Where We Live: Hartford
One of my favorite shows on NPR, and probably my favorite WNPR show, Where We Live, did a live broadcast at Real Art Ways this morning. The topic? Hartford. Specifically:
About 70 people showed up, including a dozen or so high school students (I hope they were in high school, because if they were college students, I'm really getting old), a City Council member, new COO David Panagore, the ever-present Mike McGarry, and some fellow bloggers. Looked to be a decent mix of ages, races, backgrounds in the crowd. And apparently we all had one thing in common: Hartford is important to us.
John Dankosky had three planned guests, Trude Mero, a longtime Hartford resident and assistant to four governors, Will K. Wilkins of RAW, and Mixashawn, a local composer and performer. (Detailed bios available here.) As is often the case, the guests were interesting, but the best part of the show was the contributions from the audience members and the "people on the street."
The show opened with short clips of people talking to a Where We Live intern about how they would describe Hartford and what their perceptions are of the city. While I know that opening montage was edited, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that the majority of the comments were positive. The people interviewed must have been in good moods that day.
I was struck by the fact that, as is often the case when Hartford cheerleaders get together, a lot of the discussion touched on people's negative perceptions about this city. Several audience members said that people who come to Hartford only to work just don't realize how much there is to do here. Wilkins made the point that "the people who are most negative about Hartford are the people who know the least about Hartford." Amen to that. (I was sad to learn, however, that Wilkins was responsible for the horrendous slogan "Hartford: You Could Do Worse" that appeared on bumper stickers years ago. It was supposed to be funny. Ugh.)
It's a mindset I just don't understand. Yes, Hartford, like any city, has its faults. Yes, to some people, those faults probably seem enormous. But if you don't know much about a place, why even comment on it, let alone deliberately tear it down? I'm not just referring to the people who post terrible comments about Courant articles. I'm talking about people who questioned, and still question, my decision to buy a house here. I'm talking about the people, including my friends, who complain that nothing is open on weekends--but never come to the city on weekends. I'm talking about the guy who, according to Heather Brandon, showed up at the public meeting on potential future uses of the landfill site and started trashing Keney Park as a dangerous place that no one goes into unless armed with a weapon. Turns out that guy had never even BEEN to Keney Park.
I'm not really sure what the solution is. I do know, however, that slogans like "Come to Hartford, I swear, it's fun" are not going to get us anywhere. I hope that this blog, and others like it, play a part in changing people's minds. Ultimately, though, I think the only way to show people what Hartford has to offer is for all of us Hartford cheerleaders to convince them, one by one. To take that colleague who never leaves the office for lunch down to Pratt Street (or even better, out to Frog Hollow to visit Firebox or La Paloma). To convince your music-loving friend to check out a summer performance at Riverfront Plaza or Bushnell Park. To walk with people through the park and through downtown at night after a show at the Bushnell. To take them to Keney Park to watch cricket matches or to Colt Park to watch rugby. To convince them that their kids will enjoy a trip to the Science Center followed by a walk or a bike ride along the river. To tell them about the skunks and possums and rabbits we see in our yards on a regular basis and the pine cones and chestnuts that fall in our driveways.
At bottom, changing perceptions means making personal connections. I'm up for the challenge. Who's with me?
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About 70 people showed up, including a dozen or so high school students (I hope they were in high school, because if they were college students, I'm really getting old), a City Council member, new COO David Panagore, the ever-present Mike McGarry, and some fellow bloggers. Looked to be a decent mix of ages, races, backgrounds in the crowd. And apparently we all had one thing in common: Hartford is important to us.
John Dankosky had three planned guests, Trude Mero, a longtime Hartford resident and assistant to four governors, Will K. Wilkins of RAW, and Mixashawn, a local composer and performer. (Detailed bios available here.) As is often the case, the guests were interesting, but the best part of the show was the contributions from the audience members and the "people on the street."
The show opened with short clips of people talking to a Where We Live intern about how they would describe Hartford and what their perceptions are of the city. While I know that opening montage was edited, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that the majority of the comments were positive. The people interviewed must have been in good moods that day.
