A Gathering, Not a Meeting: Sandra Slater, Leader, Cool Block

When Sandra Slater knocks on your door, she has a script. “Hi, I'm Sandra, and I live across the street.” She points to her house so you know she's a neighbor, not a stranger selling something. Then the invitation: come to my home for a gathering, not a meeting, so we can get to know each other better. More than half the people she invites say yes, partly because everyone secretly wants to see inside the house across the street.Sandra is Aaron Hurst's aunt and in many ways the inspiration for the US Chamber of Connection. Her Cool Block program set out to help neighbors cut their carbon footprints. She learned that leading with the planet is a nonstarter. What people are actually hungry for is each other. There's someone sleeping 10 feet from your head that you've never met. So connection became the way in, and when COVID hit, her blocks already had masks and supplies and knew who had a generator and who was a doctor.There's a surprise, though. The topic people can't stop talking about isn't carbon. It's trash. Show neighbors the three bins and what goes where and they'll happily debate it all evening.Meanwhile, Charlotte returns from trekking Mont Blanc with fresh lessons on hosting, and Aaron reports back from being the awkward plus one at a pickleball party.00:00 Intro02:32 Charlotte's Mont Blanc Trek06:25 Guest Introduction: Sandra Slater14:15 Sandra's Origin Story15:07 People for the American Way17:28 Environmental Awakening18:28 The Cool Block Challenge23:25 How to Run a Cool Block30:45 Scale and Impact32:32 The Cost of Community Building34:28 Obstacles and Politics36:06 Palo Alto Forward and Housing Advocacy42:00 Reflection---The most creative artists in America right now aren’t in galleries. They’re in your neighborhood. How We Connected is a front-row seat to the social artists rebuilding human connection. Hear inspiring stories about roller skating crews, bad art clubs, jousting societies, city saunters, Georgian dinner parties, catch-playing challenges, midnight runners, and picnic societies. Hosted by Charlotte Massey and Aaron Hurst, co-founders of the US Chamber of Connection.Aaron Hurst is the co-founder of the US Chamber of Connection. He’s a longtime entrepreneur focused on purpose and community. He founded Imperative and the Taproot Foundation and wrote The Purpose Economy. Charlotte Massey is the co-founder of the US Chamber of Connection and leads community programs nationally. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and former organizer and founder, she works at the intersection of civic life and entrepreneurship.Connect with Uswww.chamberofconnection.orgSandra Slater, Northern California Director, Cool City ChallengeSandra has spent more than 30 years turning environmental conviction into neighborhood action. She began her career at the United Nations Environment Programme and worked closely with Norman Lear to help found People for the American Way. She later built her own design firm focused on green building. Her Palo Alto home, designed as a showcase for sustainable living, has welcomed 4,000 visitors on tours. As leader of the Cool Block program, she helped neighbors across Palo Alto and beyond cut their carbon footprints by first getting to know each other. She's also a co-founder of Palo Alto Forward, a grassroots group advocating for more housing and better transit. Her real specialty is the knock on the door.Learn more: coolblock.org/cool-city-challengeHeylowww.heylo.comHeylo is a community-management platform built for real-world groups of every kind, giving leaders a clean, branded home base to run events, manage members, communicate clearly, and handle payments without friction. It brings scheduling, RSVPs, waivers, announcements, topic-based chats, and membership tools into one place so clubs, teams, and interest groups can stay organized and connected without the noise of traditional social platforms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.