Seeing the Scars – and the Gems – That Shape Our Communities

By Cilicia Anderson

Director of Communications and Development, OneJax

Last month, Jody and I spent four meaningful days in Dayton, Ohio, alongside our affiliate partners from the National Federation for Just Communities. We are deeply grateful to the team at NCCJ Dayton for their warm welcome and for creating space to learn—not only about Dayton’s rich history, but also about the inspiring work taking place across the country to build stronger, more connected communities.

Throughout our time in the “Gem City,” one idea stayed with me:

You cannot see the gems without acknowledging the scars.

Dayton’s story, like the stories of so many communities, includes both pride and pain. It is a place shaped by innovation, resilience, culture, and community, and also by the realities of division, prejudice, violence, and injustice. Rather than hiding from those difficult chapters, our partners in Dayton are helping their community confront them honestly and use that understanding as a foundation for healing, connection, and progress.

That lesson feels especially important today.

Across the country, we are seeing efforts to ban books, erase or minimize history, and pull back from diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. These efforts can make it easier to avoid difficult conversations, but avoiding the past does not change it. It does not repair harm, build trust, or prepare us to create a more just future.

At OneJax, we believe respect, understanding, and connection are not abstract ideals. They are essential practices for building a community where people can live, work, learn, and thrive alongside one another. They require us to be honest about the barriers that have separated us, and intentional about the bridges we choose to build.

The conflicts that continue to arise, and the histories of hate, prejudice, and violence that many communities carry, may not be easy to remember. But they are part of how we arrived at this moment. They help us understand why this work matters and why we cannot afford to look away.

Too often, differences are used to deepen division. Some people may retreat into what is familiar rather than seek to understand those whose experiences differ from their own. Others may claim not to “see” differences at all. But a stronger community does not ask us to ignore what makes us different. It invites us to acknowledge those differences, learn from them, and show up for one another with curiosity, humility, and respect.

Our time in Dayton reaffirmed the importance of OneJax’s mission. Seeing how NCCJ Dayton is confronting the forces that have divided its community – and creating opportunities to bring people back into relationship – was both grounding and inspiring.

We left Dayton with renewed energy to continue bringing people together in Jacksonville: to promote healthy, civil dialogue; to create opportunities for meaningful connection; and to foster a community in which every person feels seen, heard, respected, and valued.

We cannot build stronger bridges by pretending the divides do not exist. But when we are willing to face our history, listen across difference, and move forward together, we can begin to see the gems, and create a future worthy of them.