Do you feel disconnected, discouraged, and disheartened right now?
If so, you’re not alone. The state of the world, the state of our democracy, the ubiquity of screens, economic anxiety, and increasing isolation can be overwhelming and exhausting. I have to remind myself that my own attitude and action can shift my perspective, and that the act of doing can be a first step. What is the mantra, “mood follows action”?
As executive director of the Roger Williams Park Conservancy, the nonprofit organization with the mission to sustain and enhance Roger Williams Park as a vibrant public space for all, I often ask myself these questions: how can we take steps to use Roger Williams Park to foster community connection and civic engagement? How can our work meaningfully bring people together to create a shared sense of belonging? How does community engagement translate into healthier neighborhoods and more engaged citizens?
With 435 acres of green space that have served as the jewel of Providence for over 150 years, Roger Williams Park is more than a beautiful natural oasis; it is a place to engage and delight, learn and explore, and grow and connect with one another. From concerts to public art installations and educational programming, the Park engages diverse communities and invites everyone to spend time together in “Providence’s backyard.” Through that engagement, we build the fabric of connection that makes our community stronger and healthier. Dr. Vivek Murthy, and other public health experts have documented the role of “social infrastructure” – gathering places designed intentionally for bonding, mingling, and casual interaction – in combating individual ills like loneliness, as well as societal ailments like disengagement and disconnection.
That’s one of the reasons we are excited to be hosting a community screening of the documentary Join or Die this month: it’s a film that gets right to the heart of that sense of disconnect, and offers a hopeful path forward. Join or Die, directed by Rebecca Davis and Pete Davis, tells the story of Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam and his groundbreaking work on social connection in the United States. You may know his 2000 book, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, which showed how American participation in clubs, civic organizations, and community groups has dramatically declined over the last several decades.
Putnam’s research makes a compelling case that when we stop showing up for one another, the very foundations of our democracy are at risk. Through tracking decades of data, he illustrates how declining civic engagement and weakened social ties erode trust, cooperation, and the shared norms that sustain democratic life.
But, despite its eye-catching title, Join or Die isn’t a doomsday documentary. The film highlights real stories of people coming together to revitalize civic life and rebuild social ties. It shows us that the health of our communities, our country, and our personal well-being is directly tied to how much we show up together, and inspires us to take action.
That message struck a deep chord with us at the Conservancy. Hosting this film screening on September 10 at the Roger Williams Park Casino is one way we hope to bring people together — not just to watch, but to act. For the event, we’re inviting local nonprofits and civic and community organizations for a “Joining Fair” after the film to share volunteer opportunities, promote their missions, and connect with potential supporters. So far, our list of participants includes the RI Environmental Education Association, the Alliance for Nonprofit Impact, AARP Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Historical Society, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs RI, Leadership Rhode Island, the Providence Eye, and many other groups and organizations.
Roger Williams Park has always been a place of gathering, from family gathering to quiet walks, from festivals to volunteer clean-ups. We believe it can also be a place where new relationships and new forms of civic life can be sparked. We hope this event will be one small spark. Let’s think about our civic health and democracy as verbs, something we can build together, today, in our own backyard.
Bonnie Nickerson, the Executive Director of the Roger Williams Park Conservancy, is an urban planner and non-profit practitioner, working at the intersection of place + community + wellbeing. She lives in Providence with her family and is likely on the trails of Roger Williams Park with her dog, multitasking at this moment.
Community Screening of Join or Die
Wednesday, September 10th 6PM
Roger Williams Park Casino
Free and open to the public
Sign up here to attend / table
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