Mary A. Jolley
A good community is one where there is room for everybody in the community to talk a common language, to understand each other, and to have an opportunity for differences to be aired and for solutions to be found.
We live in a democracy where we each have a say. Each one of us, are equal in terms of the ability to have access to power through politics. Power gets generated as we find people of a like mind. When we search for the common ground, we develop community around that. In this country we can do something if we come together and unify around a common cause.
You move ahead when you can develop consensus. What is the consensus in the community? If you know where it is now, you can always improve upon it. To use the visioning process you look at your history. What was Hale County like 50 years ago? What are you proud of? What are you sorry about? What’s going on here right now in Hale County that’s going to affect its future? If you could make the future of Hale County be exactly what you wanted, what would you like to see, can you describe it? That’s where you get some consensus. By asking what we want our county to be like, we are able to come back to where we are right now. Here's the strategic agenda.
I don't think there is a place in Hale County for people coming together. Having a place could be an opportunity for creating community where there is none. It could take lots of forms, once you come together you decide what things you want to make a difference in. Or you may come together just for your own edification, developing friendships, developing connections, networks, and finding people who have your same point of view who agree with what you are trying to do.
I’m learning what a bridge the arts can be to bring people together. Everybody likes to look at a beautiful painting, listen to music, see wearable art, woven baskets or whatever’s going on. It brings people together better than anything I know of. It’s not as polarizing as politics, religion, and even education....
Mary A. Jolley. Moundville, Alabama
Former Congressional Administrative Aide, U.S House of Representatives.
Former Vice-President of Trident Technical College, Charleston South Carolina.
Former Director of Economics and Community Affairs, University of Alabama.
Community & Economic Development Consultant, Alabama Civil Justice Foundation & Bevill State College
Outsidein. A Community Space for Hale County.
outsidein: a community space for hale county. build space with your voice.
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