Karl Cronin does House Parties!

I am including here an email I was cc'ed on from big thinker Karl Cronin to big heart-er Kahlil Almustafa. (Karl and Kahlil met as part of The Field's ERPA Planning grants!) THANK YOU so much Karl and Kahlil for inspiring me and The Field.....xoxo Jennifer Wright Cook, Executive Director

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Hi Kahlil,

I just wanted you to know that after months of brewing
I'm putting pen to paper and planning a series of house concerts
inspired by the model you developed with your ERPA project.

While the theme is still wavering between informal conversations about civic agency - http://newamericatour.tumblr.com/
and more focused conversations about social empowerment in rural queer youth - http://queerusa.wordpress.com/

the format is solid - offer art as a catalyst for folks to get folks together in informal settings and start talking.

I believe the intimacy, directness, and informality of house concerts
can create some of the most powerful moments of social transformation.

I have witnessed this first hand,
and am so pleased you chose to unearth and polish off this time tested social practice
and offer it to your fellow creatives.

Did you produce a "House Recital 101" article? If so, I'd love to read it.

Cheers,

Karl

Karl Cronin
karlcronin.com

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And Kahlil's reply!
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Karl,

Thanks so much for this message.

A poet named Sekou Sundiata did a project: "finding the 51^st (dream) state: Sekou Sundiata's America Project," that included "citizenship dinners." Take a look. There is a whole curriculum. http://mappinternational.org/blocks/view/295

A friend of mine has a project she just began to empower Queer youth in the south. Check it out: "http://shoutinoutfromthesouth.blogspot.com/"

I do not know about Tumblr. How does it work? What is it? I will check it out.

Oh my god, the New America Tour website is amazing, super-inspiring. Yea, yea, yea!!! Keep me updated. So, when you say "House Concerts" you mean via Ustream. I have been thinking about something similar. How did that work out.

So many thoughts, keep me posted,

kahlil

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I am so glad to know both of these me. They make the world a better place.