What if college campuses weren't just a bridge to adulthood, but living third spaces that teach us how to belong before we carry those lessons into the wider world? In this solo episode of Reimagining Community, Garland Fuller explores higher education as a powerful third space where identity, connection, and transformation unfold.

Drawing on her experience as both a student and adjunct professor, Garland examines how campuses can move beyond classrooms to become intentional hubs of belonging—through the people, places, and programs that shape community.

Key Conversation Highlights
📊 The Loneliness Crisis
Nearly 60% of college students report feeling very or extremely lonely (Harvard Youth Poll, 2022).

👥 The People Lens
Students, faculty, staff, and alumni form one ecosystem—yet silos persist. How cross-disciplinary collaboration can break barriers.

🏛 The Place Lens
From libraries to quads to dorm lounges, everyday spaces can be transformed into intentional third spaces.

📚 The Program Lens
Lectures, student clubs, peer mentoring, activism, and interdisciplinary projects as living laboratories for identity and connection.

💡 Campus as Microcosm
Why higher ed is one of the last curated environments where belonging can be practiced, tested, and carried into the real world.

Reflection Prompt
What third spaces shaped your higher education journey—and how did they prepare you for life beyond campus?

Connect & Keep the Conversation Going
👉 Share this episode with an educator or campus leader who cares about belonging.
👉 Invite Garland to facilitate, speak, or design for your institution: garlandfuller.com

Stay Inspired
"Higher education is more than a classroom—it's a laboratory for belonging." — Garland Fuller

What if the most powerful space at work isn't in the boardroom or the break room, but in an employee resource group over lunch, during a heritage celebration, or even in a Slack channel? In this solo episode of Reimagining Community, Garland Fuller explores Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) as hidden third spaces that cultivate connection, flatten hierarchies, and build belonging inside organizations.

From women's circles and cultural affinity groups to caregiving networks and next-gen cohorts, Garland reveals how ERGs function as more than just side initiatives—they are grassroots engines of inclusion, leadership development, and retention. Drawing on years of experience supporting ERGs, plus the People–Place–Program framework, this episode reimagines how organizations can unlock the true potential of these underutilized spaces.

The Hidden Third Space
Why ERGs are more than "extras" and how they serve as lifelines of visibility and belonging for employees.

A Personal Journey
From participant to ERG leader to advisor—lessons learned about governance, allyship, and grassroots organizing.

The Data Gap
90% of Fortune 500 companies have ERGs, yet only 8% of employees regularly participate (Great Place to Work, 2022). What that means for culture and engagement.

The People Lens
ERGs flatten hierarchy, connect employees across roles, and give underrepresented voices the chance to lead.

The Place Lens
Conference rooms, digital platforms, parades, and volunteer projects—all the ways ERGs carve out micro third spaces.

The Program Lens
How mentorship pipelines, speaker series, and cultural celebrations transform ERGs from potluck gatherings into engines for growth.

Allyship in Action
Why joining an ERG outside of your identity group can deepen empathy, activate upstanders, and strengthen community.

ERGs as Culture Shapers
How well-resourced, well-led ERGs can drive retention, build equity, and shape organizational culture for the better.

If you're in an ERG, what's the one thing you wish leadership understood about your impact?
If you're not, how might you show up as an ally or champion for an ERG in your workplace?

What's your most meaningful ERG experience—or what's holding you back from joining one? Share your reflections in the comments or tag Garland on LinkedIn.

👉 Explore the Community Impact Collective and join the newsletter: garlandfuller.com
👉 Book Garland to facilitate, design, or consult with your ERGs: info@garlandfuller.com

"Employee Resource Groups are the unsung third spaces inside organizations—small communities that make large workplaces feel human." — Garland Fuller

Building legacies, together.

What if the gallery, the stage, or the mural on your street corner became our new town square? In this solo episode of Reimagining Community, Garland Fuller explores arts and culture spaces as powerful third spaces that spark creativity, foster belonging, and even strengthen civic engagement.

