The Abundant Community Initiative in South Park began with a group of Latina neighbors, now known as Nuestro Barrio, who came together to discuss their vision for South Park. Out of many conversations they discovered that housing justice was an urgent priority because if our neighbors are being displaced, how can we build upon our collective strengths and wisdom?
Taking an Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach to organizing, Nuestro Barrio decided to expand this conversation and literally ask every single neighbor in South Park what their vision is for the neighborhood. The idea was to identify those neighbors who are at high risk for displacement yet are very invested in the life of the neighborhood.
Drawing upon their own connections and networks the group decided to replicate the Abundant Communities Initiative (ACI) in Edmonton, Canada as al model for organizing with our South Park neighbors.
The idea is simple: Ask people what their needs are, and you’ll most likely end up with a disengaged base waiting on services to save the day. Instead, Ask people what their vision, skills, and gifts are to share, and you’ll make space for a connected community who shares a sense of belonging and sees themselves as able to transform their lives together.
Nuestro Barrio joined forces with South Park Neighborhood Association to implement Abundant Community as a neighborhood-wide project.
Project Outline
Abundant Community asks a member of each residential block to use a conversation guide to ask their neighbors the following questions:
- What makes a great neighborhood?
- What would make South Park a great place to live?
- What are interests that you would like to share with your neighbors?
- What are skills that you can use to help your neighbors?
- Are there talents you have that you are comfortable enough to share or lead a group?
- Do you rent or own? If cost of housing was not an issue, would you want to stay in South Park for the long term.
Then each block connector reports to the neighborhood connector who will enter this information in a database used to connect neighbors to each other around common interests, such as the environment or healthy living; or to mobilize help for each other, like teaching English as a second language, or home improvements.
Additionally, the information will be used to connect neighbors to partners in the community who want to establish mutually beneficial relationships, for example: A non-profit program looking for home entrepreneurs to provide training and start up grants; A youth coalition looking for children to join a soccer league. The potential is endless.
Results we expect to see
Through this ongoing process we expect to see the following outcomes:
- A More Integrated and Inclusive Community: After years of organizing we have learned that nothing can replace face to face interaction. Past surveys and organizing have relied too heavily on technology and social media, leaving a large segment of typically marginalized neighbors out of the conversation. By holding conversations door-to-door we encourage participation of everyone regardless of access to information or technology.
- A Safer Community. Data shows that when neighbors know each other, safety increases because neighbors care and lookout for each other
- Civic Engagement: We hope this initiative will build the foundation for better mobilization of the neighborhood around shared values and goals, such as development without displacement, affordability, and diversity.
- Enhanced Economic Opportunity: By learning what the skills are of the neighborhood we can better promote small business development and connection with relevant programs and opportunities.
- A New Narrative: South Park has historically been characterized as a poor, lacking neighborhood not honoring the strength of the community that is expressed through several community organizations, neighbor-powered initiatives and projects. We hope that these neighbor-to-neighbor conversations will embolden us to tell our real South Park Story: The best kept secret in Seattle, where neighbors actually know and advocate for each other and where we do things without asking for permission (i.e. Chicken Co-op and the best 4th of July in town!!).
- Better channels of communication for outreach efforts. The block connector is responsible for passing information back and forth in their block.
- Healthier Neighbors: Data shows that connection between neighbors is associated with lower levels of childhood obesity, better mental health,
Equity Measures:
- We have identified four major languages in South Park: English, Spanish, Somali, and Vietnamese. We are translating all materials into those languages and have identified interpreters amongst our neighbors.
- We recognize that a large portion of our neighbors are fearful of Immigration & Custom Enforcement (ICE) knocking at their door. We are designing T-shirts to identify the block connectors and send a picture door-to-door for residents to feel safe to open the door.
Opportunities:
Outreach packets.
Measurable Goals:
10% of households reached by December of 2017.
50% of blocks has a block connector by December of 2017
We have participants on each of the major languages
Four interest groups gather before December 2017.