BY LILY K. LEWIS

Featured in Vol 9, Issue 1: Community

Growing up in Jackson, for me, has meant growing with Jackson. Over the course of my life, I have seen this beautiful city expand in so many ways: from new businesses to new opportunities to new people. Increased community involvement, diversity, and population growth have played a significant role in my experience with Jackson over the years; so many programs have been set in place to make Jackson a better place to live. But most of all, Jackson serves as a place of connection.

Places of connection are special corners of the world that make you feel loved and involved and excited. They are the places that make you most comfortable in the situations that make you the most uncomfortable. These places can be an art gallery, a library, a coffee shop, a bookstore, a school. It could be a park, a thrift store, or a restaurant. It could even be a home, and not necessarily your own. Places of connection are gatherings of community. Whether it be meeting up with your friends for coffee and shopping, fellowship at church, or attending a concert, there are myriad opportunities to spend time with people or get to know people in Jackson.

However, recognizing places of connection requires awareness. As a child, I thought Jackson was a boring place to live. But as I grew older and my eyes opened wider, I realized Jackson is so much more than I could see. Jackson encourages diversity with the International Food and Art Festival, a massive celebration with booths selling goods from all around the world. The Christmas Tree Lighting at City Hall and the Christmas parade bring people together to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. The Farmer’s Market invites people to enjoy good food and support local farmers and vendors in the summer months, and the Amp offers a space for outdoor concerts, shows, and presentations. But the thing I love most about Jackson is the support the community offers to artists, performers, and to people in need.

I am seeing Jackson experience a rise in art and culture. Almost every weekend, there are events like poetry open mics, art gallery openings, symphonies, ballets, book signings, discos, photography sessions, concerts, and plays and musicals. Art is a place of connection: It is where we learn to better understand each other and the world surrounding us. Art has been an essential part of my life here, and it has been my joy to be involved in the arts community through writing, theater, and open mics. Although theater has acted as an outlet for me when I am feeling stressed or anxious, it has most of all taught me how to work with a team, be confident in front of a crowd, and laugh through challenges and mistakes.

Programs such as RIFA, the Salvation Army, and the Scarlet Rope Project aid unhoused people, recovering prostitutes, or anyone who needs a meal. It is easy to volunteer at so many of these places, and I am glad that I was made aware of these opportunities. For example, ComeUnity Café allows volunteers to work for an hour in exchange for a meal or asks you to pay what you can. This allows you to be more involved with your community and to develop a deep passion for those who are suffering and, furthermore, a love for everyone around you.

But to every city, every home, there is a push and a pull. I often look forward to leaving Jackson to start college, to learn and love a new city in the way I have soaked up this one. And then I think about the baristas I call friends at Turntable Coffee Counter, the schools I have walked through, the meals I have enjoyed at the home of cherished ones, and the love I see from everyone around me, and I know I will miss it. But to me, that’s what makes it even more beautiful: knowing someone is moving to Jackson for the first time and seeing this city as something magical and full of wonder.

While I smile and wish them the best of life, I hope they breathe it all in, because it doesn’t get much better than this.

Lily K. Lewis is a senior at Madison Academic, and she recently published her first book, “Everlasting Light.” When Lily isn’t at theater rehearsal, you’ll find her drinking coffee, writing, or baking something with chocolate. Lily believes that writing is a form of connection and always tries to embody that in her work.

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