We’re celebrating our Interdependence. We’re acknowledging that we have varied pasts and we're dreaming of shared futures. We collectively own our libraries and sewers, our jails and schools. How do we take care of them? Do we feel that ownership? Why or why not?
Who tells the story of America?
Who dreams up the future story of America?
Who has had decision-making power in the past, and who has that power now, to tell these stories and to dream these futures into existence?
Each celebration is unique to the community, featuring local stories and culture and food and talent. However, there are program elements that are the same in each community:
• Awards for unsung community heroes. These wood puzzle pieces link every community, but local artists design individual awards. These awards link people in different communities as well because the pieces are all the same size and can physically connect. So people in different locations and in different years are all linked to each other.
• Local history presented in unique ways
• Creative, hands on ways to capture local dreams for the future
• An herbalist or nature walk
• Local food
• Performances by local musicians and poets
• Games/face paint/ henna
• The Book of Names: A physical book that names people Past, Present, and Future who are examples of community heroes who inspire and keep everyone safe. This serves as both a look at the past and who helped us build our communities and make them what they are, and also an invitation to imagine what kind of people and values we need to further invent our democracy and our local communities.
Who tells the story of America?
Who dreams up the future story of America?
Who has had decision-making power in the past, and who has that power now, to tell these stories and to dream these futures into existence?
Each celebration is unique to the community, featuring local stories and culture and food and talent. However, there are program elements that are the same in each community:
• Awards for unsung community heroes. These wood puzzle pieces link every community, but local artists design individual awards. These awards link people in different communities as well because the pieces are all the same size and can physically connect. So people in different locations and in different years are all linked to each other.
• Local history presented in unique ways
• Creative, hands on ways to capture local dreams for the future
• An herbalist or nature walk
• Local food
• Performances by local musicians and poets
• Games/face paint/ henna
• The Book of Names: A physical book that names people Past, Present, and Future who are examples of community heroes who inspire and keep everyone safe. This serves as both a look at the past and who helped us build our communities and make them what they are, and also an invitation to imagine what kind of people and values we need to further invent our democracy and our local communities.
