ON THE ROAD ~ San Luis Valley
SAN LUIS, CO | Nov. 2
MONTE VISTA, CO | Nov. 9
SAGUACHE, CO | Nov. 16
Hand in hand with community partners, On the Road brings together an array of San Luis Valley voices for a free and open to the public series of Campfire Conversations, in which we gain a closer look at the relationships that we hold with the places we call home.
“The relationships we hold with this valley run deep. Our personal experiences and cultural narratives may be uniquely our own, but our stories come together as one to reveal a set of common values and a shared sense of belonging.” —Jason Medina, Executive Director, Community Foundation of the San Luis Valley
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Art: Andrea Slusarski @drawingfromnature || Graphic Design: Castle Searcy @misscastle
ABOUT
On the Road journeys into rural Colorado communities, meeting people where they are and experiencing first-hand the unique relationships we hold with our places. Our cherished landscapes and essential waterways. Our foundational industries, defining faiths, and tangled histories.
In this work, we come to know educators & entrepreneurs, farmers & ranchers, funders & frontline workers, artists and outfitters, outdoor advocates and cultural stewards. In their stories, we are offered a window into the lived-experiences of real people making their way in real communities across Colorado. These personal narratives have a way of uncovering root sources of connection, deepening appreciation for the places we call home, and serving as catalysts for change.
PROGRAMMING
Campfire Conversations - Colorado’s wide-ranging outdoor sector is the backdrop for this free and open to the public series of fireside chats. Featuring an array of community voices, Campfire Conversations reconnect us with our people and our places, and serve as a means of reminding us of where we have come from and perhaps informing us of where we are going.
Voices of Our Valleys - Rediscovering the Places We Call Home: A multi-episode audio-podcast series, Voices of Our Valleys features a collection of perspectives, observations and first-hand accounts drawn from On the Road learnings from Colorado’s Grand, San Luis, Upper Arkansas and Yampa Valleys. These vital and historic river basins, and the people who call them home, provide the foundation for a deeper dive into the connection we hold with our places, our commonalities as well as our uniquenesses. Voices of Our Valleys will integrate film, journalism and digital content as part of a broader multi-media initiative.
SCHEDULE
Together with community partners, On the Road presents Campfire Conversations. This series of informal fireside chats takes place on three consecutive Thursdays beginning on November 2nd. Programs are slated for 5:00pm to 7:30pm in each location. LINK TO event details.
November 2 | Town of San Luis | San Luis Cultural-Heritage Center
November 9 | City of Monte Vista | The Church Project
November 16 | Town of Saguache | 4th Street Diner & Bakery
WHY ON THE ROAD?
On the Road aims to address the underlying need for a different type of collaborative platform in the work of building prosperous communities. A platform that comes up from the community, emphasizing culture, place, and meaningful work, in the navigation of economic and cultural transition. A platform equipped to break down silos, galvanize trust and spark collaboration.
THE PARTNERSHIPS
On the Road is guided by a broad spectrum of local, regional and statewide collaborators. Working alongside one another is a reminder that across Colorado, outside of the spotlight, communities are coming together, rolling up their sleeves, and working toward practical solutions to pressing challenges of the day. Today’s partners include:
HISTORY
On the Road sprung from a 2021 Listening Tour which took The Wright into a patchwork of rural Colorado communities where we explored questions around culture, meaningful work, our connections to place, and what matters to us as communities. Inspired and more informed, The Wright set out the following year, hand-in-hand with local community foundations, economic development organizations, and place-based coalitions, to Colorado’s Upper Arkansas, Yampa and Grand Valleys. Campfire Conversations, a story-focused program, provided a platform for convening, sharing, listening and learning, and serves as the basis for Voices of Our Valleys.
