River Roots Redevelopment: When Conversation Connects

Selina Pedi-Smith,

Founder, Pellere Foundation

Over the last few weeks, Rachel and I have been sitting across from each other on these pages, talking about difference. About anger. About connection. About what it takes to stay human with each other when things get messy.

This particular conversation was carried out over texts and emails, which is far from an ideal way to hold a conversation. And, after we finished, we wanted to keep talking. Even after spreading it out over a few weeks, we still have questions on the table. Half-finished thoughts.

The written word is good for many things. It allows reflection. It gives ideas room to stretch. In fact, it’s our preferred way to communicate big thoughts, in general. We like being able to think about how our words will land before we put them out there. You might have picked up on our belief that communication shouldn’t be rushed!

But, the written word can also flatten certain textures. You can’t hear the hesitation before a response. You can’t hear the laugh that diffuses tension. You can’t tell when someone changes their mind mid-sentence and thinks, “Wait… that’s not quite what I meant.”

And some of what we’ve been circling over these past four weeks lives in those textures. These are the kinds of conversations that don’t always wrap neatly. They meander. They double back. They linger.

And at some point, it felt strange to keep stopping them simply because the page was full.

So, we’ve decided to keep talking, out loud. Not as a replacement for the column. Not as a grand new venture. Just as an extension of what’s already been happening. The same us. The same thoughts. The same questions. The same willingness to sit with something a little longer than is strictly efficient.

And it feels like that extra time matters, especially in a season with so much noise, when so much communication feels clipped, reactive, or engineered for speed and ratings.

Never fear, we’ll still show up here on the page every week (okay, most weeks – we’re not perfect) if reading is how you prefer to engage with us. But sometimes, a conversation may wander a little farther than our column can hold. Feel free to join us on the journey.

Selina and Rachel will be continuing their conversations in a new podcast hosted on the Pellere YouTube channel. The discussions will expand on themes explored in this column, including connection, conversation, and community. Readers who are curious can find the channel by searching for Pellere on YouTube.

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Rachel Brosnahan is the Community Engagement Coordinator for River Roots Redevelopment. Want to help us rethink what redevelopment can look like—together? Follow the conversation and share your thoughts with us on Facebook and LinkedIn, or reach out directly to rachel@riverrootsredevelopment.org. We’d love to hear from you!