What's Going On?

Maintaining an open line of communication is easier said than done.  It becomes increasing more important when the stakes are high and when it matters most.   Everyone involved wants to be kept in the loop and up to speed as things develop.  Regardless of the time of day, how large or small the issues, if it is part of something of value, people want to know.  

It is impossible to keep everyone informed of what is happening 24/7.  Even with the best of intentions, things can be missed and misunderstandings developed.  Of course, there are times in which things can be misinterpreted, misspoken, lapses in judgment and when all the facts are not fully known.         

Communicating effectively is quite an undertaking.  How and by what means to get the word out is the ongoing challenge.  Today, there are numerous channels used to get the word out including TV, radio, newspapers, cable, social media, open forums, town hall meetings, block clubs, special panels, community centers, churches, and grapevine and of course one of my favorite, word of mouth.  Still with the best efforts, getting the word out to all interested parties will always be under construction and a work in progress.         

The critical point in improving communication for any group, agency, and community organization is to always focus on the audience and what needs to be shared.   And secondly, the message needs to be conveyed in such a way that it is clear and can be understood by all.   Additionally, there is also a need to have time for questions, input, dialog and feedback.   Lastly, if you want to have real engagement always ask “What Do You Think?” 

Even in the darkest of nights, there is always a desire to see.   Keeping the lines of communication open always brings light to all opportunities and forward progress.  Every person, regardless of their socioeconomic status wants to feel that their opinion matters and voice can are heard, especially when their lives are affected. 

So… “let talk about it… the lines are now open?”          

Community Engagement: What Does It Look Like?

Since the start of this 21^st century, a lot of things have changed and yet a lot of things have remained the same for those living in urban America.  Some would have you believe that things are getting better; this is progress, a step in the right direction, needed reform, long term sustainability and more people are aware of what is available.  Others would counter those views and point to data that shows the underlining crisis in urban America.  In addition, this includes a lack of commitment, inadequate resources, social involvement, and ineffective leadership. 

In a broader sense, progress has come with the evolution of new technologies that has expanded our ability to communicate with family, friends, and other people around the globe at any time.  New mass media platforms and systems have provided a way to see things in real time as they happen.  Advancements in product development has created new jobs to meet the growing demand for goods and services, regardless of where the need exist.  The revamping of transportation systems has made travel easier, to explore cultures and to establish trade agreements.  

On the other hand, many advocates and community organizers see things from an entirely different viewpoint, nothing really has changed at the core; it’s just more of the same, just another spin, and a new coat of paint on an old idea, camouflage, or an updated version of something that did not work in the past.  Additionally, these critics see a widening gap in wealth, housing, health care, education, employment, crime and punishment and poverty.   In addition, they see a great need to keep people connected and engaged in using vital social and community services.  Each day is different; the needs vary, but are real nevertheless.     

In the movie, Forest Gump (played by Tom Hanks), makes this statement, while sitting on a park bench and waiting for a bus “My momma always said, Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you going to get.”  In other words, our tomorrows are a mystery, a new day and because of that, no one really knows what will happen next until we bit into that day. 

How would you rate our level of engagement? ... Are we making progress or are we still in the same place?   Let’s try another piece of chocolate…and see.     

Looking For A New Deal

There is nothing like finding a truly amazing opportunity.  The quest to find such deals is beneficial, provides economic security and in some cases are worth the search.  They are hard to turn down and in fact we look for them each day.   

The preamble in the United States Constitution provides one of the key foundations to our great Nation.  This is the basic belief that, “…in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity…” This was a promise to all citizens. 

However, since the adoption of the Constitution on September 17, 1787 as the supreme law of the land that when into effect on March 4, 1789, the interpretation of the constitution continues to stir up debate, controversy and protest.    Our history is full of events in which the very essence of the Constitution and its meaning has been put to the test.  The subjects have varied greatly and the reactions to legislation and Supreme Court reviews have not always been widely accepted. 

