There’s little doubt that we live in a divided society. We see it in our national politics and feel it in the digital walls we build around ourselves. But here in Lincoln, we have a unique opportunity to push back against the tide of isolation. We can move beyond merely living alongside one another and start intentionally weaving our lives together, build a stronger community and have a positive impact on the future of our country.
The opportunity for us to come together is an important theme outlined by David Brooks in his book The Second Mountain. Brooks argues that a fulfilled life is one committed to community and soul, rather than just individual success. He writes, “A person on the second mountain is not a consumer of community; she is a builder of community.” In Lincoln, being a builder of community means recognizing that our neighbors’ successes are inextricably linked to our own.
In a recent interview on CBS “60 Minutes” former University President and former Senator Ben Sasse put it this way. “Too many people think having power is at the center of what’s important. I think the center of life is in our neighborhoods, in our families, in our communities. It’s in our connections with one another. One of the problems in America is that we have shallow community connections. I think we need to deepen our relationships with people around us.”
This isn’t just a sentimental idea; it is a historical necessity. In The Upswing, Robert Putnam and Shaylyn Romney Garrett track how America transitioned from an “I” society to a “We” society in the early 20th century, before drifting back toward extreme individualism. They note that the previous "upswing" was driven by people coming together to focus on community-based solutions. They remind us that “the story of the American ‘we’ is a story of how we learned to take responsibility for one another.”
Our local leadership recognizes the need to work together. Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird has frequently emphasized that Lincoln’s greatest asset isn’t just our infrastructure or our economy, but our people and our willingness to collaborate. As the Mayor has noted, “Lincoln’s future is brighter when everyone engages meaningfully in crafting ‘The Story of us.’” The community members from Lincoln’s previous eras set the stage as they worked together for the successes that we currently enjoy including Pinnacle Bank Arena, the Antelope Valley project and the more recent Sandhills Global Youth Complex. As we celebrate the strength of our city today, let’s collaborate and set the stage for the successes we want to enjoy tomorrow.
How do we put these philosophies into practice? How do we join together for a better future? One of the most promising initiatives currently taking root is the Lincoln Community Foundation’s Weave: The Social Fabric Project. Through this initiative they’ll help fund projects developed by individuals and organizations which will bring us together as a community. And in doing so, we’ll be setting an example for people across the United States.
Inspired by the national Aspen Institute "Weave: The Social Fabric Project," our local effort recognizes that there are "Weavers" all around us—people who naturally introduce neighbors, volunteer at local schools, or simply take the time to check on a friend.
On June 10, the Lincoln Community Foundation will begin accepting proposals focused on things that connect us, that bring us together, that help weave our social fabric. Over the next four years, the project aims to move us away from a culture of "hyper-individualism" and toward one of "hyper-connection."
Whether it’s a conversation over coffee at a neighborhood haunt, a mentorship through a local nonprofit, or participation in a community listening session, these small acts of connection will be the threads that weave together our social safety net.
Lincoln has always been a city of connectors and builders. We worked together to build a world-class university, a vibrant downtown, and a park system that is the envy of the Midwest. But the most important thing we can build today isn't made of brick and mortar. It is made of trust, shared stories, and the quiet, persistent work of weaving a community where everyone belongs.
Let us commit to being a city of Weavers. Our future depends on it.
Stay tuned to LCF.org for exciting Weave updates coming in June!
