Perspectives

FSU Art Therapy Professor David Gussak has written the definitive book on the strange connection between creativity and chaos: “The Frenzied Dance of Art & Violence.” He talks about how works of transcendent beauty can come from tortured, flawed personalities, while the creations of so many murderous psychopaths lack anything resembling human emotion.

Both Leon County and the City of Tallahassee have greatly increased their traditional and online resources to help residents be better prepared for hurricane season. To talk about it are: Kevin Peters, director of Emergency Management for Leon County; the county’s EMS Chief Chad Abrams; Tony Guillen, City of Tallahassee Electric and Gas general manager; and 2-1-1 Big Bend Executive Director Tori Greer.

The Village Square and Leon County Government are co-hosting another in the “Created Equal” series of public forums at The Moon May 26 on the tender tap-dance between election integrity and access and how racial considerations figure into that equation. To provide a preview of the event are: FSU Law Professor Michael Morley; Eliza Chase from The Village Square; and Leon County’s Royle King.

The pandemic, inflation, political turmoil are all factors adding to our anxiety levels nowadays. And when these stresses result in more serious mental health issues, there are a wealth of treatment options and resources available in the region. We hear about it from: Dr. Jay Reeve, president and CEO of Apalachee Center; Heather Lincicome, administrator for the Tallahassee Memorial Behavioral Health Center; Anita Morrell, manager of the Human Services Division in the City of Tallahassee’s Dept. of Housing & Community Resilience; and Dylan McMahon, a counselor and trainer at 2-1-1 Big Bend.

May 14-22, the remarkable heritage and culture of Tallahassee’s Southside neighborhoods will be in full evidence for everyone to enjoy. Originally part of the Florida Emancipation Day observance on May 20, the event has been expanded to a multicultural celebration featuring music and other entertainment, history, entrepreneurship and resilience. Festival organizers: Christic Henry, Nicole Everett, Darryl Jones and Joe Thomas talk about it.

After 5 years of planning, fundraising and the intervention of a pandemic, a project to build a special community for special people in Tallahassee’s Southwood neighborhood is finally underway. To talk about Independence Landing are: Tallahassee State Representative and one of the original project proponents Allison Tant; Independence Landing board members Brett Ketcham; Brice Barnes; and Cindi Goodson; and project promoter Jon D. Brown.

City of Tallahassee staff members have a number of tools they’ve been using to address the community’s affordable housing crisis. To talk about it are: Devan Leavins, special projects administrator; Jeremy Floyd, neighborhood and urban design administrator; Land Use Administrator John Reddick; and Abena Ojetayo (as the show began, her title was “Director of Housing and Community Resilience. As the program ended, the City was announcing her promotion to “Assistant City Manager.”)

Around 10 million Floridians are already signed up as organ donors, but the need for these lifesaving procedures far outstrips supply. To promote additional donors are: Kim Gilmore, public education for Donate Life Florida and LifeQuest Organ Recovery Services; the organizations’ Donor Family Services Coordinator Pamela Rittenouse; Donor Parents Paul and Rebecca DeFrank, whose son Alex became a multiple donor upon his death in 2020; and Sarah Bender, whose mother Libby Smith was a heart recipient and passionate Donate Life ambassador.

After 2 years of COVID restrictions, the LeMoyne Chain of Parks Art Festival returns to its historic grandeur on April 23 and 24 in downtown Tallahassee. To talk about this nationally-recognized event are: LeMoyne Executive Director Arielle Raff; Festival Chair Kelly Dozier; Festival Manager Powell Kreis; and one of the 150 participating artists, Tallahassee jewelry creator Quincie Hamby.

In recent years, attempts to capitalize on hemp as a commercial farm crop are floundering in Florida. But advocates hope that will change in the wake of the “850 Hemp Conference” in Tallahassee April 27 and 28. To provide a preview, are Leon County Commissioner Kristin Dozier (speaking in her role as chair of the Apalachee Regional Planning Council;) Ryan Kelly of Mobile Hemp Drying Company; and Travis Green of New Green Organiks/North Florida Hemp Farms.

