Bahala Blog
Community updates & vibes
Nourishing Body and Soul: Westside Food Bank
“We at Westside Food Bank remain deeply committed to being here for our neighbors as long as we're needed — because no one in our community should go hungry.”
Full Steam Ahead: The Rediscover Center
The Rediscover Center, like Bahala, collects the isolated bits, organizes them, and reframes them into something greater.
Less Litter
Less Litter intentionally began with beach cleanup because of its low entry point. “Worst case you’re moving around outside, looking at the ocean.”
Under the hood: Micro-grants for Neighborhood Wellbeing
Growing leaders from individuals in our community
Local small businesses
For Hayleigh, sustainability inspires her artistic vision and self-expression, turning would-be waste into wearable art.
More than just a business, she’s carving out a place where people who have felt invisible and disempowered discover new possibilities of being and doing.
“Crochet helps people slow down. It’s a tactile experience that brings joy and gentleness into our fast-moving lives,” she says.
The Rediscover Center, like Bahala, collects the isolated bits, organizes them, and reframes them into something greater.
WUUM feels less like a living ecosystem, a wall composed of biodynamic plants. It’s constantly evolving, growing new branches, and deepening its roots. Just like the women it serves.
But the sky tugged at her. Call it the reverse pull of gravity. In 2013, she could no longer ignore it.
Jewelry is an art form that combines our corporeality with ideas. In this way, we embody and signal ideas about culture, beauty, and our identities.
“It’s so much easier to take something like creating art seriously when we’re having fun.”
“Even at the best of times, having a creative outlet is essential to well-being,” Claudia said. “How better to unwind than literally unwinding something?”
Inviting spontaneity, silliness, and collaborative playfulness, modeling creativity in action. Polly’s voice rang out: “People ask me, How do you write a song? Usually I just make stuff up. And hope it works out.”
Gardening
And so the Bahala community garden was born, a site of learning and gathering, open to anyone who wants to get involved.
The act of growing plants in neglected public/private spaces is sometimes called “guerilla gardening.”
Everyday Tech
Events like Truth Decay “give psychology and its attendant healing powers back to the community and help translate abstract ideas into grounded conversations,” Karen says.
“We need public media, just like we need our democracy. It’s a way to exist outside the algorithm.”
Every algorithmic system serves multiple masters, each with their own goals and priorities. Let's meet the key players
What do people mean when they say “The Algorithm”?
Algorithms are everywhere in our daily lives, but the word has gained a scary connotation that closes us off from learning its benefits.