The Lady of the Lake
My Name is Cassandra
I have been a partial quadriplegic since July of 2011, right before my 29th birthday. My circumstances have led me to embrace an idea that I believe can reshape our world without requiring a single person to do anything that they don't want to; I call it Finding Camelot.
Finding Camelot is an initiative to improve the quality of life for the working class by:
- Advocating for fundamental liberties
- Fostering a sense of community
We aim to address economic and social challenges by:
- Providing affordable, well-thought-out housing solutions in shared living environments
- Focusing on integrating into and improving existing communities rather than creating isolated ones.
The organization operates by offering members private rooms within communal houses, each adapted to meet the unique demands of shared living. Membership options include basic and deluxe plans. Deluxe members, for instance, have greater participation in household decision-making and leadership roles, fostering democratic management within the households.
One of our standout approaches is how we handle privacy as a valued commodity.
- Members earn room credits based on their membership fee.
- Dependents are housed communally with structured independence tailored to their age, helping them grow while respecting their needs for both care and autonomy.
Finding Camelot also supports dependents and families through programs like CareShare, a cooperative childcare rotation, and emphasizes a prevention-over-punishment approach in broader social and legal advocacy. This philosophy stems from my personal experiences and vision of creating a society that values care, growth, and opportunity for all.
The Challenges as I See Them
The current socio-economic system often strips members of the working class of their power as the inherent owners of their labor by commodifying their work in ways that deny them full control over its value, distribution, and impact. Workers see their effort generate significant profits for employers, while they remain confined to stagnant wages, unable to benefit directly from the value they create. They lose control over their time and labor’s value, as they are forced into constant competition and denied a stable foundation to build economic independence.
1. Wage Labor and Alienation
Workers exchange their labor for wages, but they do not own the products of their work. This alienation removes the worker’s connection to their own productivity and reduces their labor to a means of survival, rather than a source of fulfillment or empowerment.
2. Suppression of Collective Power
Organized labor movements and unions historically gave the working class a means to negotiate the value of their labor. However, the decline of union membership, coupled with anti-union policies and corporate resistance, has diminished workers’ ability to act collectively.
Impact: Without collective bargaining, individual workers are left vulnerable to exploitation, with little leverage to demand fair wages, humane working conditions, or job security.
3. The Gig Economy
The rise of the gig economy exemplifies how labor is being fragmented and devalued. Workers are classified as “independent contractors” rather than employees, which strips them of traditional labor rights such as benefits, minimum wage protections, and job security.
Impact: Workers lose control over their time and labor’s value, as they are forced into constant competition and denied a stable foundation to build economic independence.
4. Debt and Financial Dependency
A significant portion of the working class is trapped in cycles of debt, whether through student loans, credit cards, or predatory lending. Debt functions as a tool of control, compelling workers to prioritize immediate survival over long-term goals, effectively undermining their autonomy.
Impact: The need to service debt forces workers to accept exploitative jobs, often with little regard for whether these roles align with their skills or aspirations.
5. Privatization of Essential Needs
Access to housing, healthcare, education, and even retirement security has been privatized, forcing workers to rely on wages to afford necessities that should be guaranteed. This dependency ensures that labor remains tied to corporate profit structures rather than individual empowerment.
Impact: Workers must spend increasing portions of their income, reducing their ability to invest in themselves, their families, or their communities.
6. Erosion of Work-Life Balance
Advances in technology, particularly in communication, have blurred the lines between work and personal life. Workers are now often expected to be available 24/7, effectively donating unpaid labor in the form of overtime, emotional labor, and constant accessibility.
Impact: Workers lose control over their time, and the ability to rest and recharge—key components of autonomy—is eroded.
7. Concentration of Wealth and Power
A disproportionate share of wealth generated by labor flows to those at the top of the economic hierarchy—executives, shareholders, and investors—while the working class receives only a fraction. This dynamic perpetuates systemic inequality and keeps power concentrated in the hands of a few.
Impact: Studies show that worker productivity has increased significantly over the last few decades, but wages have stagnated, meaning that the value created by labor is being extracted by capital owners.
