[Excerpt]

"Together Baton Rouge is often like that, bringing together a broad, often unlikely, mix of community members and groups to tackle a common goal.

In the group's 13-year history, it's taken on everything from closed bridges in underserved communities to powerful industrial tax exemptions. If the group identifies something that can help the community, no issue too large or too small is off the table....

"We're really about civic participation," Cage said. "We all have to trust each other before we can get things done.

Our main focus is relational, getting to know people. When Together Baton Rouge formed, we wanted to reach the rich and the poor, Democrats, Republicans, social workers. What we want to do is to encompass as much of the community as we can."

[Photo Credit: Hilary Sheinuk, The New Orleans Advocate]

Civic Participation, Trust, Getting to Know People: Together Baton Rouge Gets Things Done, The New Orleans Advocate [pdf]