When I think about what community means to me, I return to the definition set forth by the organization Alternate ROOTS. ROOTS defines community as communities of place, tradition, and spirit. The root of this definition for me is community of place, because it is in these specific geographical areas that our traditions are created. It is in these places that one encounters the spirit of the community, that intangible thing that makes them unique. I recently moved away from my home town of Knoxville, Tennessee to New York City for graduate … [Read more...]

In Todd, NC in the month of June, community means preparing for the annual "Liberty Parade" held on July 4. Every year, hundreds of people gather for this parade in our unincorporated community, expecting it to happen rain or shine. The costumes, props, and puppets worn or held in the parade were made by community members over the past 12 years and every year, we invite the public to participate for free. As the new director at Elkland Art Center, the parade "host," this was my first time directing the parade effort. Sitting in the distant … [Read more...]

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be”. This comes from one of the greatest men of the 20th century, a personal role model and someone who used his God-given gifts as a catalyst for change during a time when many had already lost hope. In this day and age, … [Read more...]

We talk about community a lot. The word gets thrown around so much that it begins to lose its meaning. It begins to sound like just another empty word... like sustainability or vibrancy or placemaking or excellence. Community is fundamental to human life on earth. We are not solitary creatures. We exist in context with those around us in a shared reality that we co-create in real time. We are able to shape this reality and accomplish great things only by working with others, by engaging, by being a part of the world together. We are born … [Read more...]

Community is beautifully imperfect. Community is acceptance, not tolerance. Community is the past, present, and future. Community is innovation, an open door. Community is a space where all voices are heard. Community is eloquence without words. Community is a mosaic made of hopes and dreams. Community is the unifying thread between you and me.                     … [Read more...]

To me community means family. It means we're in this together no matter the outcome. Community is unity, love, compassion. Community is dancing with your tribe just because your happy. Community is being able to learn from your mistakes and given another chance to redeem yourself. Community is meeting someone in need and offering a helping hand.     … [Read more...]

I've been noticing a trend that many of my friends and colleagues will, after having children, attend church or participate other memberships and meetings so their developing family has a sense of "community". It often makes me reflect on this seemingly basic desire that we have for belonging, and perhaps even accountability to each other. But it also issues a challenge to think about what that term means, what are the parameters of what makes a community, and what it serves to fulfill, or how it might set a foundation for living. In his … [Read more...]

As a community artist, I operate with the philosophy that creativity is a pledge to embrace and value one’s own existence and self-reflection is a process for changing awareness and behavior. The marriage between creativity and self-reflection brings forth a unique language of art that speaks beyond words. It signifies change that helps individuals to visually express feelings and emotions, which are difficult to articulate through conventional means like speaking publicly about stories of abuse, etc. It is a tool for personal metamorphosis … [Read more...]

Erin Salazar, is an artist, muralist, seamstress, public art curator and Creative Community Fellow. She shares what community means to her in this time lapse video: … [Read more...]

I'd like to share these images of what Community means to me. These images were taken recently outside the Old Dutch Church in Kingston, New York.  The Reformed Protestant congregation hung 49 rainbow flags along the railing of the church in tribute to the 49 victims of the Orlando shooting.  The impact of the flags was three-fold for me: That while walking the perimeter of the church and passing each flag, I could sense the immensity of loss of life; That there was a pervasive sense of solidarity of members of one community supporting … [Read more...]

Before forming the Wormfarm Institute, my partner Jay and I ran a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm. As newly rural, beginning farmers, our shareholders (the community) were all from Chicago, the city 200 miles away that we had recently left. Our community was one of interest and history and the rural/urban exchange informed nearly all our programming. As time passed, we acquired an office on Main Street in our small town, and after this investment and lots of experimentation, community took on a new dimension. Our new one did not, … [Read more...]

Growing up, I was part of many different communities. Among them were Girl Scouts, youth group, writing club, a small city just south of Akron and for one long and clumsy year in early elementary school, gymnastics. To me, to be part of these communities meant your pretty standard definition of “community.” It meant to simply be in the same area as other people at the same time who often shared a same interest or purpose. Quite often, my communities worked toward outcomes that made a difference. However, the purpose behind those … [Read more...]

Torres Hodges, a musician and Creative Community Fellow describes what community means to him in this original song: [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/272617914" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]   … [Read more...]

Let it be known that my initial response to this prompt detailed the intertwining life stories of the colorful personalities who lived within my grandmother’s nursing home. In Prairie Home Companion style, I waxed poetic about the antiquated charm of her slowly-disintegrating small town in northern Pennsylvania, and how my grandmother’s kitchen table served as a “home base” for so many members of her community. When my grandmother’s twinkly eyes and warm, welcoming disposition disappeared along with her memories due to the onset of dementia, I … [Read more...]

Being happily nerdy, I immediately went for the etymology of the word community. I got comuner, "to make common, share"; comun, "to talk intimately"; and commun, "free city, group of citizens"  Also, "shared by all", "held in common." (co = together, mun-i = change, exchange) And the second element is also at the root of Latin munia, which means "duties, public duties, functions". I think this pretty much sums it up: Community is a place that we hold in common (this can include physical place, geographic location, as well as … [Read more...]