A coalition of nearly 20 Tallahassee faith communities have joined forces to address the issues of youthful gun violence and affordable housing. To talk about that – and an upcoming meeting with local elected officials – are: the coalitions co-presidents, Rev. James Houston, pastor of Bethelonia AME Church; and Temple Israel Rabbi Michael Shields; Rev. A.J. Mealor, pastor of Faith Presbyterian Church; Bob Apgar, member of Faith Presbyterian; Fr. Hugh Chapman, pastor of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church; Sister Sentoria Houston, member of Bethelonia AME; and Elder Maurice Allen from Life Changers Church of God in Christ.

The Tallahassee/Leon County Office of Economic Vitality and Big Bend Manufacturing Association are working to jump-start additional opportunities in this area for both out-of-town and home-grown makers-of-products. To talk about it are: Cristina Paredes, director of the Office of Economic Vitality; the offices Business Development Director Kevin Gehrke; Christina Chancey, senior HR manager for Danfoss Turbocor; Tracey Cohen, president of Target Print & Mail; and Marsha LaPete, owner of Greater Depths Distributing.

For the first time, the Capital City will have an open-air festival celebrating the past and its impact on the present on Saturday, March 26 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Kleman Plaza. To talk about it, as well as the larger implications of today’s controversy about history and how it should be taught, are: David Proctor, head of TCC’s Department of History; TCC History Professor and President of the Tallahassee Historical Society Bob Holladay; and TCC English Professor Teresa Paliwoda.

For months, the Tallahassee community has been roiled by a proposal to allocate $20 million in Blueprint funding for repairs and “enhancements” at Doak Campbell Stadium. Now, on the day of the Intergovernmental Agency vote on whether or not to proceed with a bond issue for the money, the pros and cons are discussed by: Tallahassee NAACP Chapter President Mutaquee Akbar; and Leon County District 5 Commissioner Kristin Dozier (both opponents); and project advocate Jared Willis, vice president of Grow Tallahassee.

With each passing year, the story of Florida’s first human residents reaches back earlier and becomes more fascinating. The Jefferson County-based Aucilla Research Institute has been tracing that story for years and will present its latest findings during an open-to-everyone in-person and online conference, March 4 and 5 at the Monticello Opera House. To provide a sneak peak are members of the Institute’s leadership team: Tim Dunbar; Jack Carswell; and Andy Hemmings.

Colorful tracings of thousands of little hands once again adorn the Florida Capitol Rotunda, signifying Children’s Week during the legislative session. The occasion also means honors for outstanding children’s advocates and activists. The winner of this year’s “Chiles Advocacy Award” is Doug Sessions, Jr., president and CEO of the Ounce of Prevention Fund Florida, while the Youth Advocate of the Year, Lauren Page – a Miami high school sophomore – founded the “Page by Page Book Drive Program.” It’s now handed out nearly half-a-million books to kids in the United States and beyond. They are joined by Dr. Phyllis Kalifeh, president and CEO of the Children’s Forum.

Since the pandemic arrived nearly 3 years ago, Florida A&M and Florida State universities have combined resources to mitigate the impact of the virus, for students, staff and the community at large. To talk about the hundreds of thousands of people who have received testing and vaccines through those efforts are: Tanya Tatum, director of FAMU’s Health Center; and Emily Pritchard with the FSU College of Medicine.

More traffic enters Tallahassee through the U.S. 27/North Monroe Street gateway than anywhere else. But the corridor has slid downhill in recent years, prompting a push by Leon County to address the issues that contribute to those problems. Leon County Commissioner Rick Minor, whose district encompasses the corridor, appears with some members of the citizens’ task force that worked on the project over several months: former FSU Transportation Expert Jo Penrose; Big Bend Continuum of Care’s Johnna Coleman; and former state government staffer/now entrepreneur Ron Goldstein.

Since 2015, more than 750 refugees from all over the world have relocated to Tallahassee. Settlement in their new home was made possible by International Rescue Committee Tallahassee. To talk about it are: Committee Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator Karen Duncan; Committee Site Manager Leann Halsey; and John McBride, an agency volunteer whose local rental property is now the home for a family from Afghanistan.