I met Andy Smith when I moved to Columbia in 2006. He was a native son returning to South Carolina from Los Angeles. His plan was to bring some fresh ideas to the Nickelodeon, in particular, and to Columbia, in general. His enthusiasm was infectious then, and it still is today. His ideas are just that much bigger now.
In many ways, I don’t think 2006 me would recognize 2016 Columbia, and I say that with all of the affection in the world. Because Andy worked hard to cultivate and enrich an arts community that was ready to grow, and he’s a big part of the really good change that’s happened here. The potential for that change to continue and expand is key to sustaining growth and progress in Columbia. Andy’s plans to keep our arts community at the heart of economic development and public education in the city is the type of innovation in city planning that many of us have been hoping for.
Andy also commits his time and resources to providing opportunities for and encouraging young folks in the city to participate in the arts and take leadership roles in creating and sustaining change. And on that note, he is a strong advocate for progressive social change and racial and gender equality.
I think it goes without saying that Andy has my full endorsement for city council, but I’ll say it anyway.
Go Andy!
Meeghan Kane teaches history at Benedict College.
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About Jasper
What Jasper Said is the blogging arm of Jasper – The Word on Columbia Arts, a new written-word oriented arts magazine that serves artists and arts lovers in the Columbia, SC area and its environs in four ways:
Via Print Media – Jasper is a bi-monthly magazine, releasing in print six times per year in September, November, January, March, May & July, on the 15th of each month. Jasper covers the latest in theatre and dance, visual arts, literary arts, music, and film as well as arts events and happenings;
Via Website – Jasper is an interactive website complete with a visual arts gallery, messages from Jasper, an arts events calendar that is updated several times daily, bite-sized stories on arts events, guest editorials, local music, dance & theatre videos, community surveys, and more;
Via Blog – What Jasper Said -- you're reading this now -- is a daily blog featuring a rotating schedule of bloggers from the Jasper staff as well as guest bloggers from throughout the arts community;
Via Twitter – Jasper Advises is a method of updating the arts community on arts events, as they happen, with more than a half dozen active tweeters who live, work, and play inside the arts community everyday ~ Jasper Advises keeps the arts community abreast of what not to miss, what is happening when it is happening, and where to be to experience it first hand.
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