ORIGIN STORY

Before Civilized Fest, there was the Civilized - Drive In Concert & Conversation (C3) event!

In 2020, we experienced a civil uprising that called for racial reformation and a pandemic that halted public events.  In response, we (ShySpeaks & Company) had an idea of a covid-conscious, alternative way to gather a large group of people. 

Why? Because we understood that the moment called for both, continued civil conversation and a celebration of the marginalized communities most impacted by the social upset!  We set out to create a platform that would be a catalyst for that impact. A concept that had been burdening ShySpeaks became the nomenclature, CIVILIZED! 

Thanks to Big Thought (501c3) who saw our vision and helped us bring it to life!

The event was poised for a late 2020 debut but was postponed to spring 2021. A series of unforeseen issues swept our event team, including  the untimely heavenly transition of Bishop Omar Jahwar (Founder of Urban Specialist, Heal America).  Not only was he the Panel Host for the Conversation portion of our event, but he was an avid supporter and sponsor for the endeavor. Needless to say, the news both stunned and ignited us to continue the community work of healing our world, creating a more civic minded community and providing solutions for racial equity all while celebrating all that we've triumphed. 

In 2022, the Civilized Fest: Juneteenth Edition is powered by Heal America! We will continue the mission while celebrating the rich culture within our community through live concerts, civil convos, and highlighting local resources at our FREE 1-day family friendly, tailgate-style festival hosted in Dallas, TX.

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