Joe Peligro aka "Joe P" might seem like a regular guy. The local Temple Club sound man and hip-hop enthusiast might not seem like the creator of a socially conscious community organization — but he is.
Meeting of the Minds, a nonprofit organization dedicated to working on issues that affect all people, will host an open mic and community forum from 4 p.m. to midnight Sunday. The event will be hosted at The Temple Club, 500 E. Grand River Ave.
The topic of discussion this weekend will be energy and its importance in contemporary society amidst soaring costs and frivolous spending. The function will also serve as a fundraiser, with local foundations and organizations like the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN, the Michigan Consumer Federation and Urban Options all making appearances.
As the creator of the newly founded organization, Peligro hopes the event will attract members of the community from all ages, races and backgrounds. He sat down with The State News to speak about Meeting of the Minds and the event this Sunday.
The State News: What is Meeting of the Minds?
Peligro: Meeting of the Minds is an opportunity for the community, the nonprofits, the private sector, the politicians to all come together and talk about issues that affect all people. So people have the opportunity to support Meeting of the Minds by going to this. We're going to have a single sociopolitical issue every month, but they don't have to just talk about that issue — they can talk about whatever they want to talk about. Frankly it's an open mic, so I'm not going to censor anybody.
How did Meeting of the Minds come about?
I came about doing this because I promoted a lot of open mics, but when you put something together and everybody that goes there mainly just talks about problems but doesn't do anything to solve it — it's pointless. Yeah, you're raising awareness about the issue, but what are you really doing to make a difference? I want it to be commission run. I want there to be a board and a planning committee. But right now, it's me. I'm working with a couple of other individuals who have been helping me out in their time, but I really want it to be a communal thing. One person can't run Meeting of the Minds, but, however, somebody has to start it, somebody has to initiate it. I'm taking that first step, but I'm hoping that it will come together in a way that other people will want to see it and they will want to become involved.
What can someone who goes to the event on Sunday expect?
For the first hour and a half it's going to be real chill. It's going to be real easygoing; we're going to have videos up on the screen, and I want people to come hang out. After that, we're going to have food. And all of the food has been donated by Old Town businesses. We'll have authentic cultural food 5:30-7 p.m., and it's going to be $5 a plate. Then from 7 p.m. - midnight is the open mic, "five minutes of fame." You get five minutes to say or do whatever you want to do on the stage. It's an open stage.
What does an open mic do to effectively solve problems? Do you think this is going to change anything?
An open mic solves problems by raising awareness. It also creates networks within artists and people that feel the same way. The difference between most open mics and Meeting of the Minds is there's going to be organizations there. There's going to be people there that are already solving the problems. ACORN is making a speech. Urban Options is making a speech. Michigan Consumer Federation is putting on a presentation.
What I hope to happen here is people coming together and realizing that we can have fun and do the same thing we normally do, but focus on these issues that need to have attention paid to them, not only while we're out having fun but in our normal day-to-day lives. That's why it's an all ages show. I want families to come there and to see what goes on but then talk about it afterwards. So maybe if the dude from Michigan Consumer Federation knocks on your door looking for you to sign a petition or donate five to ten dollars for their cause — you're going to be a little more receptive now.
At this stage in your life, why Meeting of the Minds? Why are you spending your time doing something that's nonprofit and positive?
To quote Malcom X: "I've had enough of somebody else's propaganda." I'm for justice, no matter who's for or against it. I'm for the bettering of humanity as a whole. I want to make the things I do work towards solutions to problems that we have. The real reason I'm doing this is to bring people together. To make other people who have the same ideas and thoughts, and I know there are a lot of people that really feel that things need to change and things need to be different. But to make a difference, you have to be that difference. Ghandi said that. You have to be the change you want to see. I don't want to sit around and wait for anybody else to do it.
For more information on the Meeting of the Minds, visit www.templeclub.com.
