Some people are about to get left behind and left out! INnovation has come to Dumas.
One part of the visual here projects the bright light at the end of a tunnel. In the visual, “The Future Delivered” challenges all of Dumas/Desha to think forward. Mr. Barba was asked… What is your definition of “innovation”? He replied… “something new or different that delivers value to the world, with the key criteria that I’m not innovating if I’m not bettering people’s lives. Put simply, it is the future delivered.” I agree.
Now, who wants to talk about or ‘be about’ change and bettering lives in Dumas/Desha—The Delta? Why? Isn’t it always going to be this way? This is the sad and depressing question that many people accept as true and final. Some like it this way and others simply see ‘no other way’. But who really wants to see Dumas stay the same for the next 10, 20, 30—plus years? Not many. But who has the faith, hope and love to bring it forward? YES! The innovators, visionaries, prophets, dreamers and those who are full of creativity and dare to dream. Everyone else (who refuse to become innovative) do not matter as it relates to the search for those who are ready to innovate Dumas.
INnovation Day 2021 is all about changing from the past and present and getting ‘The Future Delivered’. It is set for October 30th at THE LEGACY CENTER in West Dumas at 501 West Bowles. The time is 12noon-5:30pm. Why this location? Yes, more food, more heath and wellness programs, visit from medical professionals are coming but that’s not all.
“Poverty is real in Dumas. For generations, some have said it’s the way that it will always be. For others, they have made it out. Some have always been out. {One leader on the Dumas city council chairing a committee session, during the presentation of the successful recent results of INnovation Day in Dumas was asked… What are your thoughts about INnovation Day in Dumas? Her answer: I don’t have a thought.} I said to myself, God, thank you and this is more proof why we need innovation in Dumas.
The question is: How Dumas and Rural Arkansas can see a way out of the pandemic of poverty, inequities, social and political imbalances. The west end of Dumas is in distress, but not without hope. The Legacy Center in West Dumas was awarded the REDI—Rural Economic Development Innovation award. It validates with a national award that we have a vision and team that can bring it to reality. That’s good but most of all, we have God in Dumas for all of Dumas. And with this faith and hope, from Dumas we will innovate and serve all of Dumas/Desha, the entire state of Arkansas and across the globe,” stated Rev. Arthur L. Hunt, Jr., Founder of The College of Aspiring Artists, one of the organizers for Innovation Day.
How INnovation Day Works: It starts with a true examination of what’s the same and what’s needing to change. But that’s not all. It begins with the mindset. When are the minds of the visionaries and innovators caught in the same room, on the same page, for the same purpose? How will those, (especially blacks) get the vision of uniting and see that we have to become owners and builders in order to mandate respect and shifts from poverty to prosperity?
In the ‘honest’ tank, this rarely happens. Churches are divided, city government is stagnated, community leaders are competing and new ideas in many cases ‘are not’ new ideas, they are re-presented by different groups who for the most part have motives that may be good, but the vision to do the analysis on what’s different and how to collaborate are not priority and for the most part are certainly not practiced or modeled by the city as a whole from them to see.
Simply stated, in small towns, there is desire to change but the systems, leaders and strategies who can assist are often the same ones who focus on the cycles of competition and the ‘one and done’ mindset.
The ‘one and done’ mindset often sees a big program and production, get people moving and when it’s over, it’s over. Sometimes it is like, ‘let’s have some fun and be done.’ Questions like, is someone already doing this? How do we collaborate? How to we make this a part of our larger and long-term vision are sometimes never imagined.
Here are some innovative moments that we can all team up and bring forth for a mini-college campus heading to Dumas. This year, over 10 teachers (over $20,000 in scholarships) will be able to apply and receive special scholarships for a week’s training in creativity in Nashville, Tennessee and as we mentioned in last week’s article that from a Shark Tank styled pitching of new ideas for Dumas with funding, to a statewide talent competition for over $50,000 in scholarships, the 2021 INnovation Day is set to bring edutainment and new opportunities to people in Dumas and across the state.
The digital presentation of the campus for THE LEGACY CENTER in West Dumas with oversight from The College of Aspiring Artist will be presented by Cromwell architects, Ed Levy and others, there will be events, music and something for the entire family.
Organizers including ASC Property Management locations in Dumas and across the state are now accepting entries for talents to compete and to pitch their ideas for new opportunities in Dumas and across the state. Entry forms are available online and at the Dumas Library. Online registration is at: https://innovationdaydumasark.eventbrite.com
The event will feature national performing artists, food truck vendors, plus the monthly food distribution takes place from Dumas REDI and the Arkansas Food Bank. For a limited time, free tickets are available at the site listed above. Let’s get innovative Dumas and be the difference.
To get involved as a vendor, musical guest, volunteer, etc., please contact organizers at 870.501.0356, 870.866.8666 or via email at allofdumasunited@gmail.com
