New leadership at Dancing Rabbit! An exciting announcement and introduction

Published: Tue, 03/19/24

Dancing Rabbit’s nonprofit, the Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture (CSCC), is happy to announce the hiring of not one, but two new executive directors! That’s right. We’ve decided to create a co-leadership position, and two Rabbits are taking it on.

Meet Connie Tao and Emeshe Amadé

CSCC's new co-executive director team (and Connie's beloved greyhound Coda)

When Danielle, our executive director since 2016, decided she was ready to move on from the position (you can read her transition letter here), a committee was tasked with finding someone to take her place. This search took a winding road – beginning at home amongst current and past community members, widening out to include popular national and international job boards, and eventually arriving right back home.

This job is a complicated one for which to hire. It requires not only the business and managerial skills needed to run a 501(c)3 nonprofit, but also a deep commitment to, and understanding of, the lifestyle we practice at Dancing Rabbit. It calls for a love of this community, a trust and mutual rapport with its members, and also the ability to make hard decisions that won’t make everyone happy. Additionally, the nonprofit uses an organizational model called Holacracy which distributes power and requires those in leadership positions to lead differently than in a traditional top-down model. The expectations placed upon the executive director are exceptionally high in this down-to-earth ecovillage, and despite a broad search yielding several initial candidates there were moments when villagers felt uncertain about whether they would find a suitable successor for Danielle. Who would be willing to embrace the challenge? Turns out, two Rabbits were up for it.

Connie moved to Dancing Rabbit in January, 2019. She has served on the Village Council and Oversight Team since moving here, and continues to serve on the DRVC (Dancing Rabbit Vehicle Co-op) and DRLT (Dancing Rabbit Land Trust) committees.

“I first came to Dancing Rabbit through the October, 2018 Visitor Program. I was seeking a community where I could live more simply and sustainably, that already had some infrastructure and knowledge built up. I did not fully comprehend how much more was actually involved with living in intentional community and the visitor program was really quite the shock and knowledge dump for me. I moved to Dancing Rabbit in January, 2019, and my five years here have led to more personal and emotional growth and change than I ever expected. Looking back recently, I realized that in spite of the daily grind, irritations, and conflicts that arise from living closely in community, I have zero regrets about moving here⎼a surprising and very powerful affirmation for me of the value of having Dancing Rabbit continue to exist and thrive. I hope to contribute to that by stepping into the role of co-executive director of the nonprofit and continuing to spread the influence of Dancing Rabbit while also improving the lives of the Rabbits who are already here.”

Emeshe moved to Dancing Rabbit two years ago, but has had a relationship with the community since 2018 when she came as a work exchanger for the Critter Kitchen Collective. Immediately enamored by the “walk the talk” attitude she encountered at DR, she continued to deepen her ties untill choosing to move here in 2021. She began to work for the nonprofit in 2022, taking on a forward facing role with program applicants, managing the Dancing Rabbit Patreon account, and facilitating group meetings.

“I love Dancing Rabbit because it is a positive, generative, life-affirming place that allows its members to live in deep relationship with the land and each other. I cherish the opportunity to live intergenerationally, with kids and elders around me who constantly grow my understanding of what it means to live a meaningful human life. AND this life isn’t easy, particularly given that we are trying to rekindle a way of life which many of us have never before experienced. I believe this work is important for me and other white western folks like myself so we can relearn how to live in a nondestructive way. I embark on this path of unlearning so I can stop perpetuating a culture of destruction and greed, and this feels like important work. However, I’m a strong believer that our work here cannot be an excuse to isolate ourselves from the realities of the rest of the world. The truth is, we live in a time when many traditional communities are under attack, when the knowledge of how to live in connection with people and place has been forcibly suppressed by colonial projects, and when many human beings, particularly People of the Global Majority, are denied access to the things that make my life here so rich; like green space and self-governance. So, my life here feels like it revolves around many questions. How can I turn inwards to support my home community, while still turning outwards to serve the greater human community? What is Dancing Rabbit’s role in the global movement for social change? What is my responsibility as a woman of privilege entering into a leadership role? I do not know the answers to these questions, but I intend to continue to live into the inquiry as I step into the co-executive director role at the nonprofit.”

In an effort to make the transition process as smooth as possible, Connie and Emeshe have begun taking on responsibilities while Danielle remains in a training and guidance role for the time being. We asked Danielle for her thoughts about the transition and here’s what she had to say:

“I couldn’t be happier that both Connie and Emeshe were willing and selected to serve as my successors. I’m truly thrilled to be passing the torch over to them. Anyone who does this job must hold the bright vision of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage at heart, shape a path forward amidst a myriad of competing interests and priorities, and remain connected with the members who bring this demonstration village to life. All this while advancing the broader movement of humans learning how to live lightly together on planet Earth once again. It’s not easy, but it is deeply meaningful work, and I am confident that Connie and Emeshe each have what it takes to rise to, and above, the challenge. It’s been an honor to serve in this role for the last eight years and I’ve learned so much that I’m glad to have not just one, but two, ardent Rabbits stepping up to carry things forward. I hope all of you out there as our extended community will welcome them as warmly as I have as we begin this new chapter in Dancing Rabbit’s book of sustainable community living.”

Danielle passes the torch

Here’s to fresh starts, new opportunities, and co-leadership!

Sincerely,

Connie, Emeshe, Danielle and staff at
The Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture

Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, 1 Dancing Rabbit Lane, Rutledge, MO 63563, USA

Unsubscribe | Change Subscriber Options