One of Ghana ThinkTank’s earliest projects was based in Westport Connecticut, where they collected problems from this predominantly white, upper-class community and sent them to think tanks in Cuba, Ghana and El Salvador. The solutions proposed by the think tanks, no matter how brilliant or seemingly impractical, were taken seriously and implemented in Westport.
One recurring problem submitted by Westport residents was about the lack of diversity. “We are mostly white and wealthy,” they complained. The think tank in El Salvador pointed out that there was likely plenty of diversity in Westport, when you consider who was tending their yards and doing their laundry - they just weren’t seeing it. As a solution, day laborers were hired at their hourly rate to attend social functions in Westport.
Other problems included barking dogs and pesticide use. The think tanks suggested renaming a dog "love" to get him to stop barking and a dandelion promotion campaign including dandelion recipe-books, replanting workshops and a dandelion festival.
The resulting art installation was presented during the Optimism show at the Westport Art Center.
