DeSoto County is a peaceful, unique, and caring community. People love the small-town feel and step up to care for each other, especially in times of crisis. The area is dealing with various challenges and is facing a fundamental choice: Will the community remain stifled and separated, or will it come together and tap its shared capacity to build a brighter future? 

President and Founder of The Harwood Institute, Rich Harwood, joins Kiarra Louis to discuss the work leading to the recently released report DeSoto County Coming Together: Unleashing the Community’s Potential and share the main themes that emerged from the conversations and interviews. 

Key Themes

• Impact of The Patterson Foundation and The Harwood Institute’s Partnership
• Sending Positive Signals to the Community
• Themes from DeSoto County Coming Together

Timestamps 

• 3:20 - Benefits to people, organizations, and communities in DeSoto County
• 7:40 - The initial reception to the Harwood approach
• 10:13 - Discovering an untapped desire for safe spaces to have conversations
• 15:40 - Diving into the public capital report

Join The Journey