Connecting communities.

'WHEN I came here on Friday, I didn't have any white friends,' said a participant at the end of the first module of the 2005 Connecting Communities Fellowship Program in Richmond, Virginia, USA. 'Now I do.'

The Connecting Communities Fellowship Program, now in its second year, offers training in an 'integrated approach to community change', based on the work of lofC and Hope in the Cities. The programme is divided into five modules, each taking place over a weekend.

This year's participants represent a wide range of communities--white and black, high wealth and low wealth, young and old, former prisoners and deputy sheriffs, youth leaders and university faculty, grassroots organizers and business people. When one participant introduced himself as 'a registered Republican', an African American community leader responded, 'I don't think I've ever met a Republican before!'

As the group began to wrestle with the idea of personal responsibility and change leading to community change, emotions came to the fore. 'I'm tired of silly games and relationship-building and getting to know each other!' said one participant half way through the first weekend. 'My community is in crisis and I need to help it change now!' The next day she said, 'I'm still impatient, but I'm beginning to see how this can help me.'

Another participant spoke of connecting not only with people of varied racial and ethnic backgrounds, but also with people with a rich diversity of life experiences. 'Exposure to the inner diversity that isn't immediately obvious on the surface will help me in my work to defeat stereotypes, break down hidden barriers and help build community.'