The Good Comms Collaborative, Creators, and a story about Freud

👋 Hello Tammy. Thanks for joining Future Community. You're welcome to hit reply and let us know how we can be helpful anytime.

People not platforms

I heard this story the other day about a client showing up at Sigmund Freud's office to make sense of a dream. The client had this recurring dream in which his organization found and implemented an online community platform that worked seamlessly to bring people together in a place where they shared stories, supported each other, learned, and even began giving more money, volunteering, and growing their own confidence in themselves, friends and neighbors.

Freud, recognizing the hopeless delusion, sent the man to a hospital to receive around the clock care.

Seriously, though, you solve for community by focusing first on people, not platforms. Start small. Forget about platform. Start talking, listening, sharing on email or a group text chat. Figure out what gets people talking and why. Ask a ton of questions. Give it time. Let the people shape the direction.

Chances are the platform will appear organically. I've seen and been part of thriving communities on WhatsApp, Slack, Discord, email lists, even Facebook. Some of the best have no real community platform. They exist in multiple spaces but have regular events that bring people together on Zoom (or similar) or in person.

Chances are also good that the community will evolve onto and away from a particular platform or even focus. That usually has to do with people and trust or the level and quality of moderation - a component that can be complemented but not replaced by platform choice.

Bright Ideas

This article from Justin Bank at Project C is a must read on the relationship between storytellers/creators and how organizations get and sustain an engaged audience. In my notes I wrote: You need to create relationships with you, not just the info in your content. So that people come for you. That means having brand, of course. But also having a point of view. Being memorable. Being trusted. And being able to capture "value" in whatever form that comes.

Creator Journalism is fueling a bigger decentralization shift

Journalists and storytellers are hopping platforms, publishers, and partnerships

Project Cjustin bank

Good Comms Collaborative launched to help grassroots groups strengthen their digital communications. Learn more about getting involved in the volunteer-led project.

We're living in a moment in which agreement and homogeneity is equated with strength. Ignoring and silencing ideas and people is a sign of weakness in nations and movements. Read The Environmental Movement was Built on Assumptions of Racism; the Way Forward is Telling the Truth and Sticking to It. [Green Leadership Trust]

A whole bunch of people in and around tech posted the Resonant Computing Manifesto. It's a declaration of human-centered principles to guide AI and big tech more broadly. It's also an implicit confirmation of belief that big tech holds all power over economics, government, and culture going forward. That's pretty fucking grim.

Read Companies are Desperately Seeking 'Storytellers' in the Wall Street Journal. The quotes around the S word and the "young finance grads gathered around a campfire in the office" graphic may give a sense for how cute the WSJ finds the idea of storytelling.

Events and Trainings!

• Reset and Write Workshop [4 sessions. 10 people. Led by Andy Dehnart. Applications due Dec 20.
• Strategy Design Festival [January 20 / in person all day in London]

Future Community Jobs

These are the latest links. Check out the full job list here.

Hiring? Consider shipping a featured job out into this amazing community. Learn more here or just reach out on email.

🗞️ Audience, content, journalism and news roles

• Director, Product Engineering and Deputy Editor, Engagement: Pro Publica [Remote in the US]
• Growth and Community Editor : Healthbeat [Remote in the US]
• Senior Editor, Marketplace : American Public Media [Remote in the US]
• National Editor : States Newsroom [Remote in the US]

🗣️ Communications

• Senior Vice President of Communications and Digital Strategy : Reproductive Freedom for All [Washington, DC]
• Head of Communications : Omidyar Network (ON) [San Francisco]
• Public Relations and Content Specialist : Openlands [Chicago]
• Associate Director of External Affairs : Health Care Without Harm [Remote]

⚡ Nonprofit organizations

• 👀 Senior Political Director : End Citizens United [Washington, DC]
• Narrative Capacity Building Manager : BLIS Collective [Remote in the US]
• Partnerships Project Manager : Giving Compass [Remote in the US]
• Associate Program Director : Code for America [Remote in the US]
• Senior Digital Marketing Manager : Ocean Conservancy [Remote in the US]
• Chief of Staff : Springboard [Remote in the US]
• Policy Lead : Urban Ocean Lab [Remote in the US]
• Program Director : Pillars Fund [Remote in the US]
• Senior Manager, Influencer Marketing : Ad Council [Remote in the US]
• Manager, Public Policy for Community Philanthropy : Council on Foundations [Washington, DC]

💰 Fundraising and Development

• Development Director, Lift Fund : Neighborhood Funders Group [Remote in the US]
• Chief Philanthropy Officer : Heal the Bay [Los Angeles]
• Development Director : Head Count [Remote in the US]
• Head of Revenue and Philanthropy : AI4All [Remote in the US / Eastern Time Zone preferred]

💸 Foundations and Philanthropy

• Director, Technology Platforms (Fixed-Term Contract) : Mozilla Foundation [Remote in Germany/Canada/U.K/U.S]
• Director of Impact and Learning, Lift Fund : Neighborhood Funders Group [Remote in the US]
• Vice President of Programs : Philanthropy Together [Remote in the US]
• Senior Director, Philanthropic Partnerships : Consumer Reports [Multiple US Locations]

💻 Agencies, politics, products, projects & more

• 👀 Campaign Director : Logos [Remote / Global]
• Head of Storytelling : Vanta [Remote in the U.S]
• Public Relations Director : Cloudflare [Austin, TX and San Francisco]
• Digital Strategist : Break Something [Herndon, VA / Remote]
• Mozilla Fellowship 2026 : Mozilla Foundation [Various global locations]
• Community Operations and Project Manager (Temporary) : Bellingcat [Remote]

Future Community is a product of Ted Fickes and Bright+3. Reply or visit Bright+3 to get in touch and learn more about our work. It's fabulous.