Over the past year, I've been rediscovering the art and science of community-building in a post-COVID world. While the way we gather has undeniably changed, there's a groundswell of renewed energy around forming connections. This movement—a blend of hyperlocal initiatives and innovative tools—might just signal the emergence of a new "neighborverse."
One thing I've noticed–These stewards often start out this work in the solitary, lonely journey that many of us community-builders know too well. When I participated in Cabin's Neighborhood Accelerator Program (NAP) to bootstrap a block association last summer, one thing that struck me is how uncommon and unusual it is to find the kind of person who is willing to step up for their neighborhood or city.
But another thing I've noticed–These groups seem to naturally coalesce and find each other (whether online or offline). There is a lot of incredible work taking place today among like-minded community-builders, so I wanted to share some of the themes I've been seeing as a way to help connect some dots for you, too.
Who's Building the New Neighborverse?
Bespoke Coworking Spaces
Reimagined Bulletin Boards
Co-Living Communities
Pop-Up Cities and Neighborhood Accelerators
One of the first things I sought out as a fractional worker in a post-COVID world was a coworking community that felt a little more emotionally satisfying than just a cookie-cutter location. I was so lucky to stumble upon Workplayce, a coworking space and childcare facility on the Upper West Side. What I love about Michelle Chan's vision with this space is that she's fusing together two disparate (and largely incompatible) concepts–working with your kids. The prototypal daycare drop-off culture doesn't lend itself well to parents actually meeting each other; when Workplayce opened, it was the first time I really got to know my near-peer set of Upper West Side working parents. Two years in, and I can honestly say this is where most of my friends have been stemming from.
This bespoke coworking–small spaces with a hyper-niche–seems to be a new trend of this post-COVID community era. I've found myself similarly drawn to the intentional design of Friends Work Here, a Brooklyn-based coworking community that begun in 2015 but seems to have an even more important stickiness in today's era. Even more novel is Fabrik, a third space for community builders who often feel like they don't have another place to call home. Their Tribeca location gives off cozy living room vibes in a way that makes you want to cuddle up with a book and stay forever.
In addition to coworking and community spaces, I've noticed a resurgence of next-gen, civically minded organizations. (Maybe implicitly, or even explicitly, trying to tackle the "Bowling Alone" problem. This can sometimes be technology focused or tech-inspired, like BetaNYC, but one consistent theme seems to be the idea of a reimagined bulletin board. BetaNYC has excellent NYC community news digests that set out to share not only local events & initiatives but also community resources.
But it's not just happening in New York City. Julia Gitis is the founder of Community News Lab, an emergent San Francisco based initiative that's working to establish "news kiosks" (think: LinkNYC, but less ads, more local flavor) around the city to help prompt hyperlocal news. New_Public is taking this idea even further (and more digital-native) by exploring work around both a reimagined newsletter or community digest and the opportunity space that exists in the comments section of various channels all over the Internet. That current social media broadcasts are failing as this new ilk of community-building organizations are getting a stronger toehold is (I hope) an exciting indication about what's coming around the corner.
One of the highlights in participating in the Cabin Neighborhood Accelerator program was learning alongside neighborhood mentors like Shani Graham, who, over past several years has been building up a collective, communal space in south west Beaconsfield, Australia. This group, now-named the West Beacy Bunch, works together in a co-created vision that incorporates
This reminds me of Village SF, a multi-generational co-living community in San Francisco, and also Fractal NYC, a Brooklyn-based collective. While each carries their own particular flavor and intentionality, what I love about these co-living communities is that they also lean deeply into this "everyone can teach" mentality and encourage intergenerational storytelling, classes, or other collaborative initiatives to deepen connection. It's really hard to get co-living right, but I do wonder if we are starting to look for places to live and connect outside of a classic shoebox apartment where you never get to know your neighbors.
It's been fun to see crypto-native communities double down on IRL. The first instance of this I saw was when Cabin, an onchain collective of like-minded community-builders, redesigned their vision to lean into building supporting resources for the neighborhood builder worldwide. The Cabin Neighborhood Accelerator Program, a 10-week crash course in community, treated the work of bootstrapping a neighborhood as no different from bootstrapping a company. They recognized clearly the emotional gap in the marketplace to help community-builders keep going, what with all of the slammed doors in faces, empty event gatherings, and clipboard data capture attempts.
Another example of onchain community-building turned IRL has been the creation of extensive, immersive undertakings like Zuzalu, or pop-up cities. Bolstered by onchain tokenomics and hyperlocal digital economies, the ever-nomadic crypto community gathers so frequently at conference circuits around the world that it wasn't at all unusual to conceptualize a 2-month-long, pop-up city in Montenegro. Each week had different themes and programming, and 200+ people came and went from all over the world. While certainly not accessible to all, this innovative concept does challenge us to rethink how geographic boundaries are no longer the limiting factor toward IRL human connection.
While it's all still very grassroots, I do hope that this collection of community-builder initiatives is an indication that we are tipping toward a larger pattern of what it means to rethink neighborhoods, communities, and hyper-local connection.