From theater and visual arts to dance, film, and public murals, Garland shares how arts and culture function as more than decoration—they are infrastructure for belonging. These spaces invite us to feel, imagine, and connect beyond background or identity. Drawing from personal experience and the People–Place–Program framework, this episode reimagines how arts and culture can democratize community and activate collective change.

Art as Belonging, Not Decoration
Why arts and culture spaces are essential for emotional connection, creativity, and perspective—not just "extras."

A Personal Journey
How theater, dance, and visual arts became sources of joy, inspiration, and family connection.

Civic Engagement Through Art
Why people who attend arts events are 56% more likely to volunteer and 27% more likely to vote (NEA Civic Engagement Report).

The People Lens
Artists as truth-tellers, audiences as participants, and the role of "shadow artists" in sustaining community.

The Place Lens
From galleries and theaters to street corners and cafés—any space can be activated as an arts and culture third space.

The Program Lens
How festivals, open mics, book clubs, and even dance flash mobs create access, joy, and intersection.

Arts & Culture as Resistance
Echoing Nina Simone and Toni Morrison: in times of crisis, artists reflect truth, inspire action, and remind us we're not alone.

When was the last time art made you feel less alone?

What's your favorite arts and culture third space—and why does it matter to you? Share your reflections in the comments or tag Garland on LinkedIn.

👉 Explore the Community Impact Collective and join the newsletter: garlandfuller.com
👉 Book Garland to facilitate, design, or speak with your arts & culture organization: info@garlandfuller.com

"Art is not decoration. It's an infrastructure for belonging." — Garland Fuller

Building legacies, together.

What happens when women gather without the male gaze? What shifts when women create spaces where honesty, safety, and creativity can thrive? In this solo episode of Reimagining Community, Garland Fuller explores the history, impact, and future of women-only spaces—from all-girls schools and suffrage clubs to modern coworking collectives and healing circles.

These spaces aren't exclusionary. They're revolutionary. They've always been incubators for change, where women organize, heal, and imagine new possibilities. Through the People–Place–Program framework, Garland unpacks why designing inclusive women's spaces requires intentionality around intersectionality, accessibility, and representation.

Whether you're building circles for mentorship, organizing intergenerational communities, or hosting women-centered events, this conversation will help you design spaces that honor safety while fueling transformation.

The Power of Women-Only Spaces
How women-only spaces create safety, creativity, and healing that counter workplace bias and microaggressions.

A Historical Legacy
From suffrage clubs to civil rights organizing, women's spaces have always been catalysts for liberation, equity, and social change.

Intersectionality Matters
Why clarity is critical—race, class, sexuality, disability, and age all shape who feels invited and included.

The Place Lens
Moving beyond "pink and pillows" toward spaces that feel welcoming, functional, and designed with women's real needs in mind.

The Program Lens
Trust-building rituals, storytelling circles, and intergenerational mentorship as pillars for sustaining women-centered programming.

Revolution, Not Escape
Why women-only spaces aren't retreats from the world, but incubators that fuel collective strength, leadership, and new possibilities.

Who in your life needs a women-only space—and how can you help create it?

What's the most transformative women's space you've been part of? Share your story in the comments or tag Garland on LinkedIn.

👉 Explore the Community Impact Collective and join the newsletter: garlandfuller.com
👉 Book Garland to design or facilitate women-centered programming: info@garlandfuller.com

"Women-only spaces are not exclusionary. They're revolutionary incubators for change." — Garland Fuller

Building legacies, together.

People are craving connection. This is urgent. In the closing episode of the Third Space Academy Solo Series, Garland Fuller brings the lessons full circle—loneliness, hybrid work, green spaces, personal story, and why intentional community design matters now more than ever.

This finale is part recap, part reflection, and part call to action. With guided prompts, Garland challenges listeners to identify who in their communities is most at risk, how digital and hybrid spaces can deepen connection, and why every builder needs to know their own why.

• Loneliness as an Epidemic
  60% of Americans report daily loneliness —a statistic that demands urgent solutions, not quick fixes.

• Hybrid Isn't Enough
  Physical absence requires intentional design. Remote and hybrid spaces can succeed, but only if leaders intentionally foster connection .

