I’ve recently added a new word to my vocabulary
vocabulary
vocabulary the word is horizontality horizontality
the word is horizontality horizontality
the word is horizontality horizontality it is the state of being horizontal its
it is the state of being horizontal its
it is the state of being horizontal its root word is horizon what is horizon
root word is horizon what is horizon
root word is horizon what is horizon make you think of
make you think of
make you think of maybe level flat parallel more
maybe level flat parallel more
maybe level flat parallel more figurative meanings of horizon include
figurative meanings of horizon include
figurative meanings of horizon include viewpoint perspective
viewpoint perspective
viewpoint perspective scope of understanding I grew up in a
scope of understanding I grew up in a
scope of understanding I grew up in a small town near the water near the
small town near the water near the
small town near the water near the Chesapeake Bay where every day I got to
Chesapeake Bay where every day I got to
Chesapeake Bay where every day I got to see the horizon from that I learned that
see the horizon from that I learned that
see the horizon from that I learned that the horizon is not just a visible
the horizon is not just a visible
the horizon is not just a visible boundary between Earth and sky but it is
boundary between Earth and sky but it is
boundary between Earth and sky but it is also an invisible beacon that welcomes
also an invisible beacon that welcomes
also an invisible beacon that welcomes possibility if you broaden your vision
possibility if you broaden your vision
possibility if you broaden your vision to see the horizon as more than a focal
to see the horizon as more than a focal
to see the horizon as more than a focal point dead ahead you actually see your
point dead ahead you actually see your
point dead ahead you actually see your periphery and you become more aware of
periphery and you become more aware of
periphery and you become more aware of your surroundings if you’re viewing the
your surroundings if you’re viewing the
your surroundings if you’re viewing the roof if you’re viewing horizon near the
roof if you’re viewing horizon near the
roof if you’re viewing horizon near the water like I did growing up and you turn
water like I did growing up and you turn
water like I did growing up and you turn your head from left to right maybe you
your head from left to right maybe you
your head from left to right maybe you see and notice the sand on the the beach
see and notice the sand on the the beach
see and notice the sand on the the beach that you’re standing on and the boats
that you’re standing on and the boats
that you’re standing on and the boats over there in the distance for viewing
over there in the distance for viewing
over there in the distance for viewing the horizon from the top of a mountain
the horizon from the top of a mountain
the horizon from the top of a mountain and you’re taking in the view you notice
and you’re taking in the view you notice
and you’re taking in the view you notice other mountains in the distance the
other mountains in the distance the
other mountains in the distance the trees below you the birds soaring
trees below you the birds soaring
trees below you the birds soaring between them by seeing more than a focal
between them by seeing more than a focal
between them by seeing more than a focal point dead ahead your vision broadens
point dead ahead your vision broadens
point dead ahead your vision broadens and your perspective changes earlier
and your perspective changes earlier
and your perspective changes earlier this summer around the same time that I
this summer around the same time that I
this summer around the same time that I added horizontality to my vocabulary I
added horizontality to my vocabulary I
added horizontality to my vocabulary I started lying down on the ground
started lying down on the ground
started lying down on the ground pretty obsessively at first I started
pretty obsessively at first I started
pretty obsessively at first I started doing it to read books in my backyard so
doing it to read books in my backyard so
doing it to read books in my backyard so I would go out beside spread out a
I would go out beside spread out a
I would go out beside spread out a blanket and lie down and then I started
blanket and lie down and then I started
blanket and lie down and then I started doing it on trail runs so I could take a
doing it on trail runs so I could take a
doing it on trail runs so I could take a break down by the river on my favorite
break down by the river on my favorite
break down by the river on my favorite rock the more I did it the more I was
rock the more I did it the more I was
rock the more I did it the more I was noticing things that I hadn’t quite seen
noticing things that I hadn’t quite seen
noticing things that I hadn’t quite seen before the way the sunlight really is
before the way the sunlight really is
before the way the sunlight really is different at different times of the day
different at different times of the day
different at different times of the day their shapes of treetops the pace of
their shapes of treetops the pace of
their shapes of treetops the pace of clouds by lying down I began to embrace
clouds by lying down I began to embrace
clouds by lying down I began to embrace how my perspective was changing excuse
how my perspective was changing excuse
how my perspective was changing excuse me by the lying down I began to embrace
me by the lying down I began to embrace
me by the lying down I began to embrace how my perspective was changing and then
how my perspective was changing and then
how my perspective was changing and then I started thinking about how sorry
I started thinking about how sorry
I started thinking about how sorry excuse me by lying down a big
excuse me by lying down a big
