Grounded

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Writing on building real community.

Practical notes on mutual aid, neighborhood organizing, and what actually holds a community together.

August 8, 2026

Why Home Learning Pods Are Growing Faster Than Trust in Traditional Schools

Microschools and learning pods went from a pandemic stopgap to a mainstream option, growing at almost exactly the rate that confidence in public and private schools has fallen. Here's what parents are actually optimizing for.

August 7, 2026

Neighbors Blocked a Datacenter. Here's What Else Organized Locals Have Pulled Off.

Datacenter pushback is the visible example right now, but it's one instance of a much older pattern: small, organized groups of neighbors changing something concrete about where they live.

August 6, 2026

A Year of Nextdoor: Coyote Sightings, Parking Feuds, and Zero Neighbors I Actually Know

I read my Nextdoor feed for a year. Here's what was actually in it, and why none of it added up to knowing a single person on my block.

August 5, 2026

Why 'Things to Do Near Me' Keeps Failing You

The search results aren't broken. They're just optimized for a one-time transaction instead of the recurring group of people you actually want.

July 14, 2026

Building Real Community After a Disaster

Disasters reveal who your real neighbors are. Here's how to turn that into something lasting instead of letting it fade once the crisis passes.

June 2, 2026

How to Start a Tool Library With Your Neighbors

You don't need a budget or a building to start sharing tools. Here's the smallest version that actually works.

May 18, 2026

Why Online Groups Don't Build Real Community

A Facebook group with 2,000 members can still leave you without a single neighbor to call. Here's the gap and how to close it.

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