“… ultimately it’s the regenerative capacity of a city’s residents that makes the difference”
Annie Rosen, NeighborWorks*VISTA from NHS of Chicago, pointed
out this article to me. The article talks
about New Orleans’ ability to bounce back within a short time regardless of the
mass exodus that took place right after the hurricane Katrina. Instead of
focusing on hurricane Katrina and the reasons for mass exodus, the writer of
the article sheds light on the grassroots level of community engagement that
has been responsible for recent growth in New Orleans. She writes that “with
the help of thousands of volunteers from around the country, [New Orleanians
have] started fixing up playgrounds, parks and schools themselves. Church and
community groups, schools and extended families became the nuclei for
rebuilding projects around the city. Across New Orleans’ 73 neighborhoods and
some 270 new community-based organizations opened their doors, providing
everything from help cleaning out and restoring houses, starting businesses and
managing the bureaucratic nightmare of collecting damages from insurance
companies and the government.” This collaborative effort between volunteers,
local activists and community organizations has resulted in gaining back 75% of
the lost population, revival of damaged New Orleans’ neighborhoods, and
stronger school systems transforming New Orleans’ into an attractive
and affordable city for young skilled entrepreneurs. This bottom up approach of
the citizens taking charge and collaborating with each other and investing in
their own neighborhoods is a story worth paying closer attention to.
• How do you as a stakeholder
(renter or homeowner), invest in your own neighborhood? Is that a long term or
short term strategy?
• How can a disorganized inapt
neighborhood revive its glory days?
• How does AmeriCorps*VISTA’s
mission play a role in this?