One Table, Everyone’s Invited

We’ve spent a lot of time talking about “connectivity” this year. We all have our own ideas and interpretations of what it means to be a truly connected city.

Some define us as the Gig City, to some we are a hub for local artists, to others we are an unbeatable outdoor destination. Some, on the other hand, would cite an oppressive digital divide, a great lack of affordable live/work space, and growing urban sprawl. There are labels we are working to step into and issues we are trying to step out from. Through tackling the causes we care about, we are contributing to the collective definition of who we are as a city.

Causeway was founded with a vision to make Chattanooga the most collaborative city in the country, where people of all backgrounds naturally come together to find meaningful solutions to our community’s most pressing challenges. This year, we’ve moved from being an online platform, to an organization that is present in the city. Causeway has planted its feet on this tiny little corridor called Patten Parkway; not because it is the most populated place in town, but because it is perfectly situated between the industrious businesses downtown, the eager young minds at UTC, and the historic diversity of Martin Luther King Boulevard.

Just around the corner from us you’ll find Miller Plaza, known as a hub for business and innovation, and across the street, Miller Park, often associated with homelessness and poverty.

Chattanooga is Miller Plaza, and Chattanooga is Miller Park.

To build a city that is an honest reflection of its residents, everyone has to be invited to the table. On Monday November 24, we are shutting down the block between Miller Park and Miller Plaza for a city-wide Thanksgiving potluck lunch in the middle of Martin Luther King Boulevard from 12–1. No fee, no expectations and no agenda, just an open invitation to get to know your neighbors a little better and to give thanks for this city of ours, together. With the help of some donors and sponsors, Causeway will provide the turkey. If you’d like to contribute to that, check out our cause. In true potluck fashion, please bring a side dish, ready to serve.

Let us know you’re coming here. Everyone’s invited.