Over the last few months, NetworkM has truly begun to take off. The word is getting out that something special is happening here and people want to know about it. But now that we are moving forward, the question becomes: Why NetworkM? and how do we make this initiative successful?
 
Our mission at NetworkM is to bring people together and to “cultivate relationships for more effective social action,” but what does that mean and how do we get there? How does NetworkM do that?
 
The truth is, no one person or organization can make that happen. The ability for these goals to be met lies in participation (for a couple new tips on how to make the site work better for you, read below). All NetworkM can do is provide the platform or forum where these relationships can begin to take shape. NetworkM can provide the tools and the resources, but cannot in and of itself ‘increase communication” not can it create “more effective social action.”
 
When I first started the blueprint for NetworkM, I had dreams of people connecting with others all around the globe. I thought, “There are so many people doing so many interesting things and we are all so scattered. If only there was a way for us to know about each other and our work.” I imagined how it would be if there was a land owner somewhere looking for a biodynamic farmer to tend his land, or a film producer looking for the right story and the right people to work with-- and NetworkM was a place where they could meet. Not only would the landowner have a farmer, but the farmer would have land. The producer would have her story, the writer would have his funding.  Young entrepreneurs would have access to mentors, clientele, partners, etc. We could truly make the impact in the world we want to make because we have the means to be connected, support each other and join each other in our endeavors.
 
Now that we have NetworkM, it is time to look at how we can use it to achieve these goals. We have nearly 200 members and are growing rapidly, each of us with so much to offer. Remember, everyone on NetworkM has a blog space where you can share with the community what is going on in your life, your ideas, thoughts and opinions; there is a bulletin board for posting initiatives, jobs, etc. (there are currently two job offers posted there, by the way). Every day I check to see what I can learn from or about someone on NetworkM. I urge you to use these resources.
 
One major way that we can continue to work to achieve our goals is through the NetworkMeetups. A Meetup is simply a one-day mini-conference that will take place simultaneously all around the globe. Each Meetup will have the same format and schedule, but will have it’s own unique discussions and outcomes based on who comes and what they bring. To read more about the NetworkMeetups, click here.
 
The first NetworkMeetup is scheduled for February 3rd, 2007. Sounds far off, but it’s not. Preparation is now in full-swing and we are looking for hosts and moderators around the globe. Ideally, we have a Meetup every one-hundred miles, so no one has to travel more than two hours to attend.  In the mean time, wherever there are NetworkM members, there should be one.
 
To find out more about being a host or moderator in your area, please contact me.
 
Thank you for your participation,
 
 
Matthew Cortez Temple for NetworkM

P.S. I found that many people are still confused about what a MeetUp is, so here is a dialogue I had describing it:

M:  so, you asked what it would entail to be a meetup host
S: yes yes!
M: was it clear what a meetup is?
S: No, but i wanted to participate anyway. It sounds like a good time
M: the idea is that on the same day, around the world, there are little gatherings of, say 5-25 people. One in every town where there are interested parties.
S: is there a specific topic?
M: yes. there is a specific topic: local community/ global community
S: how long is the gathering?
M: It's a one day event, hosted at someone's house, a school, a church, a community center.
S: Will there be food and drinks?
M: yes, everyone should bring a potluck lunch.
S: I think I could comfortablly host up to maybe 11-12 at my house.
if needed could squeeze 15-20
M: the other option is to see if you could use a room at the Waldorf school
S: that's a good idea too. I might even be able to use my office conference room as well.
M: Great. The host basically organizes the event. Invites people, things like that.
S: perfect
M: once you've agreed to be a host, NetworkM members in your area would be instructed to contact you, while you reach out to others in your community whom you think would be interested and may not already be members of NetworkM.
S: I'd love to do it