Hometown Walkabout
Mission
Hometown Walkabout* is a program of The Industrial Commons. Our mission is to raise awareness of cultural diversity in Burke County, NC through place-based tours and facilitated conversations that present, promote, and celebrate local communities.
*Originally an Australian Aboriginal concept, the term 'walkabout' has adapted both positive and negative meanings within modern, diverse cultural contexts. The Industrial Commons defines a walkabout as a journey of inquiry and reflection that leads to personal transformation.
History
Like many Southern Appalachian communities, Burke County has a rich and complex history. During the Hometown Walkabout experience we explore some of the triumphs and challenges of our diverse community.
Hometown Walkabout began as a collaborative effort between The Industrial Commons, TOSS, and SELECT 2000 in 2019. In collaboration with Dr. Leslie McKesson, who is TIC’s Senior Director of Community Engagement, we created a program to welcome a group of visiting guests to Morganton and introduce them to the work of The Industrial Commons within the broad social context of our region.
The tour was well-received and several groups within the community asked if it could be replicated. What started out as an in-person downtown walking tour has since expanded to include virtual and combined format tours that extend to other parts of Burke County. Hometown Walkabout has been delivered to business, education, and local government groups across the community, and we look forward to expanding program participants as well as diving deeper with existing participants.
Values
We offer an expanded context for our community’s stories and hold a space (with trained facilitators) for the complex conversations which emerge as a result.
We fairly compensate the organizations and storytellers who participate in Hometown Walkabout to build a sustainable model for these on-going conversations and to honor their time, knowledge and willingness to share their stories.
We work collaboratively with institutions and groups to design a profound experience, with consideration given to their needs and budget.
