Bahala’s Two-Year Anniversary
Bahala Team, June 2026
Two years ago, Deb Burgin asked Carlo Cabanilla for an Ed Foundation donation. “We met for a coffee,” Carlo, who came from the startup world and was somewhat new to Santa Monica, says—“That lasted three hours,” Deb finishes. Or, two years and counting.
Deb and Carlo rallied around their search for genuine community and their belief that people thrive when they can belong, create, and grow together. As they exchanged ideas on how to make a post-pandemic Santa Monica more cohesive and welcoming, they found themselves not only agreeing but also snowballing their excitement into founding Bahala. (Deb, a nonprofit expert and 15-year Santa Monica resident, pitched it and Carlo picked it up!)
Deb recounts, “We had our first meeting at the beach, and we had a good turnout…people brought their laptops but chatted instead!” There was too much friction with parking and hauling the coffee and bagels, so they transitioned to the Colorado Center. “The first few meetings were scary,” Carlo admits, not knowing if anyone would come.
But the beauty of a partnership meant they could start a weekly gathering, even if just the two of them showed up to work together. “We managed our expectations, so we didn’t get down or give up.” Deb agrees, “The big numbers weren’t our focus.”
Their intention was to create an environment, at least for themselves, to combat isolation. “We found out that a weekly gathering was helpful for others, no matter how often they came.”
The workshops evolved similarly. “We know a lot of great people and orgs doing wonderful things that not everyone knows about,” Deb says. “We invited them to present so we could learn from each other.” Carlo learned to sew from a member, Jane, who put on a patching workshop. “That’s a thread in Bahala,” Carlo puns. “Fix, rather than throw away. Make the best of the stuff you have, make it unique, invite creativity.”
What began as batting around ideas and a two-person working session grew into a vibrant community where connections form, tech (and ideas) unglitch, crafts unwind our busy minds, to-do lists are tackled, and bucket list dreams stack up.
As we celebrate our second anniversary, we’re taking a moment to reflect on how far Bahala has come, the people (you!) who have shaped this journey, and the exciting future we’re building together.
Over the past two years, every one of us has continuously created the container, simply (bravely) by showing up as ourselves. Rather than an echo chamber, think of Bahala as a third space carved out of our often overwhelming lives. Think lilac, a conical flower made from dozens of tiny blossoms, or bees hanging together in midair—it’s called festooning—to make what looks like a ball of yarn.
“What I value about Fridays is that as a parent, a community member, I can take what we talk about over coffee, and carry the discussion into my weekend with a positive perspective.—Jill C.
Every Coffee & Connections Friday gathering, Tea & Talks Monday program, workshop, podcast conversation, blog post, and collaborative event has helped us refine what makes Bahala special. We’re learning how to make gatherings more engaging, to welcome newcomers into the community, and to build experiences that encourage people to return, contribute, and grow.
Numbers that Wow:
Coffee & Connections: Fridays 10am-1pm. In nearly two years, there have been 92 Coffee & Connections, hosting 193 unique attendees, , with an 88% increase in attendance from when we first started until now. We have hosted 40 workshops to date. Eight pups have attended C&C (Goldie, Remy, Cloud, Gray, Toastie, Penny, Rudy, and Pebbles), over 2,300 cups of coffee drunk, and a whopping 1,100 bagels consumed. This Friday will be our 2nd potluck!
Tea & Talks: Mondays 5-7:30pm. Since the program began five months ago, Bahala has hosted 75 unique attendees at 8 programs..
Gardening Club: Sundays 10-11 am. We met for 31 Gardening Clubs at Bahala’s community garden plot over the course of a year, with 24 unique attendees. The program transitioned into Green Spaces to showcase nature photos taken in (and by) the community.
Playground Playdates: Saturdays, 10-12 am. From Feb to April 2025, we piloted three programs, with 33 unique attendees. We decided other organizations were better suited to lead this program.
Bahala has sponsored 10 programs and events in the community, including Combating Truth Decay.
