Millennials Engaging in the Work of Neighborhoods

Perspectives from the next generation on community building

Much has been stated about the leveraging power of the emerging generation known as Millennials, occasionally referred to as Generation Y. This group of twenty-somethings has illustrated significant influence in determining the status of elections, impacting economic growth, and shaping the future of technology. They often are credited with fueling social media movements all around the world.

Center for Transforming Communities (CTC) recently sat down with the millennial members of its' team, Ian Preston and McKenna Lewellen, as they engage in neighborhood work as extensions of their academic experiences. Their thoughtful perspectives offer CTC the means to perpetuate powerful philosophy and enactment that moves our city and region forward. 

Exposure to a World of Assets Around Us

Every Community Member Has Gifts to Offer

Last weekend I had the opportunity to be a part of the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Workshop at the Center for Transforming Communities (CTC). Facilitated by CTC Director, Amy Moritz, the workshop included group discussions, break-out sessions, lunch, and a wonderful tour of the Binghampton neighborhood led by Pastor Billy Vaughan.

Individuals from different neighborhoods across the metropolitan area like Highland Heights, Orange Mound, Germantown, and Grand Junction, TN were in attendance. As each participant introduced herself or himself,

Amy engaged each of them by asking questions about each neighborhood in the effort to discover the assets contained within.  Some illustrated  concern and voiced that their neighborhood lacked assets and perhaps had more struggles and “negatives” than anything else.

Over the course of the workshop, however, it was fascinating to witness the attitudes shifting…changing  as Amy talked about the ideas of internally-focused strength-based concepts of ABCD. She began to illuminate ideas such as the benefits of “doing with” rather than “doing to” your neighborhood and challenging participants to consider where they felt an internal sense of “calling” regarding their neighborhoods.

 

After walking to and eating lunch at Caritas Village (a nearby community partner), we were joined by Billy Vaughan, a pastor and resident of the Binghampton neighborhood, for a walking tour of the surrounding neighborhood. Seemingly, it was at this point in the workshop experience that the group began to truly understand and embrace the value of a neighborhood’s community members and assets.

Billy began by recounting the story of Onie Johns’ calling to the Binghampton area and how she sought to strengthen the community through creativity and relationship-building. “Onie,” Billy said, “is an asset.” As we walked along, he told us about a community member and friend who struggles with mental illness, and another who struggles with alcoholism. Billy said that one is simply brilliant and always willing to help those in need, and the other is one of the most skilled pianists around. “Both men,” Billy continued, “are assets.”

It was becoming clear how every community member had gifts to offer.

Billy pointed out the homes of these individuals as we walked along the breezy streets of residential Binghampton. By the end of the day, it was obvious that the group had a better understanding of ABCD. Moreover, it seemed that there was deeper awareness that recognizing a neighborhood’s assets and gifts is a much more sustainable approach for a neighborhood’s development than focusing on what it does not have.

Contributed by Ian Preston,  HCD Fellow and intern at Center for Transforming Communities.

FirstWorks@TheCorners: The Asset-Based Approach Making a Difference In Highland Heights

You can hear the passion, the sincerity, and love that emanates from Amy Pearson, Executive Director of FirstWorks - a tutoring program in the Highland Heights community. She takes a moment to speak candidly regarding the great work that FirstWorks@The Corners does as part of Communities of Shalom. Moreover, she highlights the amazing gifts, assets, and potential that are so alive and vibrant in this historic neighborhood.

FirstWorks at The Corners Thrives by Building on Community Assets

The Corners of Highland Heights Community of Shalom faced a difficult decision last summer when it looked like FirstWorks, a long running after-school program, would not re-open with the new school year.

Recognizing what an important asset that the program was for the neighborhood, The Corners was determined to save FirstWorks.  According to Fred Morton, The Corner’s Shalom Zone coordinator, “The Corners’ purpose included strengthening the education of the children in our neighborhood, and we were committed to keeping the program running.”  

As one of the Communities of Shalom trained and supported by the Center for Transforming Communities (CTC), The Corners had already created and implemented a day camp for FirstWorks, and was now ready to take on a more ambitious project.  Following some modifications to the program, “FirstWorks at the Corners” was able to continue as a once a week enrichment program for 25 children from first through eighth grades in the Highland Heights neighborhood.

In addition to the capacity that The Corners built in two years of operation they were also able to leverage tremendous support from St. Luke’s UMC, Highland Heights UMC, Germantown UMC, the Junior League of Memphis, Valero, and many others.

One major change that The Corners worried might harm the program was to discontinue the transportation of the children to and from the church.   Fortunately , the children’s parents were committed to the program and found ways to make sure their children attended weekly.   This partnership with both FirstWorks and parents is essential to the success of the ministry. 

In addition, FirstWorks recently initiated an exciting new way to work with families as they set future goals.  Parents can use an online screening process to review their eligibility for government benefits to help stabilize their financial situation.  Along the way, the process sparked dialog and education about other resources within the community, as well as uncovered resources right at FirstWorks that have proved extremely helpful to the parents. 

For example, one job-seeking mother learned about dressing appropriately for an interview, and she was able to create a resume using the computers at FirstWorks. 

“We will host the online screening again later in the semester for other parents, and look forward to the great possibilities that will emerge.” said Amy Pearson, Director of FirstWorks.  

