Inside Community podcast takes an inside look at the beautiful and messy realities of creating and sustaining an intentional community.
Support the Podcast
Your donation will directly support the production of the Inside Community Podcast, a co-production of host Rebecca Mesritz and the Foundation for Intentional Community (FIC).
Thank you for your support!
What will your donation support?
$50 Pays for Necessary Software
$150 Pays for Our Staff’s Time
$250 Pays for Our Host’s Time
$500 Pays Toward the Next Season!
Episode List
Do you think you have an interesting topic to share on the podcast? Complete the form below.
Ep 020 – Paul Wheaton talks about the benefits of top-down power structures and the great responsibility that comes with taking on the role.
Ep 019 – Hear from intimacy nerd Dave Booda, about why intimacy is so important, get new ideas on prompts that can lead towards deeper connection…Read More
Ep 018 – Hear from Margaret Critchlow, PhD., about finding connection as an older person, and building communities where elders can thrive emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and physically. Read More
Ep 017 – Amy Saloner explores the joys and challenges of raising children in community, and how to create a more child-friendly community… Read More
Ep 016 – Ridhi D’Cruz approaches the topic of Placemaking from a liberatory and healing perspective… Read More
Ep 015 – Hear from Bryan Bowen about the ins and outs of designing sustainable spaces for healthy, connected, thriving humans from a design perspective… Read More
Welcome back to Season 2 of the Inside Community Podcast! On this show we explore the beautiful and messy realities of living inside community and this season we are… Read More
Ep 014 – Join communities experts Yana Ludwig, Sky Blue, and Cassandra Ferrera for a panel discussion… Read More
Ep 013 – Listen to ideas on how to best engage with communities you would like to visit, so you and… Read More
Ep 012 – Hear Ted Rau share how sociocracy brings an incredible opportunity to cooperative groups to embody higher levels… Read More
Ep 011 – Cohousing benefits include autonomy, resource sharing, social and emotional connection, and a model for engagement and democracy that reaches… Read More
Ep 010 – Conflict is inevitable. Alyson Ewald shares how to have a good fight and transform harm into… Read More
Ep 09 – Moving groups through tough decisions can be tricky, if not impossible, without a skilled and well-trained… Read More
Ep 08 – In this episode, I’m joined by Sky Blue to discuss income sharing and innovating economic models… Read More
Ep 07 – When it comes to deciding who gets to make decisions and how decisions get made, the… Read More
Bonus Episode 04 – [Part II] This is a bonus conversation from episode 04 on Finding Co-Founders and Creating Cooperative Culture. Enjoy!… Read More
Ep. 06 – Sometimes the community dream only starts to “feel real” when the time finally comes for forming groups to… Read More
Ep. 05 – Do legal structures and documents make your head spin? Fear not! In this episode we’re… Read More
Ep. 04 – [Part I] Thinking of starting an intentional community? The first step is finding “your people”… Read More
Ep. 03 – There are many communities out there looking for capable and eager new members to become… Read More
Ep. 02 – This episode explores the topic of Mission, Vision, and Values in community. These guiding principles and founding documents help communities determine who they are and what they do. In many ways, this is the “intention” part of intentional community. Joining me on a deep dive into this topic is Dave Henson. Read More
Ep. 01 – Hello friends and welcome to the Inside Community Podcast where I bring you along for an inside look at what it takes to create and sustain community. In this episode we are going to take a look at what we actually mean when we say “community.” Read More
Ep. 00 – In this episode, I take a moment to introduce myself, tell you a little bit about my journey… Read More
Listen & Subscribe
Thank you to our Sponsors!
Help us deliver the best content by taking this brief survey.
About the Podcast
The Inside Community Podcast brings folks along for an inside look at all of the beautiful and messy realities of creating and sustaining a community. We provide useful and inspiring content to support people on their quest for resilience, sustainability, and connection.
Through essays and interviews with experts, we examine a variety of topics related to communal living — from governance and decision making to ownership models, from navigating coparenting to navigating finances, from how to find your people to how to actually live with them. Whether you are wondering what it would be like to live with friends, share resources, and explore a more interconnected way of being, or live in community, and are looking for tips and tricks to overcome your community’s latest hurdle, the Inside Community Podcast will meet you where you are on your journey with topical episodes and fearless investigations.
Meet Your Host
Inside Community Podcast host Rebecca Mesritz is a community builder living in Williams, Oregon. In 2011, Rebecca co-founded the Emerald Village (EVO) in North County San Diego, California. During her ten years with EVO, she supported and led numerous programs and initiatives including implementation and training of the community in Sociocracy, establishment of the Animal Husbandry program, leadership of the Land Circle, hosting numerous internal and external community events, and participation in the Human Relations Circle which holds the relational, spiritual and emotional container for their work.
In June of 2021, with the blessing of EVO, Rebecca and 3 other co-founders relocated to begin a new, mission- driven community and learning center housed on 160 acres of forest and farmland. Rebecca is passionate about communal living and sees intentional community as a tool for both personal and cultural transformation. In addition to her work in this field, she also holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from San Diego State University and creates functional, public, and interactive art in metal, wood, and pretty much any other material she can get her hands on. She’s currently growing Bound for Color, creating and selling bespoke and naturally dyed art, homegoods and wearables. She is a mother, a wife, an educator, a nurturer of gardens, an epicurean lover of sustainable wholesome food, and a cultivator of compassion and beauty.
The Inside Community Podcast is sponsored by the Foundation for Intentional Community (FIC). Reach out if you are interested in sponsorship or advertisement opportunities on the podcast.
