West Jackson Shows Up for National Night Out at JSU

The JSU/Blackburn Learning Garden was full of life Tuesday evening as Jackson State University welcomed the West Jackson community for National Night Out.

Residents, families, students and community partners gathered at the garden for an evening centered around fellowship, connection and strengthening the relationships that make a community feel like home.

The Oct. 6 gathering gave neighbors an opportunity to step away from their normal routines and simply spend time together. Conversations filled the garden as familiar faces reconnected and new connections were made throughout the evening.

For Jackson State University’s Office of Community Engagement, the turnout represented exactly what events like National Night Out are meant to create: opportunities for JSU and the surrounding community to meet one another where they are and continue building relationships beyond the boundaries of campus.

The JSU/Blackburn Learning Garden has become more than a place to grow fresh produce. On Tuesday night, it became a gathering place for West Jackson.

National Night Out may have lasted only a few hours, but the relationships strengthened throughout the evening are part of a much larger effort to build a safer, more connected and more engaged West Jackson community, and judging by the turnout, West Jackson was more than ready to come together.

Below is a gallery of photos capturing moments from West Jackson National Night Out at the JSU/Blackburn Learning Garden.