I was struck by the fact that, as is often the case when Hartford cheerleaders get together, a lot of the discussion touched on people's negative perceptions about this city. Several audience members said that people who come to Hartford only to work just don't realize how much there is to do here. Wilkins made the point that "the people who are most negative about Hartford are the people who know the least about Hartford." Amen to that. (I was sad to learn, however, that Wilkins was responsible for the horrendous slogan "Hartford: You Could Do Worse" that appeared on bumper stickers years ago. It was supposed to be funny. Ugh.)
It's a mindset I just don't understand. Yes, Hartford, like any city, has its faults. Yes, to some people, those faults probably seem enormous. But if you don't know much about a place, why even comment on it, let alone deliberately tear it down? I'm not just referring to the people who post terrible comments about Courant articles. I'm talking about people who questioned, and still question, my decision to buy a house here. I'm talking about the people, including my friends, who complain that nothing is open on weekends--but never come to the city on weekends. I'm talking about the guy who, according to Heather Brandon, showed up at the public meeting on potential future uses of the landfill site and started trashing Keney Park as a dangerous place that no one goes into unless armed with a weapon. Turns out that guy had never even BEEN to Keney Park.
I'm not really sure what the solution is. I do know, however, that slogans like "Come to Hartford, I swear, it's fun" are not going to get us anywhere. I hope that this blog, and others like it, play a part in changing people's minds. Ultimately, though, I think the only way to show people what Hartford has to offer is for all of us Hartford cheerleaders to convince them, one by one. To take that colleague who never leaves the office for lunch down to Pratt Street (or even better, out to Frog Hollow to visit Firebox or La Paloma). To convince your music-loving friend to check out a summer performance at Riverfront Plaza or Bushnell Park. To walk with people through the park and through downtown at night after a show at the Bushnell. To take them to Keney Park to watch cricket matches or to Colt Park to watch rugby. To convince them that their kids will enjoy a trip to the Science Center followed by a walk or a bike ride along the river. To tell them about the skunks and possums and rabbits we see in our yards on a regular basis and the pine cones and chestnuts that fall in our driveways.
At bottom, changing perceptions means making personal connections. I'm up for the challenge. Who's with me?
Thanks for writing this.
I will be ecstatic on the day when after I tell a new acquaintance where I live, the first question asked is not "do you feel safe there?"
I think it's awfully hypocritical for people to teach their children not to judge people by appearances or hearsay, but then to make sweeping statements about places that they are unfamiliar with, like the one made at the landfill meeting. I hear it all the time: "You're crazy to walk there," "That's a dangerous area," etc., by folks who, if they ever come to Hartford, generally leave by six pm.
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Hey EmGee, great summary of the broadcast. I missed it and haven't had a chance to listen to it yet.
Your last paragraph touches the key point. I actually wonder about the effectiveness of blogs like this one (or my own) or whatever in terms of changing perceptions. Too often, we're just talking amongst ourselves. It's great when people stumble upon them, but getting people to change their minds is, in large part, a question of engaging their questions.
As most of us probably experience when we arrive somewhere after a search, we get some answers and then some more questions. That turns into the next search, and so on. It's a lot of work, so only the ones that care about the answer actually get there.
As you said, it's essential to address the individual questions folks have. It's easier to do that one-on-one, in person. It would be great if we could find a way to make blogs or other online things better at changing peoples' minds. I don't have any great ideas yet.
On a related note, who are these people who ask you if it's safe in Hartford as the first question? I don't get the sense that it's this unsafe, scary place (though I've seen my share of corner dealers and sketchiness when, say, going to RAW or other places in the city).
Sujal
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For me, it's coworkers from both jobs who ask that question. Given the field I am in, these are individuals who I assume to be intelligent otherwise. It's not infrequent.
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Yes, I am in - I'm thinking that making cutting remarks about Hartford is a syndrome. Sadly many who have lived here awhile suffer from it as well. Right now I have no antidote except to point out how tiresome the habit is. I'll be very interested to listen to the program. Once I do that, perhaps I'll have something else to contribute.
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