Richard and Troy

Today in Washington, DC my friend Troy (on the left) and I met with Richard Florida (that's him on the right -- just in case you thought it was me). Richard wrote the book The Rise of the Creative Class. Both Troy and I wanted to meet him so I e-mailed him and another six weeks later we were winging our way on a late Sunday night to Washington. This morning we rose early and headed off to our meeting place. Four or five men walked in the coffee shop and we wondered if each of them were Richard. Then a car pulled up outside and a guy got out and Troy said "That's him." And he was sooo right. What a great conversation.

We thought we would have about an hour conversation -- we ended up spending two and a half hours talking together. Richard was very encouraging of the work we are doing at Broadway. And quickly suggested some ways that we might be able to work together! It was a wide ranging discussion which I'll try to write about when I'm more awake. But it touched on inequality in income, it touched on the openness of communities to gay and lesbian folks, it touched on creative work going on around the globe. It was fascinating. He told stories about conversations with Jane Jacobs that I just lapped up. Anyway...what a great day. Troy was the one who made this happen. He told me how much he liked the things that Richard wrote and we talked about how it would be great if we could talk with him. That gave rise to this visit -- which I think will have an impact on our lives and our community/parish -- for years to come.