NJIT Will Co-Partner To Host Newark ‘Call to Collaboration’

NEWARK, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of NJIT. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site.

NJIT will co-partner to host Newark’s 2020 Virtual Call to Collaboration (C2C) — a citywide, four-day virtual meeting that “unleashes imaginative strategic thinking, powers individual leadership and responsibility, and strengthens personal and professional networks for the betterment of the City of Newark.”

The 2020 C2C, which begins Oct. 15, will look to build on the momentum of the inaugural event held at NJIT in 2019, which attracted more than 350 attendees and more than 75 vibrant, thought-provoking conversations, with topics that included supporting city entrepreneurship, collaboratively working with students to increase safety, forming and supporting existing artist collectives and arts centers, greening Newark, addressing gentrification, supporting Newark’s differently-abled community members and creating less racial separation in Newark.

The Virtual Call — produced by the statewide initiative Creative New Jersey (CNJ) in cooperation with the Newark C2C Host Team — will revolve around this year’s central thematic question, “In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, an economic downturn, and the rising calls for social justice, how do we unite our diverse communities and stakeholders to build upon Newark’s rich history, strengthen our city’s identity and support transformational progress?”

Discussion and breakout sessions across the multi-day event aim to generate dialogue around the city's critical issues, while amplifying often-marginalized voices and fostering cross-initiative and cross-sector collaboration to strengthen community cohesion. The event is free and open to the public via Zoom.

“We are building a people-powered, grass-roots movement that bridges the gap between established dominant culture decision-makers and local community leaders,” said Elizabeth Murphy, Creative New Jersey’s founding director. “We are humbled by, and in awe of, the transforming power and community commitment of the Newarkers we are so fortunate to collaborate with and we are excited to gather, virtually, with these insightful, strategic and visionary colleagues.”

“Across our state, I have seen how the CNJ format unleashes the power of local citizens to become change-agents in their neighborhoods and organizations,” said Suzanne Ishee, director of the NJIT Hub for Creative Placemaking and a member of the Newark Host Team. “It is through identifying specific needs and issues, collaborative decision-making and taking ownership that Newark neighbors will be empowered to make the places where we live work and play thrive. NJIT has shown a continuing commitment to champion this effort.”

The Virtual Call will span four evenings: Oct. 15 (7:00-8:30 p.m.), Oct. 16 (9:30-12:30 p.m.), Oct. 19 (7-8:30 p.m.) and Oct. 20 (9:30-12:30 p.m.).

Newark’s C2C will offer participants an inclusive environment with opportunities to conduct breakout sessions in the language of their choice. Event organizers expect participants will lead sessions in Spanish, Portuguese, Creole, English and other languages.

Individuals interested in attending Newark’s Virtual Call to Collaboration can register for free:

• Register in English
• Registro en Español

For more information, visit www.creativenj.org or www.Facebook.com/CreativeN.

All Creative New Jersey’s statewide and local community-based programming is made possible through the leadership support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.

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