ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on self-reflection and connections in local communities, national funders and community foundations. The creative authorities on the ground and strengthen a network of local leaders, creates the basis for a strong, adaptable, resilient framework. The chapter goals of a pluralistic society are not to erase differences in personal ideology. It is to realize a paradigm where acceptance and understanding counteract the many festering divisive sores currently threaten collective well-being. The one nation vision and experience shows that ongoing dialogues are the most basic building blocks for a firm framework of pluralism. At many of the partner organizations, programmatic staff was initially confused or annoyed with one nation seeming lack of direction. The one nation stucks to mantra: Never second-guess the locals. A rigid program mandated by a national funder would suffer in fluid cities. The one nation promises the organizations in Chicago it relinquish all decision-making power to the locals.