excuse me by lying down a big embrace how my perspective was changing
embrace how my perspective was changing
embrace how my perspective was changing and I wanted to question where world
and I wanted to question where world
and I wanted to question where world would look like if we intentionally
would look like if we intentionally
would look like if we intentionally wanted to see it differently
practicing horizontality brings new
practicing horizontality brings new possibilities how might we act with our
possibilities how might we act with our
possibilities how might we act with our broader vision what opportunities for
broader vision what opportunities for
broader vision what opportunities for creating change and making an impact
creating change and making an impact
creating change and making an impact might we uncover I use horizontality to
might we uncover I use horizontality to
might we uncover I use horizontality to help me envision new ways to have people
help me envision new ways to have people
help me envision new ways to have people connect with each other did you know
connect with each other did you know
connect with each other did you know that as of October there are now seven
that as of October there are now seven
that as of October there are now seven point six billion people on our planet
point six billion people on our planet
point six billion people on our planet that means there are so many people who
that means there are so many people who
that means there are so many people who are all so different who need to coexist
are all so different who need to coexist
are all so different who need to coexist if we even in our small corner of the
if we even in our small corner of the
if we even in our small corner of the world here in this room began to
world here in this room began to
world here in this room began to intentionally see things differently how
intentionally see things differently how
intentionally see things differently how might that began how might we then begin
might that began how might we then begin
might that began how might we then begin to see each other look around you right
to see each other look around you right
to see each other look around you right now look to the person next to you
now look to the person next to you
now look to the person next to you behind you in front of you go ahead
behind you in front of you go ahead
behind you in front of you go ahead really look at them make eye contact
could we despite our growing population
could we despite our growing population and our growing differences begun to see
and our growing differences begun to see
and our growing differences begun to see similarities among us how might that
similarities among us how might that
similarities among us how might that change how we interact I ask these
change how we interact I ask these
change how we interact I ask these questions to better understand why our
questions to better understand why our
questions to better understand why our communities are divided and how we might
communities are divided and how we might
communities are divided and how we might bridge them at least 20% of
bridge them at least 20% of
bridge them at least 20% of neighborhoods in Richmond have little or
neighborhoods in Richmond have little or
neighborhoods in Richmond have little or no access to healthy food some people
no access to healthy food some people
no access to healthy food some people call these places food deserts and that
call these places food deserts and that
call these places food deserts and that basically means that the people living
basically means that the people living
basically means that the people living within them are food insecure they don’t
within them are food insecure they don’t
within them are food insecure they don’t have a grocery store that’s within 1
have a grocery store that’s within 1
have a grocery store that’s within 1 mile of their home or they don’t have
mile of their home or they don’t have
mile of their home or they don’t have adequate transportation to get to the
adequate transportation to get to the
adequate transportation to get to the store if it’s further than that I’m
store if it’s further than that I’m
store if it’s further than that I’m currently working on a project that uses
currently working on a project that uses
currently working on a project that uses photography as a way to illuminate ways
photography as a way to illuminate ways
photography as a way to illuminate ways in which having access are not having
in which having access are not having
in which having access are not having access to healthy food both
access to healthy food both
access to healthy food both and unites our city yes not having
and unites our city yes not having
and unites our city yes not having access to healthy food is a significant
access to healthy food is a significant
access to healthy food is a significant and systemic problem it highlights the
and systemic problem it highlights the
and systemic problem it highlights the geographic and socio-economic
geographic and socio-economic
geographic and socio-economic disparities that are disproportionately
disparities that are disproportionately
disparities that are disproportionately plaguing one out of five Richmonders and
plaguing one out of five Richmonders and
plaguing one out of five Richmonders and this isn’t unique to Richmond but what
this isn’t unique to Richmond but what
this isn’t unique to Richmond but what if we brought in our vision to see more
if we brought in our vision to see more
if we brought in our vision to see more than a focal point of food insecurity if
than a focal point of food insecurity if
than a focal point of food insecurity if we did we would see community gardens
we did we would see community gardens
we did we would see community gardens and backyard garden beds and containers
and backyard garden beds and containers
