Finding Belonging in Technology (Cat Moore)
Feb 27, 2023
"The trauma lens is one of the most important and missing pieces when we think about community building."
Our guest this week, Cat Moore, is the very FIRST “Director of Belonging” in Higher Education serving now at the University of Southern California. She eats, sleeps, and breathes the topic of belonging.
Cat shares with us today why as community builders we need to STOP putting “Belonging” into a category and understand that it is already INFUSED into every aspect of our lives. The question is HOW are we facilitating belonging in the experiences that we create?
I believe if we get THIS right, my friends, if we pay close attention to the wisdom that Cat shares with us all the other things we are focused on when it comes to building a community will fall into place. Yes, we are builders, but people will always be the most important part. Always.
Cat is quickly becoming one of my favorite people, she practices what she preaches, is using her story to help others, and is brilliant with words. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
FROM TODAY'S EPISODE:
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Balancing ambition, moving the needle, and also slowing down for "the one"
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Facilitating group conversations that include as many people as possible.
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How does belonging "change over time?"
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Creating EXPERIENCES of belonging
WHO IS CAT?
Cat currently serves USC as the first Director of Belonging in the history of American higher education. She is the course designer + instructor for CLICK!, gaining national media attention. She is also the CEO of Re-human, a company that empowers digital users to connect on purpose on + off-screen. She partnered with the Los Angeles Unified School District to analyze the role of relationships and integrity in systemic change before directing communications for a non-profit that helps locals to transform their contexts through relationships.
For the last 7 years she has partnered with leaders across industries to prototype models for organic connecting. Her work has been studied by universities + received grants.
RESOURCES SHE MENTIONED:
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Quilt App: https://www.instagram.com/wearequilt/?hl=en
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Mighty Networks: https://www.mightynetworks.com/
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Dr. Quincy Gideon: https://www.quinceegideon.com/
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Weird: The Power of Being an Outsider in an Insider World: https://amzn.to/3xsEFFm
QUOTES:
If we don't have a basic sense of the trauma that people have experienced in their lives and are brought into the space we will have no clue on how to build an inclusive space. -Cat Moore @HeatherParady #Web3 #CommunityBuilding CLICK TO TWEET
The trauma lens is one of the most important and missing pieces when we think about community building. -Cat Moore @HeatherParady #Web3 #CommunityBuilding CLICK TO TWEET
If we don't take responsibility for why and how we are engaging -the values of the system will take over and generally, those don't serve human flourishing. -Cat Moore @HeatherParady #Web3 #CommunityBuilding CLICK TO TWEET
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