The Chrysalis of Origin: A Web Forms As One
“Every snowflake begins as a tiny seed, branching into several strands at once.”
Imagine the formation of a snowflake: it begins as a single speck of dust, surrounded by water vapor. Slowly, a crystalline web forms, expanding outward in intricate, interconnected patterns. This process mirrors the emergence of life—a web of connection, amplifying growth and resilience as one whole organism.
At Under One Sky, we see our work in the same way. Like a snowflake, every project, collaboration, and idea is a strand in the web of life, strengthening the whole.
This year, with your support, we’ve:
Built connections between C-suite executives, youth leaders, and regenerative thinkers as we laid the foundation for our Smarthoods EMERGE initiative.
Expanded ideas through the wisdom of luminaries in our Onwards and Upwards Podcast.
Amplified impact with AI tools like CLARITY to guide transformational leadership.
The concept of emergence—where complex patterns arise from simple interactions without centralized control—is beautifully exemplified by snowflakes. From a single, unremarkable seed (the dust particle), an extraordinary, intricate structure develops. This mirrors how systems can evolve in complexity through local interactions, driven by foundational principles like self-organization, feedback loops, and adaptation.
But just like snowflakes rely on environmental harmony to form, we rely on you—our interconnected community—to grow this web and create the conditions for systemic change.
👉 Become a paid subscriber to weave your story into ours with a whole Substack dedicated to your narrative or brand message.
👉 Contribute at the cost of coffee by joining 50 others who have contributed $5 who have gotten us half way to our annual funding goal.
Sustaining Substack's Mission - A Web of Design
Substack is, in essence, a platform enabling emergent systems in the cultural economy. Here’s how:
✅ Catalyst for Creativity
Like the dust particle that seeds a snowflake, Substack provides creators with a nucleus: a simple, accessible platform to share ideas. Writers, thinkers, and artists can start small and let their communities grow organically around their unique voice and vision.
✅ Self-Organization of Communities
Similar to how environmental conditions shape a snowflake’s growth, the interaction between creators and their audiences leads to the spontaneous emergence of culture. Subscribers, feedback, and shared values coalesce into vibrant ecosystems, tailored to niche or global interests.
✅ Interconnected Yet Distinct
Just as no two snowflakes are identical, each Substack community is distinct—formed by the interplay of individual creativity and collective engagement. This diversity enriches the broader cultural landscape.
✅ A New Economic Engine for Culture
Substack’s model aligns with the principles of emergence by allowing value to flow directly between creators and their audiences, bypassing traditional gatekeepers. This democratization fosters a regenerative cycle where creators are rewarded for authentic engagement, much like the conditions that sustain and shape the growth of a snowflake.
Fractal Expansion Through Interconnection: A Web in Action
“A snowflake grows outward, connecting each branch to the whole.”
As the snowflake grows, each arm mirrors the others, demonstrating the power of symmetry and collaboration. Similarly, our work grows through the contributions of our Onwards and Upwards Podcast luminaries—leaders whose expertise forms the branches of a larger vision for regenerative systems:
Joseph Chidiac (JC) - CULTIBIO
Pietro Michelucci - Human Computation Institute
Paolo Nardi Fernandez - SUMBIOS
Sinem Tuncer - ARKIVE
Lateef Salami - ECOPATH
Caroline Boudreaux - The Miracle Foundation
Vince DiBianca - DiBianca & Associates
Kimberly Buffington - KJB Consulting
Michelle Terrill-Heath - A Way Through
Mark Thompson - Dialog Group
Jasper James - JJames
Jackie Stewart - Meditation
Stephen Ritz - Green Bronx Machine
Elaine Smith Genser - Joint SDG Fund
Alexi Lubomirski - Celeb & Fashion Photography
Jen Kleiner - Intuitive Artists
Florijn DeGraaf - Smarthoods
Charlotte Martin - Recording Artist & Musician
Chris Castro - U.S. Dept of Energy & IDEAS For Us
Janine Benyus - BIOMIMICRY Institute
Asher Wright - Caney Fork Farms
Erika Staël von Holstein - Re-Imagine Europa
Jason Blackstock - How To Change The World
Jackie de Botton - The School of Life
Nicholas Pratley - Sp8ce
Jonathan Robinson - Impact Hub
Giada Lubomirski - Ecoshaker
Chanukya Patnaik - AI PLANET
These visionaries are the crystalline branches of our collective snowflake, contributing diverse perspectives—from systems engineering to biomimicry design and sustainable agriculture to AI and transformational relationships that drive regenerative leadership.
Their stories show how interconnected action can regenerate the web of life, creating systems that amplify rather than extract, nurture rather than deplete.
A Canvass of White: A Web of Possibility
“Snowflakes don’t exist in isolation. Together, they transform the world.”
Your contribution strengthens this web of possibility, ensuring our initiatives grow and thrive. As snowflakes come together, they form a blanket that covers the earth—a metaphor for the web of life that supports all living systems.
Our vision for 2025 is to expand this web:
Smarthoods EMERGE Initiative: Bringing 10 C-suite executives together with youth leaders in an eco-village lab to model transformational leadership.
AI-Powered Tools: Expanding our use of CLARITY and Regenerative Leadership AI to deepen connection and foster system-wide change.
Scalable Transformation: Partnering with us you enable free access to all our open-source resources free while also adding your solutions.
Building a Snowman: A Web of Life
“From many hands and hearts, a shared vision emerges.”
As children, we build snowmen from the snow—a symbol of joy and collaboration. At Under One Sky, our version of the snowman is a world where regenerative systems replace outdated models, and leadership fosters connection and care.
This vision is powered by your support. By joining us, you help create a culture where:
Creativity and humanity are valued over profit alone.
Systems are designed for mutual benefit, not competition.
Leaders work collaboratively to regenerate the web of life.
👉 Nominate someone for our EMERGE initiative or simply share this vision with your network.
Each Snowflake Contains The Snowman - A Web of the Whole (WE)
“A snowflake’s beauty lies in its unique design and its contribution to the whole.”
We are endlessly grateful to our community of clients, stakeholders, and partners—
The Game Changers Lab (alongside EAT, IDEO, Thought For Food, The Rockefeller Foundation, Forum for the Future, Meridian Institute, SecondMuse and Intention 2 Impact)
YOU BELONG WITH US
This winter, we invite you to transform snowflakes into a snowman and beyond:
Contribute to our end-of-year fundraising goal. Over 50 contributors giving €5 have brought us halfway—your gift could help us cross the finish line.
Share your story, become a paid Substack subscriber. Your support ensures we can focus on creating the work that matters most by weaving in your own story.
Non-Monetary Contributions: Like, comment below, or share this Substack.
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