In addition to discussing tangible systems, participants dove into some hard-hitting social systems that deeply affect community. On Thursday, the group explored discrimination. On participant said, “I’ve been to a lot of conversations on discrimination, but this one was just …wow. This was it. Normally we’re just pussyfooting around trying not to hurt each other, but we just addressed that and kept right on going. Wow.”
A series of 16 practitioners and community development professionals facilitated these sessions through the week. In addition to CDF staff, the facilitators included:
- Jon Abercrombie, Director of Common Focus
- Sushma Barakoti, Research Marketing Analyst
- Keith Barker, Clarkston City Manager
- Bill Bolling, Founding Director of Atlanta Community Food Bank
- Caitlin Childs, Community Organizing Director of GA Council on Developmental Disabilities
- Johanna Reed Adams, Community Development Leadership State Specialist
- Janice Giddens, Nutrition and Wellness Program Manager of ACFB
- Chris Morris, Director of Dekalb County Community Development
- Michael Rich,Emory Associate Professor of Political Science and Environmental Studies
- Jon West, Community Building Manger of ACFB
- McKenzie Wren, Director of the Clarkston Community Center
CDF is grateful to have partnered with the University of Missouri to offer the Community Academy curriculum. Many thanks go to the facilitators of the course for sharing their knowledge and learning with the participants.