Think!

Let’s go back, let’s go back

Let’s go way on, way back when

I didn’t even know you

You couldn’t have been too much more than ten …

You better think

Think about what you’re trying to do to me

Yeah, think

Let your mind go, let yourself be free …

 

Every year, we attempt to create spaces that provoke thought. Thoughts about ways we can expand and enhance our community. Thoughts on how we can foster and facilitate the exchange of new ideas. Thoughts about how our past shapes and influences our future. Thoughts about how we can improve outcomes for children and families.

This year is no different. A little more than 50 years ago now, a group of caring citizens was bold enough to think about a new way to build and be a community. They thought every single person in the City of Jackson should be treated with dignity, respect, and kindness. What would have been regarded as a radical thought 50 years ago serves as the foundation that continues to support our work today.

On Thursday, September 12 at the Mississippi Museum of Art, we will be taking a trip back with our friends, family, volunteers, partners, and supporters through the liberating music of the Queen of Soul. Think! A Soulful Expression of Community will be an homage to the deep love and commitment we all have for our community told through the thoughtful and passionate music of Aretha Franklin. An amazing line-up of artists, including Pink Palaces, Victoria McNeal, Jonte Mayon, and Donovan Scott, will provide the soundtrack to an evening of conversations and contemplation about how we can build and be the community we so desperately need right now.

Think! A Soulful Expression of Community will also feature dramatic performances from Jackson State University’s MADDRAMA (Making A Difference Doing Respectful And Meaningful Art) and engaging activities that bring us together in a spirited and powerful expression of community. Our host for the evening will be comedienne Rita Brent, and tickets can be purchased now by visiting the event page.

Since we opened our doors in 1968—the same year Aretha Franklin released the hit song, Think—we have been intentional about working to ensure children and families in our community have access to high-quality educational opportunities, safe places to play, rewarding employment opportunities, and access to affordable, quality healthcare and nutrition. These are among the intentions our founders outlined at the height of the civil rights movement, and these are the words that we think about every day as we seek to bring about a community where we all rise together.

BUY YOUR TICKETS TODAY!