As you might have seen mentioned the past few weeks, State of the Re:Union is continuing on in its yearly funding crusade. October started our month-long fundraising drive, and while we still have some dollars to go to reach our goal, we believe that with help from SOTRU Superheroes like yourself, we’ll have be able to raise the funds needed to continue telling amazing stories of people building community from coast-to-coast.

State of the Re:Union Live at MOCA Jacksonville

Our yearly fundraising event, ‘State of the Re:Union Live’ happened in Jacksonville, FL this past Saturday, October 22nd. Host Al Letson, entertained and informed with an incredible multimedia performance that mixed videos and radio segments from a variety of episodes with performance and narration. Our deepest thanks to all who attended and supported the event for creating an incredible sense of community under one roof.

Saturday night’s efforts helped make a dent in our fundraising needs, but we’ve still got a healthy portion of fundraising to go. Unlike the majority of public radio show’s, SOTRU is not presented by a specific station, and independently responsible for raising the funds needed to continue. We’re confident, that with your help, we can make it.

Grassroots and gumption: That’s what sets our listeners aside from others. You have the ability to help us make a change in the lives of millions more throughout the U.S. The one common thread we have seen throughout SOTRU listeners is the ability to make things happen, and that spirit is what we are counting on. You can help by making a simple donation. If you enjoy the episodes and want to hear more of what communities across America are doing to keep it going, your tax-deductible donation – from $5 to $500 – will help with just that. Click here to help to lend a hand in helping us bring things back together.

Want to get involved beyond you’re cash contribution? There are other ways you can help:

Host a Listening Party

For those who weren’t able to attend our State of the Re:Union Live event, have no fear. You can participate and enjoy the fun while showing off your mad-hosting skills. Through throwing a State of the Re:Union Listening Party.

We’re asking our loyal listeners to become SOTRU Superheroes by gathering their friends to come together to listen to a State of the Re:Union episode while helping raise much-needed funds to continue producing this program. Click here to find out more on hosting your own event.

Underwriting Support

From radio episode underwriting to podcasts and website advertising, SOTRU has a variety of underwriting opportunities to fit your business or organization’s budget. Our episodes reach an average audience of more than half a million listeners each week and are aired in more than 200 markets across the country. In addition to maximizing national exposure for your organization, you’ll reach civic-minded individuals and influential decision makers who believe in the power of community.

Please email Brie at brie(at)stateofthereunion(dot)com for more information.

Grants & Foundational Support

Does your foundation or organization to support public media, arts programs, educational initiatives or community-oriented projects? SOTRU is always looking to expand our partnerships and support network.

State of the Re:Union Live at MOCA Jacksonville

For those who attended our fundraising event in Jacksonville, thank you. We also want to thank all of our amazing sponsors, volunteers and guests that made “State of the Re:Union Live” such a successful event. A special thank you to Mossfire and O’Brothers restaurants for the delectable treats that were insanely delicious. We would also like to extend a special thank you to the wonderful people at MOCA Jacksonville for hosting our event, and to the supporting sponsors who helped bring it all together: PB&J Jacksonville and Tommy Hobin at Mind Jar Media. Our gratitude goes out to Folio Weekly and the Times Union for helping to get the word on the event.

We would be remiss not to mention the wonderful silent auction items contributed by: Tiffany Manning Photography, Orsay Restaurant of Avondale, Fly’s Tie Irish Pub of Atlantic Beach, Belk Regency, Ananda Kula of Avondale, Green Man Gourmet of Avondale, and The Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens. Thank you. Bids from these items nudged us closer to our goal. and to those already offering their support, we are truly grateful for your endeavors. We are a thankful bunch, and have so much more appreciation to give, so thank you in advance for helping us continue journeying into America’s communities, hearts and stories.

And to those already offering their support, we are truly grateful for your endeavors. We are a thankful bunch, and have so much more appreciation to give, so thank you in advance for helping us continue journeying into America’s communities, hearts and stories.

October is SOTRU’s official fundraising month, and our goal is to raise $80,000 to help continue producing our show. There are a few ways you can help, no matter what part of the country you live in.

