This past month, I participated in a small group that set out to improve our own dialog around Diversity and Inclusion. As a part of the discussion, we took a page out of the One Minneapolis One Read playbook and we read The Grace of Silence by Michele Norris.
This reflection of Norris’ life follows her from childhood in Minneapolis to her reconciliation of her parents and the grace they exhibited in the face of life’s challenges. I’m not a literary critic, but for what it’s worth, the book was humbling and inspiring and has Minneapolis woven into most of its corners. I liked it.
What’s as interesting to me as the book, is the idea of a super-sized Book Club? Following some neighborhood tension on the South Side of Minneapolis in the summer of 2011, some concerned neighbors got together and advanced an idea around this bunko-busting book club. The City of Minneapolis and some other organizations picked up the idea and ran with it. At the book level and individual level, it was an attempt to improve dialog and create some shared meaning. Will the book itself make an impact?
Quantitatively, it will be difficult to point to tactical impacts within the community, but I would imagine neighbors and neighborhoods may see an improvement in dialog and have stories to share about the impact of the Book Club. Community is such a transient and illusive notion that measurement is difficult to gauge. I liken the spirit of Community to a place where we belong. That community can be geographic or interest-based, but it’s a place where we belong and pursue a common interest. The idea of One Minneapolis One Read is precisely what makes this a great place to live. It’s important to look for ways to connect whatever the topic.
In talking with friends over the past few weeks, I’ve focused on where people find community—the answers surprised me. A dad’s-music club, a craft-beer gathering, fantasy football, kids-sporting activities and a group of actors from a neighborhood production. Not exactly what I thought I would hear. Where do you find community? In your neighborhood, a place of worship, a bowling league?
