Contribute: A Public Forum on Community Action

Presented by New Roots News

New Roots News, a St. Pete-centric online news source, hosts the second Contribute – a community-focused event that aims to inform, educate and involve the public – on Wednesday, Nov. 30, at 7 p.m. at The Studio@620.

Lily Reisman, co-founder and development director of New Roots News, said Contribute is a recurring event with the overarching theme of community participation, community action, and giving back to your community. However, each event focuses on a more specific issue that’s highlighted by guest speakers and panelists. The inaugural event included discussion about local news media outlets and public journalism.

“This event is based more on small businesses, innovators and entrepreneurship – people who are part of local organizations, initiatives, or businesses that have missions of giving back to the community, strengthening the community or enhancing the community,” Reisman said.

The event begins and ends with social time so attendees can move around and meet their neighbors, as well as the presenters and panelists. There is also food from The Globe Coffee Lounge, a cash bar, live music and more.

Multimedia presenters include: Reuben Pressman and Hunter Payne of Swings Tampa Bay; Lora Hogan of Tampa Bay Plays; Jason Sowell, president and founder of Current; and Bob Devin Jones, artistic director and co-founder of The Studio@620.

Swings Tampa Bay is a spontaneous community-building organization that hangs hand-made, hand-painted swings all over Tampa Bay. Their mission is to “get people together, together.”

Tampa Bay Plays is a new non-profit play festival that was launched to grow the Tampa Bay playwriting scene and help local writers develop new works.

Current is a non-profit organization that establishes college campus groups for awareness and education on current social initiatives, and mobilizes them to bring about change.

The Studio@620 is a non-profit organization that provides a place for people to experience artistic and educational programs in innovative ways. Their mission is “to engage people from diverse communities to nourish the arts through performance, education, exhibition and the spoken word.”

The evening’s panel discussion will be moderated by Mitch Perry, Creative Loafing‘s news and politics editor.

Panel members include: JoEllen Schilke, owner of The Globe Coffee Lounge and member of Keep Saint Petersburg Local; Nick Hinckley, founder of Realizing Media and co-founder of New Roots News; and Eckerd College professor Kip Curtis, with the Edible Peace Patch, an urban garden initiative.

“The main reasons (for this event) are to educate and to raise awareness for people who are interested in St. Pete and who want to know more about the city; offering a place to network and get to know people; and bringing awareness to New Roots,” Reisman said. “Maybe two people will meet and it will lead to a job or a friendship. It’s a way to network and get to know each other.”

Hinckley, New Roots News co-founder, said they’re excited to see where this second Contribute event goes.

“(Contribute is) to give back to the community and to show appreciation for and highlight creators and innovators and community leaders,” he said. “We have a lot to offer in St. Pete and a lot of our community members don’t necessarily know about it.”

This public event is free of charge and begins at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 30, at The Studio@620, 620 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg.