Yeah it's tough out here. We lost quite a big chunk of our base but fortunately maintained a presence and came out swinging.
I just want somewhere I can chat with y'all, comfortably and get some quick feedback. Our committees and board are pretty old and not real excited to chat a lot of the time. Especially not at the frequency I'm wondering about "what to do about this". Also, we've created a nice little bubble that we might be stuck in and can't even tell. I need new co-op friends to chat with.
I totally understand the collective mission and democratic concerns and inclusivity and decentralization, but there is clearly a cost.
Inherently email is a really ugly user experience that most people don't like to use, when given the choice versus "text based" communications. It looks bad. It's hard to read. It's hard to use. It cost organizations millions in loss of productivity. It's just not great for how people are communicating online in 2023.
It's as ephemeral as you want it to be, and accessible. That's for sure too.
I believe there's still some supported xmpp client/host apps still kicking. I've used RocketChat in a professional setting and it was okay. It's functions very similarly to slack and MS Teams. It would also require hours of work and money to support. I could maybe squeeze $240/year from our budget for the cause.
I'm familiar with the bike bike discord and there's a reddit xbiking discord server that some co-op folks hang out in. I personally have zero interest in joining a Facebook group. That's where I have to draw the line.
I'm really enjoying this discussion and hope to not be stepping on toes. It's all love. Hope everyone here is well. Shout out 859 if y'all made it this far. Come see me!
Luke Box 859.588.9811
On Mon, Feb 6, 2023, 10:21 PM cyclista--- via Thethinktank < thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote:
Commenting because this is an Interesting Puzzle. I think a few things are happening to create this effect.
The pandemic did two things:
- divided us, in terms of how we each dealt with such an event
(definitely a lot of intense and varying takes on that, some ideological or political)
- necessitated that we each hunker down and intensify our efforts to
survive and/or thrive in an especially challenging space
Nonprofit work is always tough in a predominantly capitalist paradigm, but under these conditions, I think we all had to supply every increment of our bandwidth to our selves and individual projects. A lot of people lost their physical spaces and/or had increased challenges with funding and volunteer participation. Others scored a boost in funding because of all the state, NGO, local, and national funding that became available, and subsequently have been intensely occupied with managing a surge in development.
There have been a few of us with bandwidth available for posting, each probably for different reasons, but what that means for this listserv is that it suddenly became a conversation between a very few people. I refrain from posting for weeks or months at a time just so that the list isn't only my voice. It isn't a community when it's just one or two people talking.
Those of us out there who are really winning have less of a need to ping the group about questions or brainstorming. I'd encourage such groups to pivot to sharing success formulas a little more for the benefit of those of us who are struggling.
I'm really glad that so many of us are still at it! Maybe we're ready to circle back to this incarnation of mutual aid.
~cyclista Nicholas
On 2023-02-06 20:45, Luke Box via Thethinktank wrote:
Wow! Hadn't checked back here in a while. I don't have the energy to add much to the discussion right now, but I am SO glad to see so much activity here. This is the most active email I've seen in the listserv in a very long time and also begs the question, what has happened here to garner so much 'traction'?
On Sat, Feb 4, 2023 at 3:40 PM Jim Sheehan via Thethinktank < thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote:
OCBC is still growing, and I'm fine with the old list serve, but if there are good reasons to switch that's fine.
Also; hey, MOBO, we've been doing learn to ride classes for a while now -- here you go <
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lMxi0_O1MOp9it8gGP9hJ4B0xdy03HJo/view?usp=s...
! Jim
Jim Sheehan Executive Director Ohio City Bicycle Co-op 1840 Columbus Rd Cleveland, Ohio 44113 216 830 2667 OhioCityCycles.org jim@ohiocitycycles.org
On Fri, Feb 3, 2023 at 1:33 PM MoBo Bicycle Co-op via Thethinktank < thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote:
MoBo Bicycle Co-op in Cincinnati OH chiming in to say that we're active, healthy, and happy! We're planning a series of Learn to Ride clinics for adults this riding season if anyone has any tips or tricks they're interested in passing along. Makes me excited and hopeful to hear from you all!
Crank on,
Claire
On Wed, Feb 1, 2023 at 5:05 PM Alejandro Manga Tinoco via Thethinktank < thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote:
*l'Heureux Cyclage ( Rayons)* this one requires being a member of the network, and speaking french of course ( though I know people from other countries participating in bike kitchens that have been approved) https://sympa.heureux-cyclage.org/info/rayons
*Cycling and Society* This one is purely academic, and the leading researchers on the topic from a social sciences perspective in Europe and Latin America are involved https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=cycling-and-society
*Bike Equity Network*
This one was created by Adonia Lugo ( which I guess many of you know), she was part of the organizers who brought ciclovia to LA, the first chief diversity officer at the League of American Bicyclists. I know it was instrumental in the development of the Untokening and the concept of mobility justice, though it mostly sends emails about work related with bikes nowadays. Not sure who manages it today. https://groups.google.com/g/bike-equity-network
On Wed, 1 Feb 2023 at 16:52, Gabrielle Anctil < gabrielle.anctil@gmail.com> wrote:
Hey Alejandro - I'm curious about these other lists you mention, where can I find them? Thanks!
Le mer. 1 févr. 2023, à 11 h 51, Alejandro Manga Tinoco via Thethinktank thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org a écrit :
> HI all, > > I find these servlists extremely useful, both as an organizer and > a > bike researcher. Through this list I was contacted by working > bikes, to > find someone to receive bike containers of Schwinn cruisers in > latin > america and now we are working to have them send one to Chile and > another > one to Colombia. Then there is the bike equity list, which has > enough > information to write a book on the emergence of the concept of > mobility > justice. The cycling and society listserv is particularly useful > for bike > researchers, in fact many of the concepts that I integrate into my > research > comes from discussions start on those emails threads. Finally the > french > list rayons ( which is managed by L'Heureux Cyclage, the french > network of > bike kitchens of which I am a boardmember) holds the history of > the > emergence of radical bikespaces in France - I suspect that this > listserv > also holds the history of the emergence of community bikespaces in > northamerica, which is a pretty cool thing to have - as well as > the > troubled relationship it has with the big brother - la Féderation > des > Usagers de la Bicyclette (FUB) which is akin to the League of > American > Byciclists - except much bigger and much better funded. I would be > down to > explore a discord (though I don't really know how to use them), > and I am a > big fan of substack, because it truly allows to have informed > discussions > in a format that is easier to use than a email listserv. > > Alejandro > > On Wed, 1 Feb 2023 at 11:38, BICAS via Thethinktank < > thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote: > >> hiya- bicas here >> i love getting these i've definitely learned alot from what >> people >> post, would definitely respond if someone had a specific question >> i had an >> answer to >> thanks! >> >> On Wed, Feb 1, 2023 at 7:25 AM Kim Schaffer via Thethinktank < >> thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote: >> >>> >>> >>> Hi all, >>> >>> >>> >>> Just before the last Youth Bike Summit, a few youth Earn a Bike >>> groups experimented with creating a private facebook group for >>> discussions. >>> We don’t have critical mass yet, but there’s been some nice >>> sharing. If >>> you’re interested, please feel free to join in! >>> >>> https://www.facebook.com/groups/917896622389397 >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Kim Schaffer >>> >>> Community Bike Works – Lehigh Valley PA >>> >>> >>> >>> *From:* Thethinktank >>> thethinktank-bounces@lists.bikecollectives.org >>> *On Behalf Of *Jean-François Caron via Thethinktank >>> *Sent:* Tuesday, January 31, 2023 10:28 PM >>> *To:* The Think Tank thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org >>> *Cc:* Jean-François Caron jfcaron3@gmail.com >>> *Subject:* Re: [TheThinkTank] R U There? >>> >>> >>> >>> There's nothing inherent about email or a listserv that prevents >>> quick replies and short form discussion. It's a cultural >>> limitation that >>> has gotten worse as people get used to other non-open-standard >>> platforms. >>> >>> >>> >>> Jean-François >>> >>> >>> >>> On Jan 31, 2023, at 14:27, Luke Box via Thethinktank < >>> thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>> Heyo from central KY USA! >>> >>> Our co-op just hired its first full time employee (it's me!), >>> after >>> being completely volunteer organized for the past twelves years. >>> Kind of a >>> big deal, mostly for me. Virtual BikeBike was pretty cool. I >>> checked out a >>> few recordings. >>> >>> With the hyper