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My first visit to Minnesota was less than a year ago. It was to interview for my new job as president and CEO of Saint Paul’s Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. When I accepted the position, while many people were excited for me, some were perplexed and questioned why I, a Black man, was considering a move to what many called “Ground Zero for Civil Unrest.”

Prior to stepping foot in Minnesota, I began to feel a magnetic pull to this community which grew stronger with every conversation, congratulatory wish and genuine offer to help me in any way possible. I understand this isn’t everyone’s experience when moving to a new community or Minnesota. But I am so grateful for the overwhelming amount of positive support I’ve received from day one.

There are innumerable people and organizations who have been doing impactful work here for many decades. It is an honor to work alongside them and build upon the rich legacy in this community, collectively confront some of the things that haven’t served the Twin Cities well and co-create a path toward a better society for all.

Between a long-overdue racial reckoning and the crippling COVID pandemic, we are in a heightened level of consciousness. As inequities and disparities continue to be exposed, and depression and anxiety steadily rise, I still believe the arts are one of few things in this world with the power to heal, unite people from all walks of life, inspire and make us want to be better – more tolerant of difference and of one another.

This healing starts with a vibrant arts ecosystem – something I noticed right when I arrived. Minnesotans have an abundance of arts and cultural experiences, from free programming in our parks to the larger-than-life stories shared by organizations like the Ordway, Penumbra Theatre and Hennepin Theatre Trust. When you’re at the theater, we hope you feel welcome, seen, heard, connected and yes, even challenged. Art can challenge our way of thinking and encourage the courageous conversations needed right now. The responsibility of being a gathering place in the 21st century in the Twin Cities is a proposition that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world. At the Ordway, we’re up to the challenge and poised to make progress.

The Ordway was created to be a place where all performing arts would be embraced and all members of the community would feel welcome, and the Flint Hills Family Festival, presented by the Ordway, embodies that vision each summer in downtown Saint Paul. The festival is one of the main reasons I accepted this job. Exposing young people to the performing arts is essential, and this beloved festival provides an accessible and affordable opportunity for everyone in our community to experience an eclectic mix of top-notch programming. We have a responsibility to invest in the next generation of performers and patrons. This is done through longstanding events like the festival, whose 22nd year kicked off May 31 and runs through June 4.

I will never tire of watching kids walk into the Ordway with eyes wide open, marveling about how fancy it is. You never know when that light-bulb moment will happen for a child. It went off for me many years ago, and ultimately lit the path that led me to the Twin Cities. I’m sure it happens every year at the festival, and who knows, maybe the next Prince, Jamecia Bennett, Charles Schulz or future Mayor of Saint Paul will be in the audience this year.

With a deep love of my hometown of Detroit, I knew I would never leave for just any job. It would need to be for a profound reason. I have found that reason with the Ordway and continue to discover new ones daily. This is where I am supposed to be right now.

Despite serious obstacles and sometimes blistering differences of opinion, there is more that unites us than divides us. So, let’s allow the arts to remind us of our shared humanity and lead the way in this time of healing.

Chris Harrington is the president and CEO of the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in St. Paul.

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