Cohousing-L Mailing List: Diversity in Cohousing

[Lauren Carter (lauren.carter.phd]

I want to thank Crystal Byrd Farmer for sending out her thoughts to the
listserv. I would strongly recommend her book (
https://crystalbyrdfarmer.com/). It is a gentle, clear, and concise pathway
forward. It also includes really great lesson plans and resources to guide
discussions within your community.

When I initially moved into cohousing I was concerned about the lack of
racial diversity. However, as I've learned more both through Crystal's book
and work outside of the cohousing world, I've come to the realization that
the cohousing environment is an excellent place to have the difficult
conversations that are necessary for us to have in our community as a
predominantly white community in a predominantly white area. I would
strongly encourage anyone interested in DEI (Diversity, Equity, &
Inclusion) topics to read The Token and register for Crystal's class. I'm
hopeful that as more people engage in the work, white people will be able
to carry some of the energy and labor of educating and responding.

Lauren Carter
Emerson Commons