Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm

Posted on February 24, 2019 by

Headquartered on a community farm, a nonprofit, people-of-color-led organization works to dismantle racism in the food system by increasing farmland stewardship by people of color, promoting equity in food access, and training the next generation of activist farmers.


Connecting Land and Community

Posted on February 21, 2019 by

Through collective, organized efforts, groups that have lost access to land can regain it, while building community as well.


Land in a Sustainable and Just Society

Posted on February 17, 2019 by
1 Comment

To value equally the needs of all life and all people, we need to shift our land-use approach away from control towards access and stewardship.


Streaming Community Videos!

Posted on February 8, 2019 by

Watch This! More people are tuning in to learn about intentional communities, and discovering FIC as a resource to connect to the movement.  FIC first launched a Youtube Channel to share a… Read More


Use New Power to Build a Movement

Posted on August 1, 2018 by

What is New Power? It is not just a change in technologies that is reshaping our world, our culture, and our participation in it. Our beliefs and expectations for what… Read More


Transition Towns’ Stories for Change Beyond Survival

Posted on May 11, 2018 by
4 Comments

Transition US, the national networking and organizing group for Transition Towns, is celebrating their tenth anniversary with the series, 10 Stories of Transition. Last month in the FIC’s webinar series,… Read More


Want to Connect with the Next Generation?

Posted on April 27, 2018 by

Are you an elder seeking to team with youth in community? A young adult looking for community? The FIC is proud to co-sponsor NEXTGEN North America’s Ecovillage Pathways gathering for deep… Read More


This 21-Day Racial Equity Online Program Tackles Social Justice in the Food System

Posted on April 3, 2017 by

Food Solutions New England is offering an online 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge, in partnership with the Interaction Institute for Social Change. Participants will receive an e-mail prompt each day,… Read More