I've been enjoying the occasional dispatches from writers around the country in the Opinion pages of the New York Times. Today there is a particularly inspiring piece by Ben Fountain about how one Dallas resident restored an overlooked neighborhood's long-shuttered art deco theater, turning it into a thriving performance space and community gathering spot. As often happens, that one act of faith has had a powerful spillover effect, attracting not just culture-starved customers but new businesses to the block, including an independent bookstore, a barbecue joint, a grocery store and a vintage clothing boutique. This is how neighborhoods are revitalized.
As Margaret Mead once said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever does."
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