8. Psychological and Cultural Disempowerment
The working class is often portrayed as replaceable or lacking “skills” in mainstream narratives, reinforcing a sense of powerlessness. Educational and social systems frequently fail to teach workers about their inherent value as producers, framing success solely in terms of individual achievement rather than collective empowerment.
Impact: This leads to internalized disempowerment, where workers may feel resigned to their exploitation rather than inspired to challenge it.
Building a Better Tomorrow, One Household at a Time
With Finding Camelot, I want to reimagine how households and communities function, blending practicality with a vision for a sustainable, equitable future. Our approach to communal living is both dynamic and adaptable, designed to support individuals and families while fostering resilience, collaboration, and self-sufficiency. Logos Nostos estates are envisioned as self-sufficient hubs, capable of sustaining their residents and contributing to the broader network.
Household Complexes: Large single-family homes are carefully renovated to accommodate cohabitation efficiently. These spaces are optimized for privacy and functionality, providing members with private rooms while sharing common areas like kitchens, living spaces, and bathrooms.
Logos Nostos Estates: These are built from the ground up as communal manors, designed to support the full spectrum of member needs.
- Childcare and Education Spaces: For nurturing the next generation.
- Workshops and Gyms: Supporting creativity, health, and well-being.
- Entrepreneurial Offices and Resource: Empowering members to grow their businesses or pursue new ventures.
- Property Rentals and Stores: Generating income and serving the community’s needs.
For every 10-20 households, we establish a central estate that serves as a community center and clubhouse for network members. These central hubs are the heart of the network, fostering connection, collaboration, and shared resources. They act as:
- Meeting spaces for collective decision-making.
- Event venues for social and cultural gatherings.
- Resource hubs for education, tools, and support.
The vision doesn’t stop at individual households or estates. As our network grows, each addition strengthens the foundation of an interconnected, thriving community. By balancing efficiency with self-sufficiency, we aim to create a scalable model that empowers members while ensuring the long-term sustainability of the organization. We offer more than just housing—we are heading a movement to rebuild what it means to live, work, and grow together.
Tax-Deductible Membership Fees
Because the monthly membership fee is structured as a donation to a nonprofit organization, it is fully tax-deductible. Your contribution not only supports your own living arrangements but also helps to expand and sustain our mission of building a fairer, more equitable society.
Basic Membership
• Monthly Fee: $250
• Includes 1 room credit per month.
• Access to private rooms and shared household resources, such as utilities, streaming services, and communal grocery budgets.
Deluxe Membership
• Monthly Fee: $500
• Includes 2 room credits per month
Additional benefits include:
• Leadership opportunities within the household.
• Access to exclusive amenities like workshops, entrepreneurial resources, and personal development tools.
Every member contributes to their household through shared responsibilities, ensuring a welcoming and equitable environment. This includes participating in chores, childcare rotations, and household meetings to foster collaboration and accountability.
Finding a Membership Structure That Works for You
Membership at Finding Camelot is more than a housing solution—it’s a flexible, tax-deductible way to live within a supportive and innovative community. Our membership structure is designed to provide equitable access to accommodations across our network, while offering the freedom to choose the living arrangements that work best for you.
Room Credits: The Key to Flexibility
As part of your membership benefits, you’ll receive room credits that can be used for lodging at any property within the Finding Camelot network. Here’s how it works:
- Each room is assigned a credit value based on privacy and amenities.
- Members can use their credits to secure accommodations that suit their needs, whether it’s a private room in a household complex or a space in a Logos Nostos estate.
- Room credits are transferable across the network, allowing you to explore different properties and communities as part of your membership.
This system ensures fairness, flexibility, and accessibility while keeping the process simple for our members.
Shared Responsibility, Shared Growth
Membership at Finding Camelot goes beyond housing—it’s about creating a thriving community. Every member contributes to the household:
Chores & Cooking: Participation is mandatory for adults and age-appropriate for dependents.
Childcare Rotation: Each paying member takes one day in the rotation to care for the household’s children.
A Vision Through the Mist: The Bigger Picture
Finding Camelot isn’t just about providing housing—it’s about building a movement. Our mission is to equip the working class with the structure needed to organize and advocate for change. By empowering households to function independently while uniting under a shared vision, we’re laying the groundwork for collective action.