Bioneers brings together a very diverse, discerning, engaged and reflective community, and the curated conversations around crucial topics we have been hosting recently (“Conversation Cafes”) have proven highly popular and stimulating. Each session begins with a very brief presentation by one of the conference presenters as a “conversation starter” to frame the topic, followed by structured group discussion. At the end of each session, a “harvester” who has carefully witnessed and “absorbed” what has transpired, offers us a poetic synopsis/recapitulation of the highlights of our time together.

 In this world, it’s a blessing to find a place where you feel you’re in your “element” and an even rarer blessing to feel in your element at your workplace. Many of us look to institutional and business strategies for guidance yet continue struggling. Based on practices passed down for generations, Kevin John Fong has brought his Five Elements approach to thousands of people and hundreds of organizations to achieve workplace health, professional growth, and personal well-being. Combining traditional East Asian philosophies with organizational design and models provided by nature, this framework provides a means for us to identify the underlying patterns that weave us together so that we can help ourselves and others. Kevin will start off this Community Conversation by explaining how we can apply the Five Elements in our lives. Facilitated by: David Shaw, Santa Cruz Permaculture and UCSC Right Livelihood Center. “Harvester:” Jason Bayani, author, theater performer, Artistic Director, Kearny Street Workshop.