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Another way to build and strengthen community is to listen to our residents and give voice to these ideas. As prospectors of old looked for many entry points to find gold, the Social Connection Circle will work with its network of Neighborhood Connectors to search for dreams lying hidden within the minds of our community. Through interviews of participants in the project, we will discover what people are thinking in our own community about their own personal passions and dreams and those about the future of the city as a whole. These interviews will aim to capture the power of the imagination by spurring each other on to think outside the box.

 

We have created a list of 15 standard questions about what brings people joy that they would like to see more of, such as creative projects and cultural events, ideas for the future, creative ways to bring people together, ways to improve our collective well being, and more. 

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These interviews will be transcribed and responses compared to find themes to feature in a quarterly newsletter, shared as standalone ideas, or presented as a compilation based on interviewee interest. This effort will rely on a growing network of trained interviewers selected from our Neighborhood Connectors.  Local community members, artists, and events will be invited to draw from these ideas and weave them into our community social tapestries through stories, artwork, music, podcasts, new types of community gatherings, and more.  

 

Imagining these shared visions will increase our joint sense of purpose and help people participate in creating the future. They will be a joy to fulfill together and a way to celebrate being a resident of Milwaukee County. And these mutual causes will create even more opportunities for social connection. 

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"If we can dream it, we really can do it."