Yesterday, I exercised my right to vote in Illinois.

It took research and effort, but it always feels like the right thing to do. The world continues to be “shaky” and one way I find my footing is by remembering what action I can take each day.

Change by Community
We think about this at the organizational level too. This year, Experience Institute is making moves to build more community and push the envelope on how work and learning works. Hence last week’s announcement about the Ei Sandbox.

Your Responses
Some of you have sent kind replies to the ideas we’ve shared, both last week and in prior posts. So we compiled a few of those words below as a reminder of the shared sentiments and values of several of us around Ei. Here are a few

"I love [Ei’s] thinking here. Why couldn't we play with format, location and age norms to make lifelong learning more accessible? I'll add a sixth thing - how do we create structures that support caregiving so that women (and men who are primary caregivers) with children can have the time and space to engage with lifelong learning?"
- Kathy

"So, as I peruse your list, I concur entirely with the concept. I hope to implement such a creative learning center in my circle. To be innovative, to lead, to create. The structure is essential, but the concepts need to flow into work, life, and learning. We can, as a community, teach each other. We can learn from the multitude of challenges in each fellow student’s pursuits. Yes, groups can gather anywhere, virtually and in person. And age is not a primary factor."
- John

"The world has evolved and our educational systems have failed to keep pace. They are dinosaurs trying to live in the 21st century. It is hard to sustain credibility while standing before my graduate students and proselytizing lifelong learning when they graduate at the end of the semester, half not knowing (still) where they want to be or what they want to do."
- George

"An ingenious set of ideas on promoting lifelong learning. Our local community colleges could definitely play a role here!"
- Nikhil

"As someone who is a passionate learner and teacher at heart, I normally always look for as much professional development as I can get. Sadly, much of it is expensive or not good quality or it is directly done by employers. My favorite part when I worked at the city was the continuous development opportunities but since leaving I sadly haven’t had many. I also often have been teaching my own little free courses [...] but it would be so good if it was in the format you mentioned! Adore the idea!!"
- Tyla

#nailedit
- David

Thanks for Being Here
As the team and I read your responses and stories, our hope grows and our resolve expands. It reminds us to keep learning about what action might improve lives, workplaces, and society. Thanks for your nudges.

From voting, to facilitating experiences, to hosting community research projects, we’re excited to continue building. We hope you are too.

PS: Join 100+ other community members in the Ei Sandbox.