Optimism Town Hall Returns with Anniversary Preparations and Fractal Research Orientation!

!

Welcome Back!

I’m excited to rejoin on Thursday, October 16 for our second Optimism Town Hall of the season — our first in five months since May 15. We’ll reconnect and focus on two topics: preparing for the Optimism Fractal two‑year anniversary with a draft proposal to make it extra special; and an orientation from Eric on his research about appreciation and volunteer motivation using fractal coordination methods that Optimism Fractal is pioneering.

For anyone who hasn’t followed every update, we haven’t held an Optimism Town Hall since the Optimism Fractal Council approved a proposal in May to hold Optimism Town Halls only when topics reach a minimum respect‑vote threshold. That naturally created a pause while we focused more on Eden Town Hall. This session brings back Optimism Town Hall with purpose and sets us up for a wonderful second‑year finale and an optimistic start to year three of Optimism Fractal, while laying groundwork for research that can help fractal democracy proliferate throughout society.

This Week’s Topics

In this week’s Optimism Town Hall event, we’ll plan to focus on anniversary planning for the first 10-30 minutes of the event then allocate 30-60 minutes to Eric’s fractal research orientation. The event may be extended an additional half hour

Optimism Fractal Two-Year Anniversary Planning

Optimism Fractal’s anniversary is Monday, October 20, and we’ll celebrate together on Thursday, October 30. We’ll keep our familiar flow by playing the Respect Game and then gathering for Optimism Town Hall to celebrate the two‑year milestone, but add a couple fun twists to commemorate the special occasion while stylishly showing off our coordination skills!

I’m proposing we try something fun at the celebration event on October 30th. Introducing the “Optimism Fractal Formal” — where anyone who wants can dress up a bit to mark the occasion. That could be a nice shirt, a suit and tie, a special hat, something red to show optimistic spirit, or even a festive Zoom background. It’s just for fun and entirely optional. As always, everyone is welcome to join and play the Respect Game however they show up.

During Optimism Town Hall I also propose we play a fun game we’re calling “Optimistic Stories,” where people can share a short story about Optimism, Ethereum, or Optimism Fractal and what it has meant over the past couple years, and briefly honor someone in the room or in the community who’s made a special impact. I’ve been working on a proposal you can review in the draft proposal.

Orientation to Eric’s Fractal Research Study

Eric Westreich will share an orientation for his doctoral research exploring how peer appreciation relates to volunteer motivation in nonprofit organizations, informed by the fractal coordination practices we’re pioneering. This week’s town hall will feature a welcoming introduction for anyone curious about participating and how the flow works over the following weeks. If you’re interested or want to learn more, read the Volunteer Informed Consent and Interest Form to receive the invite and sign up detailsdetails. You can also see Eric’s call for volunteers in his Eden Fractal Telegram post.

Eric’s study runs over eight weeks with light weekly touchpoints. After a short one‑time orientation, interested participants complete two brief surveys (before and after) and meet in small groups of up to six for friendly, structured conversations about recent contributions and impact. Each week, the group reaches consensus using a simple tool, and participants receive a personal email summarizing appreciation points awarded by peers. Participation is voluntary and confidential, and people can opt out at any time. The aim is to deepen connection to mission, measure how appreciation supports motivation, and generate practical insights nonprofits can use.

See You At This Week’s Events!

Looking forward to reconnecting on Thursday, October 16, preparing a joyful celebration for October 30, and supporting Eric’s research. It’s been a special two years with everyone, and I’m honored to be entering our third year together.

I'm excited to bring back Optimism Town Hall, play the Optimism Fractal Respect Game, and enjoy a great discussion with you all. New and returning participants are warmly welcome—whether you're new to Optimism or Optimism Fractal, we'd love to see you at both events. This week, Tadas is also hosting the ORDAO Fractal event, featuring updates about integrations with ZAO Fractal and new features released in ORDAO 1.4.

As always, you can register for the events on the Optimystics events calendar. Can’t wait to see you all there!