“In the background of the American story behind the presidents and wars, recessions and boom times, scientific breakthroughs and social movements—are clubs.” —from the film “Join or Die” “
The accelerating political division in America has many of us seeing the world in “us vs. them” terms — and it’s left most of us exhausted. But as the political chattering class awaits the next political smackdown from one side or the other, there’s another America fighting to rise—the ones in hometowns like this one, between neighbors who can see and know each other, who want to heal. We see what healing looks like every day here in Tallahassee—and we think it’s a model for the rest of America. So this year at The Square we’re going to double down. It’s going to be a year all about joining.
We kicked off this “Join or Die” season with a screening of the film “Join or Die” at The Challenger Center IMAX theatre. The film is about the power of joining — in our lives, for our health and even for the future of our country. We chose to launch the film in observance of the 60th anniversary of Dr. King’s March on Washington, because we think that’s all about joining too.
On Thursday, October 5th at 7 pm the living legend Dr. Robert D. Putnam will join us digitally (he’s the guy the movie’s all about). If you didn’t have an opportunity to join us at The Challenger Center, fear not. Register to attend this event and you’ll get a screening link for the film to watch it at home. (You’re going to be very glad you did.)
On Tuesday, October 17th at 7 pm, the author of Collective Illusions, Todd Rose, will join us for Dinner at the Square. It’s all about how we humans have way more in common than we think and we really ought to hang out more.
And on Tuesday, March 5th at 7pm, we’ll be joined at our spring Dinner at the Square by Seth Kaplan of Johns Hopkins University to discuss “Fragile Neighborhoods: Repairing American Society One Zip Code at a Time.”
And ALL YEAR LONG we’ll be forming groups about all sorts of things.
**Click here to stay in the loop on new groups we’ll be adding.
In the background of the American story — behind the presidents, the wars, the scientific breakthroughs and social movements — are clubs. But what happens when a country full of joiners just stops joining?
Through 2024, we’ll be starting, supporting, hosting and publicizing clubs and groups in our hometown of Tallahassee, Florida. They can be about anything that brings you joy, and with people you normally wouldn’t spend time with—from book clubs to gardening to (well) “Civic Stitch n Bitch.” Not in Tallahassee? Take our “Join the Club” class here.
Iconic political scientist Dr. Robert Putnam first sounded the alarm about a half century of declining social capital in Bowling Alone, now he’s teaming up with his co-author of “The Upswing” Shaylyn Romney Garrett to convince us that we really should join a club. And that the fate of America depends on it. Screen the film, then join us.
Join us as we welcome Seth Kaplan, author of “Fragile Neighborhoods: Repairing American Society One Zip Code at a Time” for an urgent exploration of why American society is in trouble, and how to fix it, starting with the places we call home.
Our current divisions—one American from another—are deep and wide. But what if we are profoundly, completely and tragically wrong about each other? What if it’s our own mistaken assumptions about the true beliefs of people on our “side” that is driving the escalating tensions? We’d best figure that out. Fast.
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last book reaches outas a plea to us across more than half a century. Learn why we’re launching “Join or Die” in observance of thisanniversary.
