By Robert Adams Jr.
Shortly before he died in 2020, in his final opinion essay, Rep. John Lewis wrote, “Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part to help build what we called the Beloved Community, a nation and world society at peace with itself.”
As the leader of a historic Beaufort County organization, I recognize the need to actively advocate for the Beloved Community, a future built on our linked fates. During its 164-year history, Penn Center has steadfastly championed economic development as a cornerstone of democracy.
The proposed Gullah Geechee Cultural Center and Village Entrepreneurial Market is an economic development project capable of facilitating its realization. Therefore, the Penn Center supports the proposed project.
Over the last four years, the residents of St. Helena Island and their allies vigorously defended the Cultural Protection Overlay (CPO). CPO proponents rejected a developer’s efforts to circumvent existing regulations in addition to the project’s exclusionary approach to economic development.
The Gullah Geechee Cultural Center and Village Entrepreneurial Market represents a community-oriented initiative that promotes inclusive economic development, preserves the island’s unique cultural aspects, and attracts regional, national, and international visitors. It aims to benefit a broad range of stakeholders, including St. Helena residents and small business owners, showing strong local backing.
This project breaks with economic models that overlook rural voices, embodying the democratic ideal of the greatest good for the greatest number.
Each year, more than a million visitors pass through St. Helena Island on their way to Hunting Island State Park, the most-visited park in South Carolina. Currently, few businesses serve this busy tourist corridor. This project aims to expand spending opportunities, increase local sales, and create new jobs, thereby directly supporting economic growth and addressing underemployment in the area.
The Gullah Geechee Cultural Center and Village Entrepreneurial Market also aligns with Beaufort County policies and the 2040 Comprehensive Plan, reinforcing our collective commitment to cultural preservation and sustainable growth for the community’s future.
In a rare occurrence, the community, businesses, government, and philanthropy are working in unison to realize the project’s vision. The Gullah Geechee Cultural Center and Village Entrepreneurial Market is a project that responds to the demands of residents, many of them Gullah Geechee, for public spaces that expand economic opportunity.
Now is the time to put this plan for equitable economic development into action.
The first step is acquiring the property, which is the largest remaining parcel in the Corners Community. This is our chance to shape what economic development looks like, rather than respond to someone else’s idea of what it should be. Senator Campsen has secured $1 million from the state, and Beaufort County is only being asked to contribute $600,000 from the $3 million allocated for economic development land purchases. Please contact your County Council representative to express your support for this plan and its long-term success.
Robert Adams Jr., Ph.D., is the Executive Director of the Penn Center on St. Helena Island.