The Secret to Results After "On the Table"
- by Anna Sims
- Oct 5, 2018
- 2 min read
“Clean Midtown,” an effort inspired by On the Table conversations, invited all concerned citizens to participate in a community-wide effort to clean MidTown’s 24 neighborhoods.
Last fall, MidTown Inc., a local nonprofit committed to sustaining and enhancing the neighborhoods and businesses within MidTown, hosted an On the Table conversation. Like many tables, positive attributes about our community came up. However, opportunities for improvement were shared as well.
One of the common themes that came up around the tables at MidTown's conversation was litter throughout MidTown's neighborhoods.
"Litter was a common concern voiced independently at each of the ten 'Lunch at Lakebottom' conversations that took place as part of the November 7 On the Table," said Anne King, former executive director of MidTown, Inc. "'Clean MidTown' came from those discussions - a way to clean up, meet neighbors, and together raise awareness of a community-wide problem."
After Nov. 7, an impact report was released to the community revealing themes from collective On the Table conversations. And this group understood that the data itself from the On the Table report wouldn't move our community forward.
They understood that the power to change this community for the better is up to each of us.
And they took action.
Residents came together for several hours on a Saturday to have fun together, while cleaning up the neighborhood.
Yes, the impact report is a useful tool in illuminating powerful themes from thousands of conversations. And it will be again this year after October 23 conversations!
But even so, the data itself will not change our community. It's not up to one entity to fix our issues and create solutions, but rather On the Table reminds us that we can engage in our community and try to contribute, even in small ways.
Jim Livingston and Olivia Pennington participate in the Clean MidTown event.
The secret to action after your conversation... is you! What problems will you individually or collectively aim to solve at your conversation? Will you begin volunteering your time and talent to an organization already doing good work? Or will you innovate a new way of tackling an issue?
Perhaps you'll simply know your neighbors better or hear a perspective different than your own.
No matter what comes out of your conversation, there's immense power in coming together to share, listen and learn from one another.
Join a public table this year on October 23, or host your own!
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