Dam Good Neighbors: Small Breaches, Stronger Bonds

Prepared to Drown: Deep Dives into an Expansive Faith

What does it mean to be a “dam good neighbour” in a world that seems determined to divide us? We're running as long as we can with this play on words. This conversation isn't about politeness or etiquette – it's about neighbourliness that disrupts, crosses lines, and binds us together when systems pull us apart.
Drawing from Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan, our panel explores who we're willing to stop for, who counts as "our own," and how we build communities where no one gets left behind. We hear from Laura Istead of Two Wheel View about how youth find capability and connection through bike mechanics; Brian Thiessen on how housing-first approaches transform both individual lives and community economics; Jun from Action Dignity on the layered barriers faced by ethnocultural communities; and Ricardo De Menezes on how workers and marginalized groups create chosen family when traditional structures fail them.
Our conversation navigates the messy terrain of community resilience in Calgary – a city that has weathered floods, pandemics, and housing crises – revealing how crisis exposes inequity but also offers opportunities for transformation. “We are all in the same storm," one panelist observes, "but some of us are in boats that can hardly float."
The most powerful moments come when we examine where unlikely relationships become the starting point for healing. From former addicts working alongside police officers, to immigrants bringing untapped talents to their new communities, these connections demonstrate how breaking through isolation creates resilience that no government program or policy alone can achieve.
Ready to disrupt your definition of neighbourliness? Take a listen, then ask yourself: how might expanding your circle change not just your community, but you?

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Chapters

1. Introducing Community Resilience (00:00:00)

2. The Good Samaritan Disruption (00:01:30)

3. Crisis Response and Youth Resilience (00:09:08)

4. Housing Crisis and Systemic Barriers (00:14:15)

5. Building Relationships Across Divides (00:55:53)

6. Truth, Social Media, and Community (01:10:47)

7. Finding Hope in Unlikely Relationships (01:24:19)

8. Expanding the Circle of Neighbors (01:35:45)