Network for a New Culture

Network for a New Culture (NFNC) is a network of persons who actively promote personal growth, personal empowerment, and social change. NFNC's home page states that it "seeks to build a sustainable, violence-free culture through exploring intimacy, personal growth, transparency, radical honesty, equality, compassion, sexual freedom, and the power of community". NFNC is an informal network established in 1994; there are several organizations and groups that consider themselves affiliated with NFNC, with centers and activities in various locations around the US.
Network For a New Culture was originally inspired by the German intentional community ZEGG (German acronym standing for "Center for Experimental Culture Design").
Organizations
The main formal organizations that consider themselves affiliated with NFNC are the New Culture Institute (NCI) , based in Eugene, Oregon, the Center For a New Culture (CFNC), based in Arlington, VA, and New Culture Northwest NCNW; all of these are 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporations. There are also active informal New Culture groups in New York City, Philadelphia, Charlotte NC, Asheville NC, Maui, Hawaii (Big Island), Austin TX, Seattle, San Diego, Santa Cruz, and several in the San Francsico Bay Area, as well as concentrations of members in Portland OR, Boston, and Toronto. There are also intentional communities and businesses based on New Culture in Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, West Virginia, and Virginia.
Camps and Workshops
The principal activities of NFNC include annual 5 to 10-day retreats and workshops where participants live in an experimental version of the culture they are trying to build; there are also frequent shorter events throughout the year at various sites around the US. From 1994 through 2003, most NFNC events were centered on Oregon. Since 2003, NFNC has grown significantly, as groups have formed in other locations. For 2016, there are major events planned for Hawaii (Winter), Northern California (Spring), southern Washington (Summer), southern Oregon (Summer), West Virginia (Summer), and Southern California (Fall).
At these events, NFNC states that there is always a clear emphasis on freedom of choice for each participant; each individual is "at choice" to explore or not according to their own comfort level within parameters of communication designed to create "win-win" results. The principles of "consent culture" are embedded in all New Culture activities and events.
NFNC claims to take an eclectic approach to personal growth. Most workshops and presenters are drawn from outside the organization, and though there are consistent themes, there is no fixed program. Each event is organized by volunteers, and the makeup of the organizing team varies from year to year. There is no central authority or leader.
NFNC has had a number of notable speakers at its events. These include:
* cellular biologist Bruce Lipton
* doctor and citizen diplomat Patch Adams
* author and researcher Joseph Chilton Pearce
* author and Rabbi Gershon Winkle
* activist and sex educator Loraine Hutchins
* Radical Honesty founder Brad Blanton
* editor and author Diana Leafe Christian
* memeticist Paxus Calta
* broadcaster, author, and psychotherapist Thom Hartmann
* social and economic theorist Charles Eisenstein
* self-help author and relationship coach Susan M. Campbell

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