Local Color: Gathering Across Color, Creed & Ideology

The goal of this project is to provide a framework for meaningful discussions about race, politics and life in America – with a particular focus on drawing Millennials into citizenship that is engaging and authentic.
Liz Joyner
The Village Square
Founder + President

Local Color: Gathering Across Color, Creed & Ideology
New Village Square project embraces race, politics and humanity

(TALLAHASSEE, FL) – September 19, 2017 – On Tuesday, Sept. 26, a diverse cross-section of our community will come together for the launch of a new Village Square project called Local Color. The goal of this project is to provide a framework for meaningful discussions about race, politics and life in America – with a particular focus on drawing Millennials into citizenship that is engaging and authentic.

Local Color is a network of citizens from all viewpoints and walks of life who stay connected – despite and because of personal differences – with a shared goal of building a Tallahassee that can transcend and transform racial division. Poised to gather from time to time, especially in the midst of controversy, Local Color will directly confront the issues that divide us, exactly when it is most critical that we build the capacity to do so.

“As too many communities across America are discovering, we cannot stay disconnected from each other until a time of community crisis forces us to confront our distance,” said Jovita Woodrich, a Village Square Board member who is part of the team launching Local Color. “When others separate into angry digital conversations, we will be gathering with our neighbors.”

“We need to recognize the impact that escalating turmoil around issues of race have on the foundation of democracy, and most importantly, the way we live together as neighbors,” said Brad Johnson, member of a group of Local Color Catalysts working to grow this new community of citizens.

The project is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, through the Community Foundation of North Florida and The National Endowment for the Humanities, through the Florida Humanities Council. While Tallahassee is the first community to address race-related issues using this approach, The Village Square will make the model available for other communities to use.

“We imagine a public space where controversies inspire us to seek each other out rather than serve to further divide us,” said Liz Joyner, Executive Director of The Village Square. “Ultimately it’s here in our hometown where we decide who we are to each other and how we handle our differences. If we don’t address those challenges, who will?”

Local Color will launch at 5:30pm at The Junction, 2011 S Monroe Street. The event is free and open to the public with advance registration. To register or for more information on the project in general, visit localcolors.us.

 

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