Communications that Inspire: 60 newsletters sent, 72 published blog posts on bahala.org/blog, 100 social media posts & reels on @bahalafoundation, 4 published podcasts, with 2 in development.
Of course, the stories that matter most aren’t measured only by attendance numbers or events. They're found in new friendships, creative collaborations, businesses launched, and the courage to be our authentic, kind selves.
Every member who attended their first Coffee & Connections gathering, every facilitator who shared their expertise, every volunteer who helped set up chairs, every partner who believed in our mission, and every person who invited a friend contributed to the community we celebrate today. Together we’ve shared ideas, built confidence, discovered new opportunities, and reminded one another that meaningful work doesn’t have to happen alone—and is often more efficient (and fun) in community.
I was immediately impressed with the camaraderie and the informative discussions around the table and knew that this was a place for me.— Linda G.
Members have been hired by each other, and/or invited into others’ networks, practiced their presentations, brainstormed ideas, troubleshooted knots both literal and figurative, fixed a well-loved piece of clothing, gotten informed about local food pantries and strategies to protect domestic workers, picked up beach trash, learned new skills and crafts (such as crochet, painting, writing, silkscreen, and sewing), received tech help, and just relaxed, away from the posturing and stress of contemporary life.
I’m eager to learn from the participants, and I also feel that my ideas are accepted.— Mike G.
Behind the scenes, we’re developing the systems that make this possible—from technology that supports our members to sussing out a sustainable formula for community-building that co-evolves with us.
Here’s a taste of Bahala’s new initiatives slated to help our community continue learning, creating, and supporting one another.
Save the date for Bahala’s Join & Thrive event on October 3, 2026. In partnership with the library, we'll continue creating spaces where learning, collaboration, and community flourish.
Our evolving Community Calendar (thanks to Carlo, Julius, and Bartek, with an assist from our computer science intern, Asher!) offers even more opportunities to connect throughout the year, amalgamating events and activities around town in Santa Monica for those who want to get out and about.
Incubators at Coffee & Connections and Tea & Talks: a low-pressure, supportive place for Bahalans to share their passion projects, side interests, and small business ideas.
A new Podcast format - coming soon! That’s Edutainment!
Finding our own space! As grateful as we are to the Colorado Center, we’re ready to spread our wings wider to find our own brick-and-mortar landing zone, A Room of Our Own. We’re looking for a place to host coworking during the day (with plenty of electrical plugs and free wi-fi) that easily transitions into an inviting space for evening programs and gatherings.
This new chapter opens the door to more consistency, more creativity, and more opportunities for spontaneous conversations that often become new partnerships, businesses, and lifelong friendships.
If Bahala has made a difference in your life, we’d love to hear your story. Tell us about your favorite workshop, a meaningful connection you’ve made, or how being part of Bahala has impacted your journey. Your experiences inspire others to take their first step and help shape what we build next. Reach out to Deb via email or Alexis via social media to share.
Bahala quenches my thirst for community connection.—Maria R.
Our second anniversary is a celebration of our collective accomplishments and an invitation to the future. Whether you've been with us since day one or are just discovering Bahala, there’s a place for you here. Join a program. Attend a workshop. Share our mission with someone who needs community. Become a member. Support our work with a donation. Pick up some Bahala merchandise (stickers! tees! Thanks to Bartek!) and help spread the word.
Thank you for being part of the first two years of Bahala. We’re so excited to see what we'll create together in the years ahead. “I feel so much more connected to my community in a deeper way,” Deb muses. “It’s grown from something I was anxious no one would care about,” Carlo says, “to something I look forward to. It’s a pleasant surprise each time.”
Christian B., who found Bahala when he was working at Elabrew said, “Bahala invites me into curiosity, not condemnation. How can I reframe this? Turn this around? Can we look at a setback as an opportunity? The past is in the past, what we’re doing together is opening doors for the future. We're moving forward with purpose.”
Join us this week for our potluck. Let’s build our Nexts together!
Jessica Cole