and backyard garden beds and containers full of produce being grown by neighbors
full of produce being grown by neighbors
full of produce being grown by neighbors we would see community members coming
we would see community members coming
we would see community members coming together enabled and empowered to grow
together enabled and empowered to grow
together enabled and empowered to grow their own fresh food because otherwise
their own fresh food because otherwise
their own fresh food because otherwise they may have to walk 30 or 40 minutes
they may have to walk 30 or 40 minutes
they may have to walk 30 or 40 minutes to the nearest grocery store to buy it
I’m taking these pictures along with the
I’m taking these pictures along with the help of some community members to
help of some community members to
help of some community members to document the greens and tomatoes and the
document the greens and tomatoes and the
document the greens and tomatoes and the squash but that’s not all
squash but that’s not all
squash but that’s not all more importantly the photographs offer a
more importantly the photographs offer a
more importantly the photographs offer a vision of what our world would look like
vision of what our world would look like
vision of what our world would look like if more people came together to nurture
if more people came together to nurture
if more people came together to nurture their land themselves and each other but
their land themselves and each other but
their land themselves and each other but I’m I’m alone not gonna solve food
I’m I’m alone not gonna solve food
I’m I’m alone not gonna solve food insecurity however I’m an example of how
insecurity however I’m an example of how
insecurity however I’m an example of how horizontality might help I’m one of
horizontality might help I’m one of
horizontality might help I’m one of eight artists to receive grants from the
eight artists to receive grants from the
eight artists to receive grants from the Richmond Memorial Health Foundation to
Richmond Memorial Health Foundation to
Richmond Memorial Health Foundation to work on projects or projects that
work on projects or projects that
work on projects or projects that communicates ideas about health and
communicates ideas about health and
communicates ideas about health and equity across the Richmond region the
equity across the Richmond region the
equity across the Richmond region the foundation is dedicated to fostering a
foundation is dedicated to fostering a
foundation is dedicated to fostering a more equitable and healthy Richmond
more equitable and healthy Richmond
more equitable and healthy Richmond region and historically has funded
region and historically has funded
region and historically has funded organizations that are doing this good
organizations that are doing this good
organizations that are doing this good work however in the recent last year
work however in the recent last year
work however in the recent last year they’ve decided they want to change
they’ve decided they want to change
they’ve decided they want to change their perspective and they vited invited
their perspective and they vited invited
their perspective and they vited invited artists to come help them envision and
artists to come help them envision and
artists to come help them envision and broaden their vision how cool is that
broaden their vision how cool is that
broaden their vision how cool is that we are filmmakers muralists illustrators
we are filmmakers muralists illustrators
we are filmmakers muralists illustrators sculptors among others none of us have a
sculptors among others none of us have a
sculptors among others none of us have a formal public health background but all
formal public health background but all
formal public health background but all of us care about using our creativity to
of us care about using our creativity to
of us care about using our creativity to imagine a
imagine a
imagine a in healthier city we all call home
horizontality reinforces that ways to
horizontality reinforces that ways to begin to solve inequities will not come
begin to solve inequities will not come
begin to solve inequities will not come from a single solution or a single
from a single solution or a single
from a single solution or a single organization but instead from
organization but instead from
organization but instead from collaborating individuals and
collaborating individuals and
collaborating individuals and organizations from every part of the
organizations from every part of the
organizations from every part of the city who see beyond their own agendas to
city who see beyond their own agendas to
city who see beyond their own agendas to the common goal of improving the lives
the common goal of improving the lives
the common goal of improving the lives of people living in Richmond
horizontally reminds us that we are all
horizontally reminds us that we are all residents of one city and region we are
residents of one city and region we are
residents of one city and region we are the sum of our parts and all of us
the sum of our parts and all of us
the sum of our parts and all of us benefit from sharing our efforts what
benefit from sharing our efforts what
benefit from sharing our efforts what does our world look like if what we dare
does our world look like if what we dare
does our world look like if what we dare to imagine has the possibility of
to imagine has the possibility of
to imagine has the possibility of becoming real by practicing
becoming real by practicing
becoming real by practicing horizontality what new future will you
horizontality what new future will you
horizontality what new future will you see and have the courage to create thank
see and have the courage to create thank
see and have the courage to create thank you
”
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