Community conversations about race being held among Sandy Springs’ residents have become a call to action for the city as well as participants, residents said.
The north Fulton city started the virtual gatherings in July, after social unrest and protests arose nationwide. In organizing the dinners, city officials wanted to bring people of different races and classes together and to collect their ideas on how the city can be more inclusive.
There have been 35 “Civic Dinners” or small group discussions on the topic of race relations and whether residents of color feel included in the community.
“Overall people have told us they have appreciated having the conversations,” Sandy Springs Communications Director Sharon Kraun said. “I don’t think it will surprise anyone that people feel we have more to do in being an inclusive community.”
Attendees have said that the conversation groups of 6-10 people reflect a diversity of color.
A regular question during the virtual conversation is how participants plan to spur change in the community. Some attendees said they want to see more diversity in city leadership.
Desiree Andrews and Nicole Morris co-hosted a frank conversation last Thursday that was attended by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The attendees, who were all women, held a free flowing conversation. One participant said the forum was a rare opportunity to talk openly about race.
Mary Baron, who hosted a gathering near the end of July, said residents in her group were concerned about redevelopment plans on the north end of Sandy Springs where there is a mix of apartments and single-family homes in subdivisions.
“I think everyone agreed there needs to be changes made there, but some people felt worried that not everyone was being included in the conversation” on the plans for redevelopment, Baron said.
Participants in each dinner conversation were asked how they can personally bring about more inclusiveness and belonging in Sandy Springs. “If we are really going to create connections and have conversations, one meeting is not going to do it,” Baron said.
City representatives attend each virtual conversation to summarize the dialogue, excluding names, Kraun said. The Sandy Springs City Council will receive a summarized report of all the conversations during an October meeting, Kraun added.
Morris said Tuesday she wants to see Sandy Springs take more action to bring about inclusiveness. The Emory law professor added that in the current social climate she has no patience for patronizing words.
“I don’t want to hear statements that you believe Black lives matter, but you’re not hiring Black and brown people or you’re not disciplining police officers when they use excessive force,” she said.
The conversations, titled Inclusion and Belonging, continue through Aug. 29. To learn more, go to the city’s special website for the virtual gatherings. civicdinners.com/ss-inclusion
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