• Green Space as Emotional Regulation
  Why nature is more than scenery—it's a nervous-system reset and the ultimate third space for belonging and wellbeing .

• The Power of Personal Story
  Garland's own journey (Episode 4) shows how "release" and authenticity fuel the courage to build spaces where others can belong.

• The People–Place–Program Framework, Revisited

  • People need belonging more than convenience.

  • Place communicates before anyone says a word.

  • Program brings it all to life through ritual, design, and intention.

• Reflection Prompts for Builders

  • Who in your community is most at risk of loneliness right now?

  • How is your hybrid or digital space inviting deeper connection?

  • What role can nature or sensory design play in your gatherings?

  • What's your personal why for building community?

• Loneliness & Social Connection

  • U.S. Surgeon General Advisory: Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation

• Hybrid & Work Wellbeing

  • Gallup: The Remote Work Paradox—Higher Engagement, Lower Wellbeing

  • Gallup: Global Indicator—Hybrid Work

  • Gallup: Despite Employer Prioritization, Employee Wellbeing Falters

• Wellness & Nature

  • 2024 Global Wellness Economy Monitor

Which reflection prompt speaks loudest to you? Share your answers in the comments or tag Garland on LinkedIn.

👉 Explore the Community Impact Collective and subscribe at garlandfuller.com.
👉 Book Garland to guide your team through the People–Place–Program framework for intentional connection in workplaces and communities.

"Every gathering is a chance to rehearse the future we want to see." — Garland Fuller

Building legacies, together.

We spend so much time cosplaying corporate—buttoned-up, polished, leaving parts of ourselves at the door—that we forget who we really are. In this vulnerable solo episode of Reimagining Community, Garland Fuller shares the personal journey that shaped her work in people, culture, and third spaces.

From high school track meets to college leadership roles, to a two-decade career in HR and community building, Garland threads together the story of how she learned to design spaces where people can show up as their whole selves. This is her why behind Third Space Academy—and a call to leaders and organizers to build spaces where belonging isn't accidental, but intentional.

• Release as a Word of the Year
  Letting go of polished images and showing up with more authenticity—why release has been both vulnerable and liberating.

• Early Third Spaces
  Track and cross-country taught resilience; student orgs and peer health education built leadership and facilitation skills.

• Cosplaying Corporate
  The hidden cost of showing up as the "representative version" of yourself—and how third spaces peel back those layers.

• From HR to Third Space Academy
  Why two decades of building programs, internships, DEI initiatives, and nonprofit strategy revealed the deeper work: designing containers for connection.

• Third Spaces as Rehearsal for Society
  These are places to practice who we want to be—letting go of polarization, reclaiming humanity, and rebuilding trust.

• The Loneliness Epidemic
  60% of Americans report daily loneliness —a reminder that intentional spaces aren't optional, they're urgent.

• Loneliness & Social Connection

  • U.S. Surgeon General Advisory: Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation

• Wellbeing & Work

  • Gallup: Despite Employer Prioritization, Employee Wellbeing Falters

  • Gallup: Leaders, Ignore Employee Wellbeing at Your Own Risk

What third spaces shaped your story? Reflect on the teams, organizations, or programs that taught you something lasting—and share them with Garland.

👉 Comment or tag Garland on LinkedIn.
👉 Explore Third Space Academy and subscribe at garlandfuller.com.

"Community isn't built—it's practiced. Every gathering is a chance to rehearse who we want to be." — Garland Fuller

Building legacies, together.

Green space isn't decoration—it's medicine. In this solo episode of Reimagining Community, Garland Fuller explores how outdoor and nature-rich "third spaces" restore wellbeing, invite belonging, and spark creativity. From morning walks to community gardens, we unpack why designing with nature is not a nice-to-have—it's a leadership mandate for healthier teams and communities. Research on social connection, mental health, and wellbeing backs it up , , .

• Why Nature Matters for Belonging
  How outdoor third spaces (parks, trails, gardens) counter isolation and strengthen social connection , .