Parental involvement in their children’s success truly embodies the shalom values of inclusive, collaborative, and systemic change that will transform their neighborhood.   The Center for Transforming Communities is quite proud that The Corners was prepared to take on this ambitious project to build shalom in their neighborhood; and looks forward to sharing more stories of success through FirstWorks at The Corners.

Do you have an interesting story about partnerships and collaborations that are enhancing your neighborhood?  You can join the discussion NOW by sharing your story in several ways:

• ·         below in the comments section, or

• ·         contacting us at info@ctcmidsouth.org or

• ·         linking your story to CTC's Facebook page and/or CTC's Twitter feed (@ctcmidsouth)

Developing eyes to see what God sees

Prayer Walking: a practice for shalom-seekers in the neighborhood

This is the third Lenten season that The Corners of HighlandHeights Community of Shalom has coordinated a weekly prayer walk in their community.  Each Tuesday they meet at a different church in Highland Heights and the surrounding area.  From their starting point, they walk in small teams to the school, along the commercial corridor, and in residential pockets where gangs and violence are threatening the neighborhood.

I joined them this past Tuesday as they walked, met shopkeepers along Summer, and prayed for the welfare of the community. 

I was first introduced to prayer walking through a seminary class called ‘engaged spirituality’ where I learned about Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk.  Click here to learn more.  Some of my riches moments of being in God’s presence are the times that I walk with prayerful intent, slowing down, and becoming mindful to both my surroundings and to God.   

During these times I become so present to the world around me that I see things that I would not normally see.  One of the things that happens quite often and gives me great joy is seeing a four leaf clover, among a patch of clover, along the path as I walk.   This clover sighting means for me that I have slowed down enough, and become present enough to God’s creation, to know and experience that God is with me. 

As I walked along the south side of Summer Avenue (west of Highland) this week, there was no clover.  There were no people on the street and most of the old store fronts had padlocked doors and windows that had been covered over so that one could not see in.  On first look, this was a place devoid of life, empty and vacant. 

Someone suggested that we walk along the backside of the row of stores.  Here we found shopkeepers, open doors, and lots of beautiful and colorful displays!  I was particularly struck by the diversity and nationalities represented by the shopkeepers, each proprietor originating from a different continent.  Some were new to the country and new to business ownership eagerly hopeful that their business would support their family.  Some stores were decades old and determined to hold on, even among the age of big box retail and chains.  

The four leaf clovers for me this day were the uniquely beautiful shopkeepers, their hopes and aspirations, and the ways in which they sought to serve the community through their stores (thrift store, pharmacy, low cost goods, etc.). 

The purpose of prayer-walking in a shalom zone is to seek God's guidance, mercy, and transforming power—both for the community, and for ourselves as God's servants in the community. 

Seeking to experience God’s eyes, ears and heart for the neighborhood, The Corners Shalom Team will be reflecting together in the coming weeks about what has been seen and experienced through the weekly prayer walks.    

The key question will be “how are we being shaped as God’s agents for shalom in this community?”

- Amy Moritz -

You can find many resources on the internet for organizing a prayer walk in your community.  This guide provides instructions and questions for reflecting upon the experience.

Please share your comments below or at info@ctcmidsouth.org.

1,000 examples of community strength in The Heights

Reflections on  what’s possible through cooperation

While 1,000 people were coming and going during a back-to-school party at Treadwell Middle School in September, Anna Terry had a chance to speak with one of the security guards who works there.

He grew up in The Heights and played basketball at Treadwell, he told her, and as he spoke to her about his younger years and his connection to the neighborhood, a look of pure nostalgia was written upon his face.

He was thankful to see the spirit of community alive and well that day, and Anna was struck then by how tightly the people of the neighborhood are woven, and how eager they are to work together to make it a better place to live.

Anna settled in the neighborhood about three years ago with a passion for community development and a sense that, of all the places she’d lived in the U.S., a home for her rested in Memphis.

“There’s a strong community spirit among the neighbors and residents and a pride in The Heights,” she says.

She recently began using her background in community development as the sole staff person running The Heights Community Development Corporation (CDC) in partnership with Binghampton CDC.

She is also working closely with the team of volunteers behind The Corners, a Communities of Shalom zone organized through the Center for Transforming Communities, which helps connect the strengths of various churches, individuals and other stakeholders.

The challenges are many — 1 in 4 houses are vacant and seen as blights on the neighborhood, and people are clamoring for a meaningful gathering space — but so are the opportunities, and in that back-to-school party, Anna saw all the necessary elements of community transformation present.

People were connecting with each other around their children and the school they attend, which is close to the hearts of so many who live in The Heights. Abundant generosity was in the air as a host of community partners drew upon their relationships to bring live music, a Model-T Ford, games, refreshments and horse rides to the party.

That spirit of collaboration sticks out in Anna’s mind as she reflects on the day.

“It was really nice to have a party that big and to not be that taxing on any one group or entity,” she says.

“At the end of the day, I was tired but I wasn’t beat down; it was a sort of sweet exhaustion.”

Looking back, the nostalgic security guard and joy on the faces of children as they rode a horse for the first time are lasting impressions of a day that proved what’s possible when people come together.

As the work of community development continues, Anna says these impressions will carry forward.

- Kristian Partington -

Please leave comments below or e-mail to kristian@axiomnews.ca.