Front Porch Sessions

From this spot on Main Street, Sharon and I disperse to the east and the west. We walk the sidewalks that snake through the Southside and make it accessible. As we trace the streets, we look for avenues into the spirit of the community. We listen for voices that will help us understand these neighborhoods.

A distinctive of this community is the porch phenomenon. Even the new apartments and condos are fronted by open-air space, with railings, folding chairs, maybe a citronella candle or two. Front porches are made for socializing, for keeping an eye on the neighborhood, for shooting the breeze with the folks who live next door. We at CreateHere want a small taste of the front porch culture.

So Sharon and I have been traveling the streets of Jefferson Heights, Highland Park, Fort Negley, and Cowart Place. We take our voice recorder and our camcorder and our camera, our folders and notebooks. We come to the houses of new and long-time residents alike, and we come with questions. We're ready to hear what brought them to the Southside, and what they see and have seen from their front porches.

At CreateHere, we're in the business of priming the creative pump on the Southside. But no work of that sort can be done in a community that doesn't know itself. To build its sense of identity, a community must have an understanding of its past through the individual stories of its members. CreateHere wants to be an active part of hearing--really hearing--those stories, recording them, and presenting them for anyone interested in the way this community is growing.

Can we hear from you? If you live in this area and would like to be involved, contact Sharon or Charlotte.

Posted by Charlotte