RAN - Short Manual
RAN stands for Regenerative Cultures Advocates Network - shorter Regen Advocates Network.
RA, RAs - Regen Advocate(s), Regenerative Cultures Advocate(s)
It is tough to write this manual for us (Anne, Adam, karO, and Nora). Because we don’t know what RAN will become and how it may look in the future. A lot depends on you. We may have a vision, but we expect that, through our interactions, we will land somewhere else. We are curious where.
In the following few paragraphs, we explain the origin of regenerative cultures advocacy as we understand it. We describe how we understand the Regenerative Cultures Advocate’s role and what vision of the Regen Advocates Network we have. We want to test those ideas and leave them open to evolve when needed. If you have different ideas, let us know (XR.RegenAdvocates@protonmail.com).
Learning Regenerative Cultures
For us, regenerative cultures are not “that additional weird/cozy-and-fluffy/spiritual thing over there” but actually it lies at the core of XR. They are our SOS and our interactions, personal wellness, inclusivity, ways of solving tensions, resilience to survive any crisis, and our ways of being together. Regenerative Cultures are an alternative social system and community which we seek within XR. We want to spread it beyond our movement to society. We don’t know how it will look, because we are the first trying to create it. Likewise, we learn regenerative cultures on the fly.
Regen Advocates
The origins of the Regen Advocate role are rooted in XR working groups. You can read about it here. But we ask why only working groups? Why not in every group and every team, even those created ad hoc for one action?
We believe that Regen Advocates are people who care for regenerative information, activities, and events. They support awareness of Regenerative Cultures in XR and respond to its need. They seek ways to integrate their groups into communities. They engage a whole gamut of activities, practices, and events to support their groups on this XR journey. They also perceive every action as a regenerative opportunity. And they try to strengthen the regenerative aspects of any initiative. They learn, and they invite their groups to learn together.
To be RA, you don’t need to be a professional of any kind. All you need is to be curious and ready to try. And perhaps willing to acknowledge sometimes a mistake and to try again - differently. And to share experiences with others in the network of people wanting the same: the cultural shift that will help save our planet and humanity …and feel good together.
Regen Advocates Network
Regen Advocacy is hard work amongst fellow activists who may hold other priorities or views on how to operate within the climate crisis. We may meet resistance from our teammates, hesitation, and lack of trust in what we try to do. Therefore, we need to support each other. To share our knowledge and experience, learn together from one’s mistakes, be for each other in moments of crisis, and celebrate our successes.
We imagine a network of networks. Any Regen Advocate can initiate it. You can call others and meet them. Talk to each other about your experience, your challenges, your sense of uncertainty, about your successes and mistakes. Find commonalities. Find your differences. Figure out what you need, what could help you, and what you can do together. That is how you will start building your Regen Advocates Network.
When you feel the need, you may create a HUB, a center that supports your regen advocacy. Do it only when you feel the need for it. Don’t produce bureaucracy. Let everyone know about your efforts. Learn about others making similar steps.
After some time, we may get many Networks. Differing geographically and thematically in the same ways we are all uniquely different. This way, we may become a network of networks and hubs or, perhaps, something else. We’ll see.
Different from the original document, we don’t want to centralize coordination. Instead, we seek to build a digital space for Regen Advocates and see what will happen. We want to make it easier for you to connect and create. Let us experiment together. Let us know what you need.
@adam_g, @annec, @nora_rebel, @karo_3city
warmly supported by other members
of Regen XR COP26 and Regen XR Global Support
(summer and fall 2021)