Tales of a Hudson Valley Localist
“Building blocks” of a vibrant local living economy take shape
by Ajax Greene
At the TEDxLongDock conference in June that Re>Think Local supported,
one of the speakers mentioned that there are more than 50 ashrams and spiritual
centers in the Hudson Valley. Fifty! On September 23 Re>Think convened
around 75 Hudson Valley wellness professionals for a one-day conference at the
Omega Institute (a Re>Think member). A personal highlight was when someone
referred to the Hudson Valley as the “Buddha Belt.”
It seems there is a simultaneous awakening to the potential of the
Hudson Valley as a health and spiritual destination. While Sedona, AZ, Ojai,
CA, and others on the West Coast are already far along on this path, the East Coast
is only now lacing up our shoes.
Our wellness conference included speakers from O+ Festival, Rondout
Valley Holistic Health Community, and Healthcare as a Human Right—each in their
own way finding innovative, collaborative solutions to healthcare challenges we
face right here in the Hudson Valley. Their work is so impressive folks from
around the country are reaching out to find ways to duplicate these ideas in
their region or city. This is the New Economy at its best.
There were some powerful speakers offering great content at the
conference, or course, but what made this gathering so special was its
commitment to ongoing collaboration. Our tagline is “Co-creating a Better
Hudson Valley,” and this was a major step in doing just that.
We intentionally set aside time for a moderated group discussion. Babs
Moley, owner of River Rock Health Spa, has stepped forward as a passionate
advocate of growing the Hudson Valley as a branded destination for world-class
health and spiritual renewal. Don’t fret if you weren’t there; there is still
plenty of opportunity to become engaged with this exciting collaborative
endeavor. And there is room for all: from solo practitioners to larger
business. There is a meeting being planned for mid-November. Follow Re>Think
Local on Facebook and subscribe to our free newsletter on our website
(rethinklocal.org) to get future announcements.
A more traditional way to describe what we in the Localism movement call
a “building block” of a local economy is an “industry cluster.” (I’ll bet most
massage therapists and the like have no idea that they are an industry, not to
mention a cluster.) Historically ignored by traditional economic developers as
too small to be relevant, acting in collaboration these wellness professionals
may be one of the most vibrant aspects of the Hudson Valley economy going
forward. Yeah!
And there are many more potential building blocks of a local living
economy in the Hudson Valley (media, arts, manufacturing, lodging, alternative
energy, banking/finance, and solopreneurs, to name a few). Which do you think we
should focus on bringing together next? Two suggestions we have thought about
for 2014: restaurants (farm-to-table and the like) and green building. Are you
interested in taking a leadership role? Let us know.
We believe now is a time for optimism; we collectively just need to show
up. Collaboration is a hallmark of the New Economy, the path forward. For many
of us that have been raised on competition, collaboration is a new skill we
need to learn. Be patient with yourself, as we are all going through this
transition together. Be patient (can you hear me speaking to myself here?) with
those you want to collaborate with who might not be “getting it” the way you
hoped.
One good way forward is to attend a Re>Think Local event so you can
connect and collaborate with like-minded movers and shakers—just like the
wellness professionals at our conference who decided the time to succeed was
now. Many of us prefer the slower pace of the Hudson Valley to the hyper-driven
pace of the City or even Westchester. Slower is good; asleep, not so much. It
is these kinds of community conversations that foster change and growth in
directions that work for all of us, no matter which building block we are in.
Reminder: We’re surveying Hudson Valley businesses to compare the
economic multiplier effect of spending at local independents with that of major
corporate chains. If you have an independent restaurant or retail store
(selling physical goods) in Dutchess, Ulster or Orange County, please
participate in Re>Think’s Indie Impact Study. Details on the website (rethinklocal.org).
Posted by Chris Hewitt
on 11:48 AM.
Filed under
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Rethink Local
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