by jon bosworth jaxvillain@yahoo.com
Keith Marks is trying to make a lasting impression, even if he doesn’t plan on lasting here in Jacksonville much longer. He moved to Jacksonville back in 1997 to attend the University of North Florida for journalism. During that time he was active in the local music scene and he wrote for Folio Weekly, trying desperately to give that scene the exposure he thought it needed. But after getting his bachelor’s he went off to travel around Europe.
“It was there that I realized I wanted my actions to be positive in every respect.”
Keith returned to Jacksonville and to school, this time pursuing an education in massage therapy. He started off working at a natural food store and eventually started his own practice, but in 2003 he got restless again and went to live in Asia.
“I have been in Asia for over three years, and have become deeply interested in Buddhist and Taoist thought. Those two disciplines have made me more fully aware of the impact certain actions have. These experiences have led me to use my skills as a concert promoter as a means of building community and community awareness.”
So in his second homecoming, Keith is starting monthly gatherings called PB&J. I caught up to Keith online to ask him a few questions about his new movement. PB&J stands for “Party, Benefit, and Jam.” Keith and his partners Tommy Hobin and Edward Dimayuga (known as Flux Productions, LLC) throw a PB&J gathering every month to bring people that like to hang out, listen to bands and socialize to do it for a good cause. They throw events to raise money and awareness for local non-profit agencies.
“The goal is to have the community come together for positive reasons and to support and become aware of the community around us that isn’t always in the spotlight.”
All three of the Flux Productions team members have spent time living in Jacksonville and abroad. Their friends Linda and Annie, who live in Seoul, Korea, have a similar project going on there by the same name and allowed them to use the name here. Edward, an environmental compliance lawyer currently teaching in China, is supposed to be returning to Jacksonville soon, and Keith is hoping that he will help keep PB&J going while Keith returns to Asia later this summer. Tommy has recently returned to Jacksonville from Germany, where he was living while working in the film industry there.
“I love this place, but there’s a whole lot of world out there I’ve got to see.”
EU: What is PB&J’s purpose?
KM: The purpose of PB&J is for the community of Jacksonville to get together to do what it loves doing: partying, while still raising awareness for local non-profits in the community. If this town is to truly become a major player, then we need to seriously address all of our social and environmental ills. The community has to become conscious of itself.
EU: In this isolationist culture, what is the value in the idea of community?
KM: Living in Asia, I saw a nation of blood, history and culture. In America, we are a nation of geography. Our ties are less historical and more based on proximity. When that happens, we get isolationist enclaves. We are less a melting pot and more like different side dishes on a plate that never touch. Fear is created from lack of exposure and through media channels pushing us further apart. The idea of community is to bring different strands of the cloth together to make a rich and beautiful tapestry of culture.
EU: How do you feel PB&J helps facilitate a community?
KM: We aim to create an open space of intersection for people of all walks of life in the community. Every month we choose a different theme, in a different venue and a different charity. Our intention is to pull from all corners of the community and help them find each other so they can connect and eventually create a dialogue of their own. Nature and the arts tend to cross age, sex, race and international boundaries.
EU: Will PB&J live on after you go?
KM: Some people have expressed interest in helping Tommy with it after I leave. No one wants to see their ideas fade, especially when they’re picking up speed. I suppose the honest answer is: we’ll just have to wait and see.
The first PB&J event was the clothing auction in February. Participants got on stage, told stories about where their clothes came from, and then we auctioned off the items to raise money for the local chapter of Multiple Sclerosis. The second event was an all-female concert at Ragland’s in 5-Points. Featuring Rebecca Zapen, Daisey Traynham and Sherri Chung, the event raised money and awareness for Hubbard House. The April event was a community picnic last week in Memorial Park to raise money and awareness for the St. Johns Riverkeeper. If you are interested in receiving notices about upcoming PB&J events, please contact Keith at keithmarks@gmail.com or Tommy at thobin@hotmail.com.
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