speed of internet trends, email communication has >>> seemingly taken a back seat in regards to organizing. Not to say >>> it doesn't >>> have a place, but that there are more conducive methods to >>> communicate now, >>> versus 20 years ago or whatever. I mentioned some alternative >>> communication >>> outlets to the Bike Collective admins a little while ago, and >>> was not >>> shutdown, but there were concerns. The concern was in the spirit >>> of >>> decentralization, and to keep from relying on 'cloud' based >>> services. >>> Slack, Discord, MS Team, etc are all non-mission supporting >>> solutions to >>> the lack of communication in the network. I completely >>> understand the >>> angles, and they're right. Using AWS is not a 'collective >>> solution' but I >>> think there are a lot of us still in this 'network' that could >>> all benefit >>> from some refresh in the way we're all communicating with each >>> other. >>> >>> Personally, I would LOVE to have the ear of some of you Co-op >>> directors/managers/volunteers on a platform designed for quick >>> replies and >>> short form discussion. I'm sure some of you feel similarly. >>> There are a >>> slew of self hosted solutions, but what would be >>> sacrificing/gaining from >>> using these? >>> >>> >>> >>> On Mon, Jan 30, 2023 at 5:56 PM cyclista--- via Thethinktank < >>> thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote: >>> >>> I do wonder what is going on (or not) with the ThinkTank. I >>> actually >>> wondered if I'd been ghosted at one point! Then of course looked >>> up >>> the >>> archives and saw that, nope, just no activity. >>> >>> Hope we're all well everywhere - at least I'm wishing everyone >>> well. >>> The >>> movement is still deeply meaningful. I just wonder what changes >>> we >>> may >>> be going through and whether we're ok. >>> >>> cyclista Nicholas >>> >>> >>> On 2023-01-30 21:09, Daniel Byrd via Thethinktank wrote: >>> > Hello all, >>> > >>> > Kids on Bikes in Colorado Springs, CO is alive and well, but
also
>>> not >>> > all >>> > that active on this forum. >>> > >>> > Keep up the great work everyone, >>> > >>> > *Daniel Byrd* >>> > - Executive Director - >>> > Kids on Bikes >>> > 719-355-3573 >>> > daniel@kidsonbikes.net >>> > http://www.kidsonbikes.netwww.kidsonbikes.net >>> > >>> > *Mountain Equipment Recyclers *Used Outdoor Gear Store Colorado >>> Springs >>> > | >>> > MER (merecyclers.com) https://www.merecyclers.com/ and the
Pedal
>>> > Station (Pedal >>> > Station | Kids on Bikes <https://kidsonbikes.net/pedal-station/
)
>>> have >>> > a >>> > new home - 2222 Bott Ave. C/S CO 80904 - Open 7 days a week >>> 11am-6pm >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > On Mon, Jan 30, 2023 at 11:04 AM Yellow Bike Project via >>> Thethinktank < >>> > thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote: >>> > >>> >> We are still active but do not do much on this forum. >>> >> >>> >> YBP >>> >> >>> >> Yellow Bike Project | www.austinyellowbike.org >>> >> 1216 Webberville Rd Austin, TX 78721| 512-524-5299 >>> >> Schedule Available Online https://austinyellowbike.org/ >>> >> "Be the change you would like to see in the world." - Gandhi >>> >> "Keep Cycling: it is Undoubtedly the Best form of Activism
there
>>> is." >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> On Sat, Jan 28, 2023 at 8:39 PM Geoffrey Bercarich via >>> Thethinktank < >>> >> thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote: >>> >> >>> >>> Goodluck Stewart. Everything helps. My city community cycling
is
>>> >>> pretty >>> >>> ghostly. >>> >>> >>> >>> I hope people can share their stories. Inspire the next >>> generation >>> >>> of >>> >>> cycling >>> >>> >>> >>> On Sat, Jan 28, 2023, 6:26 p.m. Stuart Nottingham via >>> Thethinktank < >>> >>> thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>>> Looking at the collectives website, there seems to be no >>> activity in >>> >>>> the >>> >>>> group since early December. Is everyone busy planning for
2023
>>> >>>> season? >>> >>>> Hopefully, we’re not all losing interest. For myself, I’m
going
>>> to >>> >>>> be >>> >>>> looking for ways to strengthen the bicycle community in
Omaha.
>>> >>>> ____________________________________ >>> >>>> >>> >>>> The ThinkTank mailing List >>> >>>> >>> >>>> Unsubscribe from this list here: >>> >>>> >>>
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>>> >>> >> >> -- >> >> *BICAS* >> >> 2001 N 7th Ave | Tucson, AZ 85705 | Shop: 520-628-7950 >> >> bicas@bicas.org | www.bicas.org | Facebook >> http://www.facebook.com/bicascollective/ | Instagram >> http://www.instagram.com/bicastucson/ >> >> >> *Through advocacy and bicycle salvage, our mission is to >> participate >> in affordable bicycle transportation, education, and creative >> recycling >> with our greater Tucson community.* >> ____________________________________ >> >> The ThinkTank mailing List >> >> Unsubscribe from this list here: >>
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