The film “Common Ground-Speaking Out on Land Use in Sonoma County,” and community discussion at the Grange drew a packed house on June 20. Thanks so much to everyone who came out for the debut of our film and (the start of) a very important conversation. Let’s keep it going. The film is now live on our website: www.common-ground-sonoma.org Spread it around!
Special thanks to our panelists Scott Johnson of MidPen Housing; Brock Dolman of Occidental Arts & Ecology Center; Adrienne Lauby of Homeless Action, Trathen Heckman of Daily Acts, Elizabeth Kaiser of Singing Frogs Farm and Yael Bernier of Bernier Farms. And to our host, Sebastopol Grange #306 and supporters Guayakí Yerba Mate and World Centric. And of course, to the wonderful filmmaker Tyler Thournir and Aaron Gallo of Thournir Productions.
As a group project by students of the Leadership Institute for the Economy & Ecology, this film begins with the premise that our county faces huge barriers to preserving our natural environment, keeping farms viable and assuring that everyone has access to a home—we also believe that all stakeholders bring a unique perspective on what constitutes optimal land-use and that a healthy exchange of ideas can foster more resilient and equitable land-use policy.
Created by: Noah Andrus, Janae Lloyd, Stewart McBride, Chris Melançon, Teri Shore, Jim Taggart, Vicki Vaughn & Evan Wiig.
Evan Wiig
Sebastopol Grange Lecturer
Executive Director, The Farmers Guild
Common Ground team member
Sebastopol Grange Lecturer
Executive Director, The Farmers Guild
Common Ground team member