October 22nd – State of the Re:Union Live

If you’re in Jacksonville, one such way is to attend “State of the Re:Union Live” an incredible event that is happening on Saturday, October 22, 2011, at the MOCA in Downtown Jacksonville. This is an awesome opportunity to treat yourself to a live multimedia performance by SOTRU’s very own host, Al Letson, to see how the episodes you hear on your public radio station come to life. The ticketed event will feature delectable hors’ doeuvres, a cocktail hour and two shows, each a multimedia experience featuring a performance by host Al Letson, compiled with audio and video from the second season of State of the Re:Union.This event will inspire all the senses and leave you wanting more. The two chances to catch Al’s performance: one at 7:00 p.m. and the other at 8:30 p.m.

There is limited seating, so getting your tickets in advance would secure you a seat for this SOTRU experience. We want you to further enjoy the event, so not only will you save $5 when you purchase early, but all tickets and donations are completely tax deductible! Click here to purchase your tickets.

Host a Listening Party

For those who cannot attend this event, have no fear. You can enjoy the fun while showing off your mad-hosting skills through throwing a State of the Re:Union Listening Party.

We’re asking our loyal listeners to become SOTRU Superheroes by gathering their friends to come together to listen to a State of the Re:Union episode while helping raise much-needed funds to continue producing this program. Click here to find out more on hosting your own event.

Make a Donation

If you’re thinking, “Gosh, those sound great, but I don’t have the time.” Have no fear, we have ways that you can participate, too. You can always give your support through a simple donation. If you enjoy the episodes and want to hear more of what communities across America are doing to keep it going, your donations – big or small – will help with just that. Click here to help keep SOTRU rockin’. And if you have a business, you can become an underwriter of the show or take advantage of advertising opportunities on the website. Please email Brie at brie(at)stateofthereunion(dot)com for more information.

For those who are already offering their support, we are truly grateful for your endeavors. We are a thankful bunch, and have so much more appreciation to give, so thank you in advance for helping us continue journeying into America’s communities, hearts and stories.

We are so pleased to bring you State of the Re:Union’s 2011 Fall Season with the following episodes:

The Bronx, NY: Still Rising from the Ashes
The Bronx has long been seen as a symbol of America’s failings.  For many people here, ‘making it’ means escaping the crime and poverty of their borough.  But some have refused to flee. This episode shines a light on the hold-outs and the dreamers, people who’ve committed their lives to keeping chaos at bay in the Bronx.

………….

Mississippi Gulf Coast: Defending the Gulf
After Hurricane Katrina ravaged the area, Mississippi Gulf Coast residents were forced to come together to deal with the aftermath. Then, just as they were starting to get back on their feet, the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster dumped millions of barrels of oil into the water just off their shores. Cumulatively, these events have made environmentalists out of a whole lot of Gulf Coast residents who may not have considered themselves as such. We tell an hour of stories about the fight for the natural world bringing Gulf Coast residents together … both with one another and with unlikely partners. And how, in some instances, that fight is turning out to be exactly what a community needed to survive.

…………….

Wyoming: The New Old West
People are few and far between in Wyoming.  Those that do live here prize tradition, self-reliance, and their connection to the land.  So when change comes to the high plains—an oil boom, a minister with new ideas—communities here are tested.   And neighbors have to strike a balance between preserving their independent way of life and learning to rely on one another. We trek to the small towns and remote ranches of Wyoming, meeting people as they adapt to the New Old West.

…………….

Cleveland, OH: Entrepreneurs at Work
Cleveland, Ohio, is a city that was made by entrepreneurs. But for decades, it’s been known as a city that’s a shell of its former manufacturing-era glorious self. However, Cleveland is being embraced by a new generation of entrepreneurs as a place to put their dreams in motion. This is a now a city of entrepreneurship in a range of incarnations … in their kids’ education, in the environment, even in beer. This is an hour of entrepreneurial stories, taking a look at that go-get-em-seize-your-dreams energy in a variety of forms.