And by the way, if you're hearing about other pockets of these new network effects in action or other groups building out initiatives for this new neighborverse, I'd love to hear about it. As I've learned, it's (still) not as common as you'd think...
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Welcome to the *30th edition of Paragraph Picks*, highlighting a few hand-selected pieces from the past couple of weeks.
@naomiii grapples with the disillusionment of working in tech, questioning the inevitability of AI-driven futures and profit-driven motives while advocating for more human-centric, meaningful, and creative spaces online. "We are obsessed with purposes that are dead ends. We see money as an end and lose our sense of everything that is worth living for." https://paragraph.xyz/@cryptonao/idealism
@bethanymarz describes how communities are being reimagined through hyperlocal initiatives, bespoke coworking spaces, co-living communities, and pop-up cities, signaling the emergence of a “neighborverse” where human connection is being redefined. "While it’s all still very grassroots, I do hope that this collection of community-builder initiatives is an indication that we are tipping toward a larger pattern of what it means to rethink neighborhoods, communities, and hyper-local connection." https://hardmodefirst.xyz/the-new-neighborverse
@albertwenger explores the nature of knowledge, arguing for a middle-ground approach that acknowledges both the certainty of scientific knowledge and the inherent limitations of historical and philosophical inquiry, advocating for a balanced, evolving understanding of reality. "If we apparently can’t know some things, maybe we can’t really know anything at all." https://continuations.com/philosophy-mondays-knowledge
@yoshiro-mare writes about how the unconditional self-worth, distinct from self-esteem, is the foundation for true psychological well-being, requiring self-acceptance, self-forgiveness, and emotional resilience rather than reliance on external validation. "Your worth is not determined by performance, appearance, or external validation—you are inherently valuable." https://paragraph.xyz/@yoshiromare/unconditional-self-worth
Reply with a link to the last NFT you bought / minted / created.
https://rodeo.club/post/0x978d5876f91Ed3C7c59ef7fb4B049a23b3e46ee0/7571
https://opensea.io/assets/base/0x4eda7469b282f38ab767d23aef6256edb71b7e74/3
Jan 1 2018 https://warpcast.com/vinayvasanji.eth/0xa819b4a6
clanktardio
https://opensea.io/assets/base/0x1404aea3701b44f8903336081ae0879844536602/275
https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0xad71f35dd8ac696bc89cd2a5b3aee45272c5b1ed/271/
https://warpcast.com/pauline-unik/0x2a751152
https://opensea.io/assets/base/0x1cff5c9fb2a5fba6951d148c5d46d1272a2763ee/4468
I have this in my @rainbow wallet showcase 🏆 https://opensea.io/assets/zora/0x688c54ef15ee009538a9dbc836662d5cddc09609/3
a beautiful one to show off, @samantha and @lambchop cooked here
:3 thank you @samantha
Hi Dan this was from today on @abstractchain https://x.com/jonamccallum/status/1884291783716397449?t=wEWjGDDSFen5vudeFY8boA&s=19
it was for the culture and to support a clanker builder @clanking.eth https://opensea.io/collection/bumshaft
definitely for the culture...
Is that the other face of a dickbutt??
It’s definitely something
the bumshaft stays up 🔥
https://foundation.app/mint/eth/0xA15609Fb585DF9B55819d850B530D8E92a93d48d/3
I’m still crushing hard on @rodeodotclub … here’s a few I’ve recently collected, wish there was a way to share my top 9 I posted. https://warpcast.com/zachharris.eth/0xb08e402d
https://pods.media/unchained/chris-dixon-on-why-we-will-finally-see-new-app-innovation-in-crypto?referrer=0xEdFe32F521e1f6fA1df5ff2d600Bbfc31ee46b9c
Dude thanks for the share. I immediately listened to it and loved it. Ever since I went through Chris Dixon’s book Read. Write. Own. I’ve been a fan boy
Just dropped an onchain episode of ZEROPOD on @pods this morning featuring @proxystudio.eth and @dish https://pods.media/zeropod/the-clankpod-with-clanker-founders-proxy-and-dish-zeropod-s2-e8?referrer=0xBaA0ee89bf12753d6317E353cb4fB1DC94230341
this one https://app.manifold.xyz/c/anonartifact001
Creating these typographic stroke faces for my farcaster friends. I have done one for you to, check it out (but the mint is closed so you're late) https://rodeo.club/post/0x207Def5FbA1778fFa73F64c5Fb8cFA5e9Ae96254/25
