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Inside Community podcast takes an inside look at the beautiful and messy realities of creating and sustaining an intentional community.
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Episode List

Welcome back to Season 2 of the Inside Community Podcast! On this show we explore the beautiful and messy realities of living inside community and this season we are… Read More

Ep 014 – Join communities experts Yana Ludwig, Sky Blue, and Cassandra Ferrera for a panel discussion⦠Read More

Ep 013 – Listen to ideas on how to best engage with communities you would like to visit, so you and⦠Read More

Ep 012 – Hear Ted Rau share how sociocracy brings an incredible opportunity to cooperative groups to embody higher levels⦠Read More

Ep 011 – Cohousing benefits include autonomy, resource sharing, social and emotional connection, and a model for engagement and democracy that reaches⦠Read More

Ep 010 – Conflict is inevitable. Alyson Ewald shares how to have a good fight and transform harm into⦠Read More

Ep 09 – Moving groups through tough decisions can be tricky, if not impossible, without a skilled and well-trained⦠Read More

Ep 08 – In this episode, Iām joined by Sky Blue to discuss income sharing and innovating economic models⦠Read More

Ep 07 – When it comes to deciding who gets to make decisions and how decisions get made, the⦠Read More

Bonus Episode 04 – [Part II] This is a bonus conversation from episode 04 on Finding Co-Founders and Creating Cooperative Culture. Enjoy!⦠Read More

Ep. 06 – Sometimes the community dream only starts to āfeel realā when the time finally comes for forming groups to⦠Read More

Ep. 05 – Do legal structures and documents make your head spin? Fear not! In this episode weāre⦠Read More

Ep. 04 – [Part I] Thinking of starting an intentional community? The first step is finding āyour peopleā⦠Read More

Ep. 03 – There are many communities out there looking for capable and eager new members to become⦠Read More

Ep. 02 – This episode explores the topic of Mission, Vision, and Values in community. These guiding principles and founding documents help communities determine who they are and what they do. In many ways, this is the āintentionā part of intentional community. Joining me on a deep dive into this topic is Dave Henson. Read More

Ep. 01 – Hello friends and welcome to the Inside Community Podcast where I bring you along for an inside look at what it takes to create and sustain community. In this episode we are going to take a look at what we actually mean when we say ācommunity.ā Read More

Ep. 00 – In this episode, I take a moment to introduce myself, tell you a little bit about my journey⦠Read More

About the Podcast
The Inside Community Podcast brings folks along for an inside look at all of the beautiful and messy realities of creating and sustaining a community. We provide useful and inspiring content to support people on their quest for resilience, sustainability, and connection.
Through essays and interviews with experts, we examine a variety of topics related to communal living — from governance and decision making to ownership models, from navigating coparenting to navigating finances, from how to find your people to how to actually live with them. Whether you are wondering what it would be like to live with friends, share resources, and explore a more interconnected way of being, or live in community, and are looking for tips and tricks to overcome your communityās latest hurdle, the Inside Community Podcast will meet you where you are on your journey with topical episodes and fearless investigations.

Meet Your Host
Inside Community Podcast host Rebecca Mesritz is a community builder living in Williams, Oregon. In 2011, Rebecca co-founded the Emerald Village (EVO) in North County San Diego, California. During her ten years with EVO, she supported and led numerous programs and initiatives including implementation and training of the community in Sociocracy, establishment of the Animal Husbandry program, leadership of the Land Circle, hosting numerous internal and external community events, and participation in the Human Relations Circle which holds the relational, spiritual and emotional container for their work.
In June of 2021, with the blessing of EVO, Rebecca and 3 other co-founders relocated to begin a new, mission- driven community and learning center housed on 160 acres of forest and farmland. Rebecca is passionate about communal living and sees intentional community as a tool for both personal and cultural transformation. In addition to her work in this field, she also holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from San Diego State University and creates functional, public, and interactive art in metal, wood, and pretty much any other material she can get her hands on. She’s currently growing Bound for Color, creating and selling bespoke and naturally dyed art, homegoods and wearables. She is a mother, a wife, an educator, a nurturer of gardens, an epicurean lover of sustainable wholesome food, and a cultivator of compassion and beauty.


The Inside Community Podcast is sponsored by the Foundation for Intentional Community (FIC). Reach out if you are interested in sponsorship or advertisement opportunities on the podcast.