About Us

We envision a world in which community challenges are addressed, not by individual leaders, but by collective leadership--groups of local residents working together for sustainable change in 21st Century settings. Unlike conventional learning institutions, which may be grounded in traditional pedagogy and offer a curriculum delivered by credentialed experts and supported by academic texts, the Community Learning Exchange views communities and people as the new instructors and texts for learning. It encourages community change agents to share actions, practices, ideas and outcomes with one another in environments that respect and value local wisdom.


In 2008, eleven communities that had been working together for several years with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (in the Kellogg Leadership for Community Change initiative -- KLCC) launched the Community Learning Exchange as a way to spread community wisdom about collective leadership for community change to other communities across the United States. Communities are encouraged to: cross traditional boundaries, to identify emerging or marginalized leaders, and to include them in the process of moving from problems to possibilities. The Community Learning Exchange is a program of the Center for Ethical Leadership and partner communities. The CLE is supported by a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

What is the Community Learning Exchange?
The CLE is a growing network that connects local communities, organizations and change agents across the U.S. through:

• 3-day learning exchanges,
• this online networking site,
• and thought leader gatherings.

The CLE provides an opportunity for community leadership groups to openly examine their challenges, freely exchange successful approaches, and become familiar with tools that can enhance local change initiatives. Community organizations host learning exchanges that illuminate how local history and context affect challenges and approaches addressing various social change topics such as educational equity, immigration rights, health, poverty, structural racism, etc. Participants are encouraged to come in teams to make follow-up implementation of action plans more doable.

Why should I use this social networking web site?
Synchronous interactions, or face to face interactions, are very important and that is why we host at least three in-person Learning Exchanges each year. Since not everyone is able to always meet face to face, this site is meant to enhance everyone's ability to communicate, learn, share, and participate asynchronously. The technology behind the site allows people to become members, create profiles, establish affinity or working groups, share information and resources, post events, videos, and photos, and interact with each other through comments and direct messaging. The usefulness of the site relies on its members to share their gifts and wisdom with the community and engage in meaningful dialogue, the same way a thriving democracy relies on its constituents to be engaged in the process.

Vision
Healthy, just and inclusive communities.

Mission
To connect the wisdom and leadership of place.

Who Participates?
Teams come from communities grappling with similar issues, cohort groups supported by various funder initiatives, and networks connected to specific social change issues. The topics for each learning exchange emerge from the interests of communities in the network and other groups wanting to become part of the network. We welcome participation from new funder initiatives, communities who want to break their isolation, and groups/networks working on specific change initiatives.

Organizing Communities
The original eleven communities include:
Big Creek People in Action in Caretta, West Virginia
Boys and Girls Club of Benton Harbor Michigan
Laguna Pueblo Department of Education and New Mexico Community Foundation in Laguna, New Mexico
Llano Grande Center for Research and Development in Edcouch/Elsa Texas
Lummi C.E.D.A.R. Project in Bellingham, Washington
Mi Casa Resource Center in Denver Colorado
Migizi Communications in Minneapolis Minnesota
New Paradigm Partners in Northern Wisconsin
Public Policy Education Fund and Citizen Action of New York in Buffalo New York
Roca Inc. in Chelsea, Massachusetts
Salish Kootenai College in Polson, Montana

Coordinating Team
Cheryl Fields, Langhum Mitchell Communications
Francisco Guajardo, Llano Grande Center and University of Texas, Pan American
Miguel Guajardo, Llano Grande Center and Texas State University San Marcos
Chris Janson, University of North Florida
Matt Militello, North Carolina State University

Dale Nienow, Center for Ethical Leadership
Kwesi Rollins, Institute for Educational Leadership
Steve Stapleton, Center for Ethical Leadership

Funders
The Community Learning Exchange has been launched by generous support from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.

Contact Us
Email Dale Nienow
206-328-3020

Center for Ethical Leadership
1401 E. Jefferson, Suite 505
Seattle, Washington 98122