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 Intro

02:32 Charlotte's Mont Blanc Trek

06:25 Guest Introduction: Sandra Slater

14:15 Sandra's Origin Story

15:07 People for the American Way

17:28 Environmental Awakening

18:28 The Cool Block Challenge

23:25 How to Run a Cool Block