In response to a special request from our close friends at Koinonia Farms, we decided to pull off one more stop on the Be The Change tour in the historic city of Americus. Americus holds a special place in our hearts for a number of different reasons.
One, Americus is home to Koinonia Farms. Koinonia is a shinning example of the deep roots of social justice in Georgia. Koinonia was one of the first racially integrated farms in the south. Blacks and whites not only worked side by side, they ate together and were paind the same wage. This might sound like the most basic right in 2010 but in the late 40's it was so upsetting to Sumtnar county residence that Koinonia was attacked constantly. Koinonia's road side stands were bombed, children were beaten, and the community was fired upon several times.
Two, Koinonia is not only the birthplace of Habitat for Humanity, it's also the birthplace of the statewide Georgia Peace & Justice Coalition.
And three, Americus is home to oe of my favorite Fair Trade Coffee projects, Cafe Campesino. The folks at Cafe Campesino also hosted the tour stop at their national coffee roasting site in the heart of down town Americus.
Art as an Agent for Change delivered a slightly tweaked performance, coming across as slightly edgier at times, which I certainly enjoyed.
On a personal note, this night was a reunion for me. I can't express how much I enjoyed being on the road with the AAC crew and witnessing their performances every night. Much love and much respect. I love ya'll!
Paul, Jenell, and I crashed at Koinonia Farms and enjoyed the hospitality from folks on the farm the next day.
Special Thanks to Jenell Holden for taking photos!
Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee
No comments:
Post a Comment