AKRON, Ohio — On the Table is back after a three-year hiatus, with Akron Community Foundation once again asking Akronites to share thoughts and ideas about the community and ways it could be improved.
This year, the approach will be a little different than past events and a little more challenging — literally.
Instead of a single-day event, as in past years, On the Table 2023 is set to run Wednesday, Feb. 1 through Wednesday Feb. 15, with Akronites asked to undertake seven "Action Challenges” that go beyond one-time conversations, said Chris Miller, the foundation’s communications and community investment officer.
“Basically, the essence of On the Table was getting people together to break bread and help solve community problems,” Miller said. “To put their devices down, to look each other in the eyes and sit down as community members, as equals, you know, all walks of life, no matter who that may be.”
But with the pandemic still looming, people can undertake the challenges remotely, he said, choosing from options the foundation provides under seven areas of engagement, including:
- Read articles, essays, blogs, local poetry, literature at local bookstores to expand your viewpoints and consider different perspectives.
- Watch documentaries, programs, short films, TED Talks and other media.
- Listen to podcasts, radio, music, poets and other audio.
- Attend musical performances, lectures, plays, spoken-word readings, library events and neighborhood meetings.
- Support local restaurants, coffee houses, makers, artists, nonprofits and local online businesses.
- Engage with another community member you wouldn’t typically interact with for a one-on-one discussion to share experiences and talk about issues that matter most to you both.
- Report back through a survey to describe what you learned from participating in the Action Challenge.
For example, under the “Attend” challenge, local musical and theatrical are events are listed, as well as Akron City Council meetings, which can be viewed live online, and virtual comedic performances and variety shows at the Center for Applied Drama and Autism.
“We thought a good way to reintroduce it would be a more scaled down, more personalized, personally curated experience,” Miller said. “The past On the Table was a conversation and a meal. This On the Table caters to people's busy schedules.”
And although this On the Table can be conducted from home, the aim is deeper engagement with individuals or populations very different from a participant’s perspective, he said.
For example, the one-on-one conversation under the “Engage” challenge can be conducted remotely but ideally it is with someone new, introduced through friends or coworkers, he said.
To help streamline finding a one-on-one partner, the foundation is posting conversation opportunities on the On the Table website.
The first public conversation offered is from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 10 at the Akron Art Museum, which is offering the Unify America Challenge. This challenge partners people who have opposing political ideologies in a virtual, live, guided conversation, Miller said.
More events will be added in the coming days, he said.
“We've tried to curate reading materials and media and experiences for people that'll help them engage with the community in a way they've never engaged before,” Miller said. “Also, to maybe walk in someone else's shoes, to experience and to try to gather someone else's lived experience.”
The challenges don’t have to be completed in a set order, but everyone is asked to take a survey when they are finished, he said.
The philosophy behind the first Akron-area On the Table, originally launched in 2014 by the Chicago Community Trust, was that small conversations can generate big ideas, the foundation said.
With support from the Knight Foundation and other funders, the foundation led On the Table from 2017 to 2019, engaging more than 20,000 people in total to attend events hosted all over the city at homes, churches, schools and cafes, the foundation said.
The success of the first event, which generated a wealth of information, inspired the Akron Community and Knight foundations to keep the conversations going in Akron until the COVID-19 pandemic put the world on hold.
Information collected during On the Table has helped guide the community foundation’s grantmaking, providing insight into issues and opportunities important to all facets of the community, Miller said.
“We're not a direct service provider, you know, our work is done through other agencies and organizations. We help them address problems,” he said. “So, On the Table gives us a chance to directly hear from the community and that's been so valuable to us.”
On the Table participants are asked to register online for 2023 On the Table and are encouraged to download a checklist. Participants also can sign up for On the Table updates.
The results and impact of On the Table through the years are available online. For more information, send an email or fill out an online contact form.