……
……………
Sacramento, CA: All Hands on Deck
There’s been a lot of bad news coming out of Sacramento lately: homelessness, the foreclosure rate, unemployment, and political gridlock in a state crippled by the recession.  Add to that a stubborn case of political fatigue, and you’ve got a lot of reasons to write this cityoff.  But we trekked to California’s beleaguered state capital to take a peek behind the national headlines and find out who keeps this city running—day in, day out—despite all that’s going wrong.  And we left with the realization that people in Sacramento are remaking the American city, in surprising and deeply moving ways.

We are perpetually moved by the incredible stories, people and communities we encounter in making each SOTRU episode. This season is no exception and we are sure that you will be as surprised as we were to learn the things happening in our communities.  You can visit the above pages to listen and download full episodes. There will also be some additional goodies (pictures, articles, and in some cases, a video documentary) you can peruse, adding even more insight into each episode.

Please listen for State of the Re:Union on your local public radio station. In the event your local station isn’t carrying us, you could always give them a call and request it! We’re sure they would love to hear from their listeners anyway. Thanks again for supporting SOTRU. We hope you enjoy the new episodes, documentaries and other bonus features from our travels.

*Listeners in Northeast Florida, you can celebrate the launch of the fall season with us at our annual fundraising event.  Together, Jacksonville’s Museum of Modern Art (MOCA) with SOTRU’s very own, Al Letson, will be hosting and entertaining with a live performance. ‘State of the Re:Union Live’ on Saturday, Oct 22, 2011, will have two shows: the first begins at 7:00 p.m. and the second is at 8:30 p.m. The seats are VERY  limited, so to make sure you don’t miss out, you can purchase tickets in advance for $15 here, or $20 at the door (provided there are seats still available).  See you there!

Defending the Gulf

 After Hurricane Katrina ravaged the area, Mississippi Gulf Coast residents were forced to come together to deal with the aftermath. Then, just as they were starting to get back on their feet, the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster dumped millions of barrels of oil into the water just off their shores.

Cumulatively, these events have made environmentalists out of a whole lot of Gulf Coast residents who may not have considered themselves as such. Al will take you an hour of stories about the fight for the natural world Gulf Coast bringing residents together, both with one another and with unlikely partners—and how, in some instances, that fight is turning out to be exactly what a community needed to survive.

You’ll learn about Turkey Creek, where a historic African-American community fights for its survival with the unlikely allies of rare birds and the Audubon Society. Al will also talk to a resident combing the beach for sea turtle strandings that they fear are related to the oil spill. We’ll also hear about former spill cleanup workers fighting for recognition of what they believe are oil-exposure-related health problems.

To enjoy the entire Mississippi Gulf Coast: Defending the Gulf episode, click here. There are three new episodes queuing up for you to enjoy, and we will keep you posted as they come. Episodes to look for: Wyoming; Cleveland, OH; and Sacramento, CA.

Still Rising from the Ashes

We are proud to announce that today begins the release of the new SOTRU fall season! The first episode gives us an intimate look at the Bronx, NY.

The Bronx has long been seen as a symbol of America’s failings.  For many people here, ‘making it’ means escaping the crime and poverty of their borough.  But some have refused to flee. This episode shines a light on the hold-outs and the dreamers, people who’ve committed their lives to keeping chaos at bay in the Bronx.

To listen to the Bronx, NY: Still Rising from the Ashes episode in its entirety, click here.

The rest of the new SOTRU episodes will be released over the next four days. Take a trip with Al as you listen to him tell the stories of men and women throughout our communities. After becoming engrossed in the Bronx, NY episode,  you can lose yourself some more in: the Mississippi Gulf Coast; Southern Wyoming; Cleveland, OH; and Sacramento, CA.

We at State of the Re:Union are so excited to announce five new shows for the fall season, which are set to be released beginning on Friday, September 16, 2011.

Here is a sneak peek at the episodes that will be about some unique challenges of community and how it brings people together:

Bronx, New York – The Bronx has symbolized America’s failings for a long time. It remains the poorest urban congressional district in the nation, and ask a New Yorker about the boroughs and they’ll usually tell you the Bronx is the one to avoid. Despite the area’s troubles, some citizens hailing from this region have resisted an exodus with the intentions of putting down roots and making the borough a better place to live. This episode will look at the hold-outs and the dreamers who have committed their lives and families to building community in the Bronx.

