Case Studies: Lee County Pulling Together
“The outcomes in Fort Myers illustrate how communities are addressing race and difference. First, people learn more about each other and form new relationships. Having had a taste of the diversity in their community, they work together on ways to celebrate it, such as the cookbook. Then they work together on action ideas that benefit everyone more or less equally, such as the cleanup of King Boulevard. Finally, they begin to grapple with concepts like institutional racism and white privilege, and they take on action ideas that would only benefit those with the greatest need, like the Dunbar Shopping Center.”
Fort Myers/Lee County, Florida
Description: "Lee County Pulling Together" was formed in response to a 1997 study showing that the city was the most segregated community in the South. The project, which was initiated by a church and then supported by the city and many other organizations, involved over 600 residents in small-group discussions. Participants generated dozens of action ideas and implemented many of them, including: a multiracial community choir, a Habitat for Humanity house, the clean-up of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, and a cookbook called "Lee County Cooking Together," which includes recipes representing the various different cultural backgrounds of people living in the area. The most notable outcome, however, was the Dunbar Shopping Center, which was proposed by citizens as a way to bring jobs and amenities to a low-income neighborhood. Project participants helped raise money and political capital to build the new facility.
Dates active: 1997-2003
Web-site for project: none
Issue(s): Human rights or race relations
Sub-issue(s): race and difference
Level(s): City
Initiators: Local church
Particular goals: Form new relationships across racial lines; reduce segregation; take action to address issues of common concern
Number of participants/year: 600
Population of community: Arkansas population (2006 estimate) - 2,810,872
Time spent by participants: 8+ hours
Staffing/funding: During 1996-1999, Annie Estlund coordinated the project as a volunteer. Office space was donated by the city, and many other organizations made in-kind donations. The Fort Myers News-Press provided strong coverage and support.
How meetings were structured: Circles were facilitated and followed a series of questions and viewpoints in a discussion guide.
Sample outcomes: The Dunbar Shopping Center, which was built in one of the city's low-income neighborhoods. Following group discussion of the need for easier access to shopping in poorer parts of town, LCPT members formed a task force to conduct a market survey and to reach out to potential backers, local officials, and business interests.
Benefits: Bridging barriers in the community and generating some tangible outcomes.
Challenges: Finding funding to continue the project; LCPT couldn’t last forever on volunteer energy.
Mistake one shouldn't repeat: Not adequately communicating the successes of the program in a way that would attract funding.
Full story:
- Leighninger, Matt, "Lee County Pulls Together," http://www.studycircles.org/en/Article.4.aspx.
Related resources:
- Casanova, Gino, "Lee County Stands Up Against Racism," http://rolemodels.jou.ufl.edu/rolemodels/studentissues/racism.shtm.
- Parker, Betty, "Dunbar Dream Almost Reality," Fort Myers News-Press, November 24th, 1999.
Organizations that helped with this project: http://www.studycircles.org
This case contributed by: Matt Leighninger, 2007