As Goes The South

The True Reformers: As Goes The South

Our screening in Washington DC was powerful, illuminating

l-to-r: Ed Fields, Noel Didla, DeJuana Thompson, Jasmine Mickens, Alex T. Johnson

We screened As Goes The South at the Historic True Reformer Building on U Street in Washington, DC.

Major thanks to Alex T. Johnson, Jasmine Mickens, Noel Didla, and DeJuana L. Thompson, for joining me as panelists for our post-screening talkback.

This event would not have been possible without the Global Futures Collaborative at Howard University Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center-Howard University.

Did you know the #TrueReformers were a collective of African-American civic leaders who formed a mutual-benefit society that birthed businesses, a newspaper, real estate and other enterprises?

The True Reformer building was built in 1903 by The True Reformers. Currently, the building is owned by the Public Welfare Foundation and space is made available to DC-area not-for-profits serving the community.

We were in safe space.

Safe enough to draw connections between the American South and the Global South.

Safe enough to consider global frameworks to address long-standing, system challenges that plaque American cities.

Because what Birmingham, AL and Jackson MS and Raleigh-Durham, NC and so many other progressive cities are challenged with have already been overcome in some places in Africa, South America, and other locales.

L-to-R: DeJuana Thompson, Alex Johnson, Noel Didla

Learn more about the Global Futures Collaborative — a network of diplomats, framework architects, policymakers, thought leaders, educators, and organizers.

Check out our upcoming screenings here.

Honestly,

Ed.

I am a poet, essayist, and civic strategist based in Birmingham, Alabama. Subscribe to my newsletter here.