What might we create in our communities if we all festooned like bees: linked through the shared humanity of our interconnection with nature and each other? How might we build more vibrant communities, where all ways of knowing and being are valued, and all people, plants and pollinators thrive. Co-founder of Hives for Humanity Society, Sarah Common, shares stories and experiences from her work of Therapeutic Beekeeping and Gardening in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Sarah is passionate about fostering vibrant and healthy community through empowerment and education, and believes in the profound impact of connecting individuals and communities to their land, food and spirit. The bees, and gardens that surround them, provide an incredible and therapeutic opportunity to engage with populations considered “hard-to-reach” and “at-risk”; they provide hope, connection and meaning, and are vectors for positive social and environmental change. In 2012, Sarah co-founded Hives for Humanity, alongside her mother, Julia, and, as a response to the success of this program, continues to embed herself in the life of the community through her work. With a mission to connect people to themselves, to community, and to nature, Sarah bridges gaps of income, privilege, education, stability and capacity; in this, she opens and creates spaces that are welcoming and inclusive, by focusing on the humanity that connects us all. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx