We must balance economic and social imperatives thru action and dialogue; we must welcome anybody and everybody as a value to our community; we must encourage the participation of “creatives” for the continued efforts of community economic development. Some of the things creatives want and need include:

a sense of place
a community with distinct character
to be involved in their community
to make connections
broad-mindedness
to be open to new ideas & people
diversity
richness of experience

Small scale and close knit communities, like Fayetteville, provide more potential for connections among people, business, and government all of which bring different economic, social, and ethnic backgrounds to the table.

“What we have to do…is to find a way to celebrate our diversity and debate our differences without fracturing our communities.” Hillary Clinton

Building creative communities together makes everyone feel better. Common sense often prevails when we look at all perspectives. Involving people and giving them a voice in the process allows them to take ownership of decisions made. Exclusion will only lead to a homogeneous group that is not progressive. Diversity is the one true thing we all have in common. We need diversity of thought in the world to face new challenges. We owe each other tolerance and acceptance. It’s the right thing to do if we want communities to survive, prosper and move forward in the creative new economy.
to learn more to the website www.createwv.com