Gentrification, cultural shifts, crime, unsafe streets, poverty and disconnection. They all sound pretty bleak especially when considered together. But my guest, Joanna Taft, has been experimenting along with her neighbors in the Herron Morton neighborhood in Indianapolis and have found some remarkably sensitive and effective ways to begin to reverse these trends. She has discovered the healing and effective power of art, empathy, personal connection and refraining from making sweeping judgements about the people around her. If anything, it could be said that Joanna takes a deliberate and meditative approach to living in her place keeping her posture open towards connection instead of disconnection.

Joanna Taft is the Executive Director of the Harrison Center for the Arts and co-founder of Herron Highschool in Indianapolis.

Find Joanna online: Twitter, Instagram

More about PreEnact Indy and a TedX talk given by Joanna