OPEN DOORS II: Awaking the Sleeping Giant

Thanks to Jane Rohrer and everyone at S.T.A.R. Roanoke for putting this series together. The first discussion group was a breath of fresh air and very enjoyable. I'm looking forward to this one.

Courtesy of Jane Roher:
What are Roanoke and New River Valley high school students saying about diversity, inclusion, and difference? Find out on Thursday, February 11, 2010, when S.T.A.R., the Spirit of Tolerance and Art in the Region, a subgroup of Creative Connectors, invites you to the second in a series of Open Doors events to discuss and examine the broad range of differences that can strengthen a community.

S.T.A.R. is one of four initiatives from the Creative Community Leadership Project (CCLP) in cooperation with the City of Roanoke and the Creative Class Group, founded by author and lecturer Richard Florida. The premise behind CCLP is that an area’s success is dependent upon how fully it values, engages, and includes the rich diversity of its population.

Our focused interactive discussion is aimed at pursuing the themes which emerged in our November conversation, while also engaging local youth in discussing difference.  The event will feature the winner of our recent youth writing competition, Seth Anderson, a junior at Patrick Henry High School and author of “The Village by the Hill.”  High school students in the Roanoke City school system were asked to submit literary pieces, ranging from poetry to essays, on the topic of inclusion, diversity, and difference.   The winners were chosen at the recent Roanoke Regional Writers Conference at Hollins University.  Emily Cilek, also a junior at Patrick Henry, received the second place award.  Both Anderson and Cilek captured the essence of the topic in their writings with compelling passion and creativity.  S.T.A.R. presented Anderson with a $100 cash prize and Cilek won $50.

Susanna Rinehart, a professor of theatre at Virginia Tech, will once again facilitate the conversation.  Rinehart has extensive experience in the development, coordination, and facilitation of a broad range of programs and initiatives aimed at creating diversity awareness and understanding.

Date: Thursday, February 11, 2010
Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Location: Claude Moore Educational Complex, 109 1st Street, NW, Roanoke, Virginia

S.T.A.R.'s first Open Doors discussion on Diversity and Community a huge success

I had the pleasure of attending Open Doors on Thursday night at the Shenandoah Club in downtown Roanoke. The free event, an open discussion on diversity and community held by S.T.A.R., the Spirit of Tolerance & Art in the Region, was an opportunity for Roanokers to talk about what it means to live in our increasingly diverse region.

The discussion was hosted by S.T.A.R. co-founders Rev. Joe Cobb of the Metropolitan Community Church of the Blue Ridge and Jane Rorrer, Coordinator of Recruitment and Diversity Initiatives at Va. Tech's Graduate School.

It was a great discussion attended by a cross section of people from the area. Roanoke Vice-Mayor Dr. David Trinkle and Local Colors Executive Director Peal Fu were in attendance. I had a the chance to talk to both of them afterward. With leaders like these in our community, there may be hope for us yet.

I was asked to do a story for Star City Harbinger, which you can read here.

For the full schedule of upcoming S.T.A.R. events and information about the next two Open Doors discussions, visit the S.T.A.R. site here.