When faced with a crisis, we all have a choice to make. While we have been in a slow moving (on the level of individual perception) climate crisis for decades, myself, and many people I know, feel that we are verging on, or perhaps in the midst of, a political crisis in our country. 

During the early days of the new administration, I thought hard about crafting an exit plan by building relationships with communities in other countries in case we crossed some irrevocable threshold. However, after much reflection, I have chosen, quite resoundingly, to stay. This is the kind of scenario we at Dancing Rabbit have been preparing for. Now, more than ever, it’s time to double down on the values, practices and way of life that we’ve been honing for 27 years; creating resilience at multiple scales (community, regional, and our extended network) to thrive in whatever future we’re barreling towards.

To support our mission, join us on May 8 for Give STL day, which is a day of raising awareness and funds for regional nonprofits. Bookmark this giving link and donate during a Power Hour to maximize your impact:

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More on my process

When Donald Trump was sworn in for a second time, and a barrage of unhinged and anti-democratic actions unfolded, I began to seriously consider an exit plan from this country. His first term was bad enough, but now it seems like the guardrails are off, and the Cabinet is filled with loyalists and dangerous ideologues. Why would I choose to live in a country where the government is doing everything it can to cut social programs, limit free speech, consolidate power, betray our allies, and enrich the ultra wealthy?

If we crossed the Rubicon into autocracy, fascism, or extreme dysfunction, I wanted to be ready to hightail it. While nowhere is perfect, there are surely at least some countries where there is less corruption, functional institutions, a reasonable standard of living, a less divided populace, and an ecovillage or two. I’ve done quite a bit of slow travel, including work exchanges on farms and in communities, and have always been open to living abroad.

However, another train of thought soon took hold of me. Is this not what we at Dancing Rabbit have been preparing for? Would I be a hypocrite if I bailed on this project, along with friends and family, just as the need for viable human and planet-centric alternatives became ever more salient? I took a step back from the madness of the news cycle and realized that, for the time being, things in my little bubble are chugging along as usual. However, many of the impacts of recent decisions may unfold over months, years, and possibly generations. This is not meant to gloss over the very real and dire consequences currently being felt by various groups.

Canning Asian Pears with visitors; an invaluable skill for uncertain times.

This is an opportunity to continue building a nurturing community, resilient systems, and a network of like-minded supporters and collaborators. Let us not take this moment of relative stability for granted, for it may not last forever. Let’s tap into the abundance of tools, resources, expertise, and enthusiasm we have at our disposal to strengthen our resilience, and build a community where more people can thrive and find refuge from social, political and climatic chaos. This is the approach which is ultimately the most compelling to me, and it’s what Dancing Rabbit is here to do. If this approach resonates with you, please consider donating on Thursday, May 8, using this link. 

In community,

Eric 

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Eric Mease 

Villager // Land Steward // Development Lead

Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture at