STEWARDSHIP - a CEAV model for the 21st Century'

CEAV ("CAL-EXPO - An Alternate Vision") is a project of California Advocates for the 21st Century (CA21c). As such, it is being structured in a way that we hope will model some of the ways that people will engage their energy and desire to create a more humane, just and equitable and healthy world for the generations of this century and beyond.

One of the ways CEAV is implementing this desire is by examining many of the terms which normally are associated with human projects ('organizations', 'grass-roots' efforts, 'collectives', 'companies', 'non-profits', etc.) and considering how and if those designations subtly bias or otherwise imply attributes which seem contrary our project or the way we wish to regard those who choose to take an active role in CEAV undertakings.

With respect to those who engage in CEAV projects and activities, CEAV looked at a number of ways in which the terms referring to them and their roles were referrenced in 20th century structures and organizations. We found terms such as 'participant', 'activist' 'worker', 'volunteer', 'member', along with role descriptors such as 'secretary', 'boss', 'CEO', 'Director', 'Janitor', 'messenger' and so forth, to be to be loaded with baggage and unwanted implications carried over from organizational structures of the 20th century.

One such term, 'Steward' and the common meanings embraced by the term 'Stewardship' were felt to be more applicable and accurately descriptive of the way CEAV operates and how it regards those who may engage in its many activities on temporary, incidental or long-term basis. This reluctance to simply borrow common terminology from another era is not really strange at all. This is exactly what the feminist movements of the last century found they had to do if they were to overcome the prejudice and bias that was carried and re-enforced in the very structures of our language and how it was being employed to exclude, sexualize and define people of certain genders or life orientations.

'Steward' and the associated term 'stewardship' seems more apt to what we think should define many of our human activity structures of the future. No one 'owns' CEAV. Those who are involved in some way in CEAV activities and tasks merely act as stewards of an idea and a vision that is loosely described by the name 'Cal Expo - an Alternate Vision" which consists of a proposal and some evolving descriptions of its intent and activity, many of which can be found on the pages of this website.

One of the most appealing things about the idea of 'stewardship' is that the subject which one 'stewards' is associated with caring for that subject, whether it be land, or ideas, or people, or planets. A long time implication of 'stewardship' is that it is an engagment that goes on well beyond the assignment or activity of an particular steward, even if one's own stewardship should last a lifetime. A second attractive element is that stewardship also implies that one leaves the subject of their activity in as good or better condition than when they began their stewardship. There are many other implications, and the use and meaning of this term will undoubtedly evolve over time. For now, those who are involved in activities related to CEAV, and who wish (and consent) to be referrenced in terms of that activity will be be refered to as 'stewards'.

No other role, responsibility, or accountability is implied or assigned to such individuals in the use of the term 'steward'. Such matters are, indeed, important and present some challenges and difficulties that will require considerable thought and examination on the part of CEAV stewards, now and in the future. For now, those who engage in activies related to and acknowledged by CEAV will be regarded as stewards of CEAV, if they so wish. The process to determine if that is the case is being considered and we invite the thoughts of others who wish to contribute to the subject. Please Contact us if you have suggestions or opinions. - red slider, steward.

THE STEWARDS - Additional Discussion

Why 'stewards'?

[this section is just 'first-thoughts' and general discussion on the subject of stewardship and stewarded organization. If you have ideas or would otherwise like to contribute to this discussion, please use the CEAV 'Contact Form' and send us your comments. We will add them to the discussion as appropriate. - rs]

Why not 'volunteers', or 'helpers', or 'staff', or 'participants'? The reason is simple. 'California Advocates for the 21st Century (CA21c) wished to model a 21st century idea of how human energy may best be engaged and orchestrated to a common purpose. Such modeling needs to begin with an examination of the terms in which the 20th century (and before) casts their institutions, organizations and methods of structuring themselves. Not suprisingly, we found the language of the 20th century shot through with its own implications of how the people invested in its tasks were to be regarded. It is a subject for other discussions, but relevent in that we felt the 20th century treatment of the matter quite unsuited to describing endeavors such as CEAV in 21st century terms.

For our puposes, 'Steward' seemed the best commonly understood term to describe the role of those who engage such projects, on their own or in concert with others. 'Stewardship' avoids the implication that people are owned by some overarching 'parent structure' or ruled by canonical policy. Neither do stewards own that which they attend. We simply perform our tasks with the understanding that we will hand them over to someone else, hopefully in as good or better condition than we found them. Moreover, 'stewardship' suggests a certain connection between steward and stewarded. A bond of affection, if you will, something more than a "job" something less than a "committment". Stewardship is entirely neutral about things such as status, employment, class or role. What one does as a steward is, simply put, what needs to be done.

Stewardship, then, seemed more fitting as a 21st century way of engaging the world. CEAV has chosen to attempt to model as many of its implications as possible. For now, that about covers the matter.

Red Slider, steward
The CEAV Project

SO, JUST WHAT ARE WE STEWARDING?

At the moment, The CEAV Project is a conceptual proposal, just that. There is still has much work and refinement to be done. Indeed, the proposal describes an 'evolving process' that implies further refinement will continue for as long as any realization of it continues (see p.20 for example) .

