Building Trust and Community

Drake Nalls is a 21 year old college student living in Chicago’s Bronzeville community. Known as Chicago’s Black Metropolis, the historically African American neighborhood mixes a rich cultural history amidst grinding poverty and encroaching gentrification. Drake loves his community. He becomes involved and committed to being a positive force after being introduced to Baha’is and principles of the Faith. His trust and openness leads him to assist his Baha’i neighbors in a weekly children’s class.

This video is part of A Rich Tapestry, a video storytelling collection that expresses and illustrates how love is being translated into action to address questions of race and culture in the United States. This collection of video stories provides authentic examples of how individuals, communities and institutions are weaving together a rich tapestry of community life in neighborhoods across America.  The strands of this tapestry include efforts to expand and consolidate vibrant patterns of Baha’i community life, to contribute to public discourse on topics of race and diversity, and to take direct social action in collaboration with like-minded groups and individuals.

New videos will be added to this collection regularly, exploring the different facets and threads that weave a rich tapestry of community life. We invite you to view these videos at home and in community gatherings. Share them with friends and neighbors as a way to spark conversations and envision the possibilities for building communities that bridge all racial and cultural differences.

And most importantly, share with us your thoughts, experiences, and ideas for other stories that could be included in this series.