by Bailey White
Staff Writer
As City Council president, Lad Daniels gets to pick the artwork that decorates the walls of the Council offices, and he’s chosen Faces of Jacksonville as this year’s theme. The exhibition includes about 30 photographs that represent Jacksonville’s diverse population.
“One of our strengths is our diversity,” said Daniels. “We’re enriched by a number of cultures and races and ethnicities. We should celebrate our similarities while recognizing our differences. If we can do that, starting at home, it will hopefully make us more aware and give us a great understanding of international activities and cultures.“And the photographs representative not just different cultures within our community, but of different careers and the different ways that people work.”
The theme was also part of Council installation ceremony. A video displaying about 50 images ran as a backdrop to the ceremony, and the images have been made into a screen saver for Council computers.
Daniels said the project illustrates how important an understanding of different cultures is, a concept he’s been committed to since his children were younger and were involved in an international exchange program.
“About 25 years ago, my family and I got involved in an international group that opened our eyes to what was happening in the world,” said Daniels. “It was a youth exchange program that had a dramatic impact on our family and since then, has made us aware of various cultures in our community and around the world.”
The photographs should be installed by the end of August. They’ll replace former Council president Jerry’s Holland’s exhibition, which depicted City firefighters in action.