https://opensea.io/assets/base/0x504405158f9960a0252a83ee2fd13167991addd6/100100051
here you go, a japanese kimono pattern https://hime.x.rarible.com/token/ETHEREUM:0x3815ddc2998f8cd7e48687078e58553eed042257:44☺️
Got a neat Lucky Ghoul and some degen from the arcade style minting experience. https://magiceden.io/item-details/base/0x86c3262bd79f0d133b553a1c3935a674fcb3145e/569
https://rodeo.club/post/0x1A076e7A6EE11bC5231351459c6B8f050b92F7Ee/112?referrer=0xB5EFe2f363CCAE4a0513e53751Aa710E7B5A6F21
just collected @bethanymarz's post on Paragraph https://hardmodefirst.xyz/the-new-neighborverse?referrer=0xA1A750080E96293dcEb237c76B9Ca10C20E1B49f
https://rodeo.club/post/0xF960538Dc4480D498DE60b5062683D04E7F1e52f/48
https://manifold.gallery/base:0x1791fd74b0d40e16bca6b66c490c7dc2a08f2ea4/7
Last created https://opensea.io/assets/base/0x4b2a48531e819c18689c5ac4c154d11e2f6b3e6b/66
i keep buying these https://opensea.io/collection/the-degentlemen
Part 9 of a 10 part series I’ve been making. https://objkt.com/tokens/KT1RwR4DKcGMHj48bR5GWEjpiXMpH2yFdAX4/9
@toadyhawk.eth @jackwyldes.eth zeropod episode 3468 mints for crypto x farcaster native content not bad at all
https://media.tenor.com/9_sPgR1MLUIAAAAC/not-bad-ryan-reynolds
Minimal effort for maximum yapping
honestly not sure. its been a minute
https://rodeo.club/post/0x205757853077C8512eed5C6F5aF3dfbAA922c0e7/83?referrer=0x2fD01Fd3FE8E03ACe8B98F4Fd15aDae036F79d80
minted this documentary about barbering culture in Ghana. powered by @energyonchain https://zora.co/collect/base:0xba6c46239a4ee1f05fd92a2cb0163f044629f985/1?referrer=0xF760E6b91f0D4430533AcF0232F904ef3074Ac2C
https://opensea.io/assets/base/0x8c3f001a893f3b561dbcaa80f075ecc7a5b92690/327
https://rodeo.club/post/0x220b2Ba1933Ff915324eD0E361b21110F5764e48/10
🫡 also casted https://warpcast.com/ashwini/0x8f7c69a9
https://warpcast.com/kaito/0x2f256286
Boys on Mantle network https://element.market/collections/boys
iykyk
https://rodeo.club/post/0x205757853077C8512eed5C6F5aF3dfbAA922c0e7/85
https://opensea.io/assets/base/0x93d9212fb2111b4619c48393a4cc2c9e1983edb3/2488
https://art.salvor.io/collections/0x6f8e3fd5b1cc742e0616b0ca2c89b2d788050961/2
1 by @jack https://rodeo.club/post/0x160d0C136d5031f6fC9b1c16CC6471b6Dc513590/1?referrer=0xc36700E00d73B2100b1fFAd5A1307ce184A3E1a8
https://rodeo.club/post/0xe6D0eE88b62c2016E010da44a2D05A1c419e905b/7
some cool /onchainart / network art https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0xad71f35dd8ac696bc89cd2a5b3aee45272c5b1ed/91
this mushroom 🍄🟫 https://rodeo.club/post/0x5A2b9F67bDCF14E39D642918DA8357f84Da40901/36
Onchain gaias Do you really need a link dwr?
Gm friends ✌️ Last one I minted was Hammytime Presents on rodeo. Will reply with the last one I bought (but I'll exclude rodeo for that) https://rodeo.club/post/0xA26Aac5F2cbb71EA93a7e85fBE09FA84a4706a27/9
Last ones I minted were some onchain tiny dino mfers. Last significant one I bought was Adewale Mayowa's 21st Century Digital Shaman (animation too big to play on Farcaster, go view on Foundation it's amazing): https://foundation.app/mint/eth/0x5387dc78f2Bf1fe16E8191227D555A9236C5C7f7/11
https://gallery.manifold.xyz/0x3fad5ef7557504911032b44b767cba9156b0b369/1
One of the last I created. Poetry,.of course. https://app.manifold.xyz/c/yoyo
with our own @swampnet we talked about you a bit too https://pods.media/los-fomos-fm/smudged-eyeliner-political-dreams-and-confessions-from-the-y2k-vault
Please don’t take this the wrong way, @dwr.eth. I said my beef with you was arbitrary.
i recommend you to buy an onchain gaias https://opensea.io/collection/onchain-gaias good dip .
Who's Building the New Neighborverse? Four trends I’m seeing in post-COVID community building: 1. Bespoke Coworking Spaces 2 Reimagined Bulletin Boards 3. Co-Living Communities 4. Pop-Up Cities and Neighborhood Accelerators https://hardmodefirst.xyz/the-new-neighborverse
cc @grin
@bethanymarz is the best! i predict she's gonna take down nextdoor in ~2 years
So many links to check out here! Thank you!!
Felt really good to clear the cache on that one :)
Just a tiny bit upset to see those two guys trampling the flowerbed 😦
omg i didn't even notice, what hooligans!! that's hilarious
Workplayce is cool!
In a recent blogpost, @bethanymarz explores the evolving landscape of community-building in a post-COVID world. From bespoke coworking spaces to innovative neighborhood accelerators, there's a renewal of connection among local initiatives that signify the rise of a new "neighborverse."