Gulf Coast of Mississippi - The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina forced the residents of the Mississippi Gulf Coast to band together to help the community get back on its feet. Just as the groove of life was returning to a normal level, the BP Deep Horizon disaster resulted in millions of barrels of oil being dumped into the water off their shores, once again having a debilitating impact on their everyday lives. These events have resulted in a lot of Gulf Coast residents becoming environmental aficionados, something they had never before imagined. SOTRU will bring you an hour of stories about how the fight for the natural world is uniting residents of the Gulf Coast, sometimes with unlikely partners–and how, in some instances, this environmental fight is exacting what this community has needed to survive.

Southern Wyoming – Wyoming is the least populated state in America. This is a sparsely occupied landscape where private property and self-sufficiency are prized, and the community that has been built tends to reflect the not-so-neighborly sentiment. The thought is slightly unsettling that distant neighbors might need to rely on another. For people to come together here, the reason must be good. This episode will take you to the towns of Laramie, Cheyenne and the surrounding landscape in Southern Wyoming. It will create a window, allowing a look into how the happenings in small towns of the rural United States’ countryside can set national changes into motion.

Cleveland, Ohio - From Rockefeller’s Standard Oil to GE’s first industrial park , the city of Cleveland was built from entrepreneurial spirit. This Ohio city was known for its success, until an infamous day in 1969 where the polluted Cuyahoga River caught fire, and has since become a bane in Cleveland’s existence. “The Mistake on the Lake” has become synonymous with the city and a moniker they have not been able to shake. Today, a new generation of entrepreneurs is embracing Cleveland. This episode will take the hour to explore how they are relying on their business sense in an effort to revitalize neighborhoods, cleanup the environment and improve education.

Sacramento, California - This is a company town, the caveat being that the company is government. Here, one in four households contains a government employee. There are many reasons that Sacramento citizens’ could have an ominous future outlook: the crippling state budget deficit, police loafs, fire engine brown-outs and park closures. However, these men and women believe that persistence is the key to getting through the murk and mire. Through the sheer determination, the residents and an enthusiastic mayor are keeping their major league basketball team for yet another year. Despite the Murphy’s Laws or Catch 22′s that the people of Sacramento have experienced, they refuse to become a gloomy statistical reference. The city’s number of chronically homeless people surviving on the streets actually went down this past year. This episode will uncover how the Sacramento residents are taking stock in their community. SOTRU will explore ways they are coping with this hard new economic reality, from volunteering to maintain city parks with Parks and Recreation budgets cuts, to creating clothing swaps and and home shares.

Go ahead, we know you’re a leader, so get the conversation started! State of the Re:Union would love to get your thoughts on the episodes when they are made available. Don’t stop there, we would also love your feedback on our newest documentaries, and on all things SOTRU and community related.

John McKnight

John McKnight is an expert on communities. An Ohio native who currently lives near Chicago, he has spent decades organizing communities and researching them, primarily in the Windy City itself. In the course of his career, he mobilized neighborhoods during the civil rights movement, wrote several books about community development, created a center for urban affairs at Northwestern University, and even taught the current President a thing or two about advocacy. (Yes, it’s true: way back when, a young and eager Barack Obama interned at McKnight’s training program for community organizers in southeast Chicago). If that’s not enough, he recently co-authored a book called “The Abundant Community: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods.”

Now, State of the Re:Union is thrilled to share some of McKnight’s insight with you. In an exciting partnership, we will feature articles from The Abundant Community. Last week, I was lucky enough to ask McKnight a few questions about his latest book, his work as a community organizer and some of his current projects.

So, what’s “The Abundant Community” all about?

Co-authored with writer and consultant Peter Block, The Abundant Community argues that neighborhoods can power their own development by tapping into the abundant resources already present within them. As McKnight and Block explain, people tend to look outside their neighborhoods when they want to improve some key aspect of their wellbeing – outsourcing their health care to specialists at big hospitals, for example, or petitioning city hall to pick up their garbage more often. America’s consumer society suggests that ordinary people in local communities cannot satisfy their needs alone, but instead must make purchases or advocate to outside organizations from a position of scarcity. Too often, we “go to institutions that operate within the economy and say we want a bigger piece – that we want our fair share of being a consumer,” said McKnight.