Along with that refinement, the concept will need to be translated into terms the 20th century understands - it's politics, its financial methods, its ideas about value and investment. 20th century practices and requirments are still calling the shots (and probably will be for several decades yet). CEAV must satisfy their demands in ways that do not compromise the project itself. That's a tall order which will need to be carefully stewarded and will require very knowledgeable and creative people to do that.


There are at least three intial problems the CEAV Project must tackle:

  • CEAV must slow down and ultimately stop Cal Expo's plans for private development. We have had two assists in this part of the strategy. The first, of course, is the continuing uncertainty about the economy. Since Cal Expo has thrown all its eggs in the 'development' basket, they themselves have had to admit that their ambitions have run into serious difficulties finding speculators and developers willing to gamble on such projects during uncertain times.

    The second is the Mayor's recent appointment of a taskforce to examine potential locations for a new sports arena. Cal Expo does not appear to be at the top of their list; though one cannot be certain. Cal Expo has had a lot of experience working the backrooms of the matter, and we assume nothing at this point. They have recently extended their arrangement with the NBA for another six months. Making the case, and putting pressure on dropping the NBA plan or any other "mixed use" development plan must remain on our agenda until they actually close the their current plans from further consideration.

  • CEAV must be ready to make the case with a credible proposal. We do not think this will need to be a detailed plan; but it will need to be supported by sufficient economic, social, environmental and visual exhibit that it can be presented in a cogent way and stand up to scrutiny. Cal Expo has had the NBA to fund a number of analysis and concept reports over the past several years, as well as considerableplanning investment on its own. CEAV does not have such resources. We will haveto drawn on the talent of stewards who come forward to help and/or the commercial sector which might be convinced that their support would be in their own interests. Along with that, general public support and political support from throughout the state will be needed. The matter must be moved from that of being a purely local or regional issue to one that is statewide. Art, story, music and poem also have important roles to play. On of the serious drawbacks of the proposal is that it has no visual 'renderings' of what its concept might look like. Cal Expo did have one done with their "master-plan". I our opinion, it was a rather tawdry looking affair ('carnival grotesque') but it was a picture and people did relate to it as something to envision. A picture is going to be worth a thousand words here; and we're going to need dozens of rendings from the best imaginations of architects and artists.

  • Finally, our experience over the past year has informed us that the Cal Expo Board will need to resign or be removed from their appointment for things to really happen. Without any disparagment of the current make up, it is fair to say they simply would not be up to the task of birthing a real world-class CEAV-like project. There are a lot of reasons for this conclusion, though we will not detail them here. The fact that they have remained so fixated on the development scheme they have clearly indicates that they simply do not have the vision or knowledge it would take to leverage in to being anything on the order or nature of The CEAV Project. Sooner or later, that fact will need to be faced.

That, then, is the playing field. It's a lot of ground to cover. CEAV cannot possibly do it. But well-orchestrated stewardship might. What CEAV can do, did do, is respond to 20th century inadequacies with 21st century imagination. We provided an idea and a website to present it in some fashion. From this point, it is those who have the experience, imagination and will to make it that so will have take the idea forward. We can suggest some methods, and make the appeals help. Beyond that, there's not much CEAV can do. We will of course continue to oppose actions that would foreclose or destroy this unique opportunity. But, even in that, those who are reading this must realize, our effectiveness is limited. To listen, to discuss, to report on what is happening; that we can do. Some, no doubt, will shake their heads and roll their eyes at the "impossibility" of such an idea as CEAV. But we say, flatly, that the only thing that would prove such a project to be impossible is silence. If you can help, please do.

STEWARDS DON'T ORGANIZE!

In keeping with what was said above, CEAV does not believe people have to be 'organized' to get something done. Instead, and in 21st century terms, we presume that people who offer to help are already organized. Lives already have structure and organization; you don't need another project to layer another structure on top of that. Rather, we think it is our job to find out how we can translate what someone is already doing and what they like to do into something that would be useful to the project, with as little distraction to the one offering their help as possible. This, we suggest, is the difference between "organization" and "orchestration". Organization takes people and places them somewhere within a structure to suit the needs of the organization. "Orchestration", in contrast, takes people as they come, presumes they are already organized, and asks, "How might their current activity be useful to us?" Organization works by assigning people to discrete roles. Orchestration defines tasks to suit the roles people bring with them. It's not always easy or possible to do this, but the more resourceful the orchestration is, the better it will be able to match the needs of the work to be done with skills and interests on hand. In any case, that's what we will try to do.

Anyone, with any skill or experience, might have just the thing to offer that CEAV will need to complete its mission. The trick is to discover just what activity that might be. There are some areas which we know will require special training or experience which we do not possess. In the sidebar and on the contact form we mention some of those areas of special interest. They are by no means exclusive. Just an aid to help get some things started which have special requirements. Please don't be put off if you don't fit in one of those categories. If you like the idea and would like to steward some part of it. Contact us and we'll find out how your desire matches CEAV's needs. For the specialties we've listed, the needs will be obvious. It is still a 20th century game - the politics, planning, financing and plain old self-interest - that will be calling the shots. At some point, CEAV is going to have to approach those enterprises with something they can understand; something they want. You will know best how to translate our concepts into their terms. That kind of translation will be crucial. For all, then, if you believe that CEAV warrants your attention, enough to get involved, do contact us. We'll figure something out that works for you and works for us.