As we finally conclude our binge-watching session of Orange is the New Black Season 3, it may be time to step away from our couches to see the close-to-home impact the show’s creative influencers are making in the Columbus Region.

By now, many of you are probably aware that Piper Kerman, the memoirist whose 13-month prison sentence served as the basis for the Netflix series, recently moved to Columbus and is teaching courses at the Marion Correctional Institution and Ohio Reformatory for Women (Marysville).

Now, Piper’s husband Larry Smith, author, current editor and publisher of SMITH Magazine (and the loose inspiration for the character Larry Bloom, the stay-at-home fiancé portrayed by Jason Biggs on the show) is making his own impact by partnering with the Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC) to create “Six in the City: Columbus” (SITC), an interactive memoir project inspired by the magazine’s Six-Word Memoir initiative.

With the support of international retailer Express, SITC launched its year-long project at the recent Columbus Arts Festival with plans to reach out to neighborhoods, classrooms, businesses, festivals, and other gather spots to inspire residents to share their Columbus stories in six words. The project will culminate in a 30-foot wide photo gallery featuring black and white portraits of participants along with their six-word memoirs about Columbus life (think a shorter version of a haiku without the syllabic requirements).

“When I moved to Columbus, I knew it was the perfect place to launch SITC to allow an easy and populous way for civic engagement, says Smith at the “Express Yourself in Six Words” booth at the arts festival.

“Six in the City: Columbus” is an ingenious example of how organizations can leverage civic engagement to as the Urban Land Institute’s mission states, “create vibrant, sustainable communities where people want to live.” If you would like to know more or participate and share your six-word memoir, please visit Six Word Memoirs, and be sure to check them out on Twitter at @sixwords.

Written By:
Chris Magill
ULI Columbus Communications Committee Member
Economic Development Director, IceMiller