In their book, McKnight and Block show that there’s another way – a form of development that focuses on abundance rather than scarcity. This abundance exists right in our neighborhoods, typically in the form of untapped knowledge, and it can help us improve our health, economy, environment, food and care. For instance, although we tend to associate health with medical care and doctors, much of our physical wellbeing depends upon personal habits (eating healthy foods and exercising frequently), group activity (socializing with friends) and the environment (having access to clean air and water). “All of those things can become more common and supported in a healthful neighborhood,” said McKnight. “These [factors] are local, and they are all enhanced if people are related to each other locally.”

Peter Block & John McKnight

By connecting people and encouraging them share their knowledge about health, the economy, the environment, food or care, we can achieve wellbeing within our communities, instead of constantly seeking help outside them. “The information that people on the block are gathering is abundant and free and critical,” said McKnight.

How did McKnight conduct research for the book?

“The book grew from a half century of experience,” McKnight told me. An activist for the first half of his career, McKnight started as a neighborhood organizer in Chicago and later became the Midwest director for the United States Commission on Civil Rights. In 1969 he was invited to start a center for urban affairs at Northwestern University, where he conducted applied research. “I was trying to find out systematically what makes strong neighborhoods and what kinds of resources help them do their work,” he said.

With a colleague, McKnight established a development method called asset-based community development, which involves uncovering and utilizing strengths within a community. He later helped create a national training program where interns – including young Barack Obama – came to learn about community organizing in neighborhoods of Chicago. On his relationship with the president, McKnight explained, “[Obama] sent me a copy of his book on my birthday, but that’s the last contact I’ve had with him.” He joked, “I think [the president] is dealing with matters beyond what we’re doing now.”

What is McKnight working on today? And where are his sights set for the future?

McKnight is currently co-director of the Asset-Based Community Development Institute at Northwestern University, though he travels around the country to help communities recognize their abundant resources. “I’m most involved in engaging local people to identify and start using their capacities,” he said. He encourages neighbors to visit with each other and ask each other about their gifts, skills and passions.

Going forward, McKnight wants to help people classify their development projects into three categories – those which can be executed by the community alone, those which require external assistance, and those which must be executed exclusively from the outside. He hopes to focus on improving neighborhood organizations like veterans’ and women’s associations, and he wants to see if mini-loans can help them implement better development projects.

In each of his endeavors, McKnight is seeking to strengthen communities from within. “We’re looking to be a productive community inside by establishing relationships,” he said.

State of the Re:Union will feature articles from Abundant Community‘s John McKnight and Peter Block every other Monday.

We want to thank all of our amazing sponsors, volunteers and guests that made SOTRU – A Celebration of Community such an incredible and successful event. The food from Biscottis, Orsay and Bento Cafe was out of this world, the beer from Bold City was tops and the downtown library venue was just right.

The cocktail hour was perfectly accented by the music of Adam Mantovani. Additionally, guests purchased raffle tickets for items including owner’s suite tickets to a Jaguars game donated by J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver, original artwork by mactruQue and Heather Blanton. (more…)

State of the Re:Union has received an amazing opportunity — the chance to win a $50,000 Pepsi Refresh Grant. All we need is a few minutes of your time to vote for our project.

Just click here,  join the Pepsi Refresh Project and vote for State of the Re:Union. It’s that easy! You can vote every day in October. Thank you for all of your support!

In case you missed it, State of the Re:Union was on NPR’s ‘All Things Considered’ last Friday. They featured Al’s piece on Greensburg, Kansas, a town that’s rebuilding green after a devastating tornado three years ago. It’s a shortened version of our hour-long episode on Greensburg, named ‘To the Stars through Difficulties.’

You can listen to the story on NPR’s website.

Or, to hear the entire Greensburg episode of State of the Re:Union, visit our page featuring the show as well as supplemental stories and videos.