“Do You Have Programs for Adults?”
At the beginning of A Christmas Carol, Scrooge says to Marley, "You were always a good man of business."
Marley replies, "Mankind was my business!"
That exchange comes to mind quite often. Because one of the most common questions we get from neighbors is whether CHH has programming for adults. The answer is: absolutely. It's called Sidewalk Hospitality. And it's for everyone.
In a world of disconnection, sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is share a cup of lemonade, cocoa, or tea with a few people you didn't know an hour ago. You don't need a structured agenda for it to result in something beautiful. You just need to show up as your human self, in real space and time.
Here's what this looks like in practice.
Last week, a couple returned after a few years away. They came together (without any kids) and we discovered we had an amazing amount in common. She's part of a science company called "The Bug Chicks," and her business partner lives in Silverton. They sat on a chair for half an hour and got to know me. I told her about a writers group that's helping me stay focused on my book. They even helped me clean up when the littlest one at the table knocked over her lemonade. It was a good day.
They're a little less lonely, and so am I.
That's programming for adults, children, adolescents, the elderly, and babies… all rolled into one.
Sidewalk Hospitality is place where adults and children naturally co-exist. On a recent Saturday, 23 adults and 2 children came for a Spanish/English conversation exchange. The second floor was full of laughter, serious learning, and connection. While that activity took place upstairs, the two young boys who'd come along with their parents learned to make their own cocoa and were encouraged off their phones with Legos and art supplies. That same evening, the Cincinnati Writers Group held a holiday party (Because, why not have one in February?).
This is the mix we're going for. It's a natural mingling of different people, of all ages and backgrounds.
Maybe this agricultural image will help. We don't want to be a field of corn with every row straight and the outcome predetermined. We want to be the messy field next door. The one that’s tended enough to keep the invasive honeysuckle at bay, but that also leaves room for asters, mice, and random seeds blown in on the wind.
In other words, we want to make space for serendipity.
Continued presence, over time, with the intention to interact and explore with curiosity: that is our "program for adults." It's the basis of community.
And the community that gathers here extends well beyond Saturdays. In case you're wondering what other groups are part of Community Happens Here, here's a snapshot:
We host and support: The National Society of Black Engineers (Cincinnati Chapter), The League of United Latin American Citizens, The Bulgarian Community, Spanish Language Book Club, five Girl Scout Troops, and The American Legacy Theater's office and rehearsal space.
We're home to: around 20 coworking members, including 10 African-American businesses and nonprofits, plus small businesses like Marvin's Organic Gardens and coding and design freelancers.
We open our space to: The YMCA, Strategies to End Homelessness, Children's Hospital, UC Blue Ash professional development, Pleasant Ridge Montessori, Pleasant Ridge Business Association, and Pleasant Ridge Development Corporation.
We invest in young people: through the Hamilton County Youth Employment Program, University of Cincinnati internships, coursework support in journalism, urban design, and art, and field studies from Gamble, Shroder, and Clark high schools.
The best and most rewarding moments happen when adults come with a heart for meeting each other, talking with other people's kids, and taking a minute to truly engage.
So come be one of those weed seeds blown from the next farm over that blooms with raucous joy.
Come be the quiet vine giving others support.
Come be the tree shading the rest.
Come.