• Wellbeing > Just Productivity
  Nature time supports mental health and life satisfaction, a cornerstone of any credible wellbeing strategy , .

• Place as a Silent Communicator
  Lighting, shade, sound, seating, wayfinding, and views of nature shape stress and nervous-system regulation long before anyone speaks.

• Community Gardens = Community Glue
  Food growing spaces build pride, intergenerational connection, and access to healthful routines—especially meaningful in underserved neighborhoods (aligned with social connection priorities ).

• Program Outdoors, On Purpose
  Walking meetings, "curiosity walks," and outdoor offsites reduce digital fatigue, deepen trust, and turn nature into a built-in facilitator.

• People–Place–Program (PPP) Outdoors

  • People: Design for access (mobility, shade, restrooms, transit, cultural cues).

  • Place: Use sensory design intentionally (views, plants, water, materials).

  • Program: Plan rituals and flows (arrival, movement, reflection, food) that make connection inevitable.

• Loneliness & Social Connection

  • U.S. Surgeon General Advisory: Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation — policy and design levers for connection.
    Read → HHS (2023)

• Mental Health Context

  • The Big Question: What is driving the global mental health crisis?
    Read → Financial Times (2024)

• Wellbeing & Work

  • Global Indicator: Employee Wellbeing
    Read → Gallup

  • Despite Employer Prioritization, Employee Wellbeing Falters
    Read → Gallup

• Wellness Macro Trends

  • 2024 Global Wellness Economy Monitor — framing nature, recreation, and mental wellness within the broader wellness economy.
    Read → Global Wellness Institute

What's your favorite outdoor third space—and why does it matter to you?
Share in the comments or tag Garland on LinkedIn. Want a deeper dive into People–Place–Program for outdoor activations? Join the Community Impact Collective and subscribe at garlandfuller.com.

"Outdoors isn't a backdrop—it's a living facilitator of belonging, wellbeing, and creativity." — Garland Fuller

Building legacies, together.

We're not robots. We don't show up to work as just one version of ourselves—and in today's hybrid and remote landscape, engagement and wellbeing don't always align. In this solo episode of Reimagining Community, Garland Fuller explores why flexibility gets people in the door, but connection is what keeps them in the room.

From Gallup's paradox of remote work (higher engagement, lower wellbeing) to the rising demand for flexibility as currency for retention, Garland dives into what leaders need to understand about designing meaningful connection in hybrid teams.

• Hybrid Work Paradox
  Why fully remote employees are often more engaged but report lower wellbeing—and what that gap means for managers and organizations .

• Engagement vs. Wellbeing
  Engagement = energy for work.
  Wellbeing = energy for life.
  Garland explains why high engagement scores don't always protect against turnover or burnout .

• Flexibility as Retention Currency
  60% of remote employees say they'd quit if flexibility were revoked —why this is non-negotiable for many.

• Connection by Design
  Connection doesn't happen by accident. Leaders must intentionally design hybrid experiences—team touchpoints, offsites, and non-traditional gatherings (beyond happy hours).

• Checking In Without Micromanaging
  How to balance accountability with care—asking about stress, social connection, and energy without crossing personal boundaries.

• The Third Space Academy Lens
  Garland shares why the People–Place–Program framework is essential for hybrid leaders who want to move beyond "butts in seats" and build true belonging.

• Reports & Data

  • Gallup: The Remote Work Paradox—Higher Engagement, Lower Wellbeing

  • Gallup: Global Indicator—Hybrid Work

  • Gallup: Global Indicator—Employee Wellbeing

  • Gallup: Despite Employer Prioritization, Employee Wellbeing Falters

• Frameworks

  • People, Place, Program (intentional design for connection in hybrid spaces).

Are you working remote or hybrid? Drop a 🏠 if you're remote or a 🏢 if you're hybrid, and tell us your biggest blocker to connection.

👉 Share your reflections in the comments or tag Garland on LinkedIn.
👉 Explore the Community Impact Collective and join the newsletter: garlandfuller.com.

"Flexibility wins over engagement—and connection sustains wellbeing." — Garland Fuller

Building legacies, together.