It goes without saying that we continue as a nation to struggle with seeing things in clear terms, especially in dealing with the basic rights for all Americans.  This includes the right to vote, fair housing, quality education, health care, gun control, and immigration, employment opportunities, to unionize, to provide a safety net, equal representation and to be judged by the content of one’s character and not by the color of their skin.  This struggle is real.    

We do not need to look far in history for a blueprint of what a new deal look like.  President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945) was the architect of two new deals and they came at a time when the nation was in economic free fall, dealing with the depression and World War II.   He created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), to protest the deposits of people; Securities and Exchange Commission to regulate Wall Street; the Second Bill of Rights, that provided for a living wage, freedom from unfair competition and monopolies, fair housing, access to medical care, quality education and Social Security, to just name a few.  At one time, FDR cited that the “test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much, it is whether we provide enough for those who have little.” 

Those deals sound fair to me… Can we do better than that?   What do you think?

Home Is Where The Heart Is

One the most wonderful feelings in the world come’s when you buy a home, especially your first. There is nothing quite like it.  For it can be a place in which to raise a family, build net worth, and to affirm your identity in the community.   It fosters the idea of economic mobility and self-reliance.  Weather you purchase an existing home or build a new one, the excitement of just knowing that this place is mine is “Awesome!”

To be in your own place, a place in which you decide what goes in it, the furniture, drapes, pictures, paint, wallpaper, appliances, people who visit and by all means the neighborhood.  In the eyes of many homeowners, you cannot put a price tag on their dreams, safety and future… for it’s their castle, high tower and oasis.   And the real value of any home cannot be truly measured by the price paid or property assessment. 

Home ownership is one of the central themes of the American Dream.  It’s one of those goals you set when planning for your future.  It is to join the league of home owners among family, friends, coworkers and neighbors.  Although the process of owning a home can be an ordeal, which includes the realtor, lender, seller, builder, forms, credit check, taxes, fees, mortgage, insurance, title, and let’s not forget the new neighbors.  But not everyone has been able to achieve this part of the dream, due in part to a lack of knowledge, affordability, reasonable down payment, a livable wage job, low credit rating as well as some questionable lending practices over the decades within the housing industry itself. 

However, owning a home to live in is truly a blessing and should not be taken likely.  It has always been something to strive for, something worthwhile to live for and certainly something to work hard to maintain.  In the movie the Wizard of Oz, (1939), Dorothy Gale, played by Judy Garland makes this statement while clicking her ruby red slippers together three times… “There is no place like home.”  The question is…“Are we there yet?”    

A Bridge to Somewhere

Each day many of us take for granted the crossing of a bridge in our daily commute.  Many people do not realize the tremendous effort that goes into planning, designing and constructing a bridge.  Of course, the bigger the bridge, the more it takes. 

Our nation is full of bridges; each were designed and constructed for a specific purpose.  A few of them have become internationally famous, noted for its engineering achievement and/or has a unique place in history.  In essence a bridge is a structure built to carrying a road, path, railroad, or canal across a river, ravine, road or other obstacle.  Its central purpose is to provide an easy way to cross from one place to another, saving time, cost and provide easy access to the other side.  In addition, a bridge provides a way to transport commerce, deliver public services and connect communities.    

Benchmarks  

Some bridges in our nation are historical landmarks and considered national treasures.   In New York City there is the Brooklyn Bridge.  It is the oldest expansion bridge in the country and connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River.  The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco spans the opening of the bay on the Pacific Ocean and linking it to Marin County.   This bridge is recognized as a symbol of the city and has been declared as one of the wonders of the modern world. 

Other bridges have become known as enduring symbols of peaceful protest.  The Edmund Pettus Bridge which carries U.S. Highway 80 across the Alabama River in Selma, Alabama was the site of the conflict known as Bloody Sunday on March 7, 1965.  This was when armed officers attacked peaceful civil rights demonstrators attempting to march on the state capital of Montgomery.  In August 1967, the James E. Groppi Unity Bridge (formally 16^th Street Viaduct) was the site when Father Groppi, a Catholic Priest along with the NAACP Youth Council marched across the bridge to protest housing discrimination in Milwaukee.  As you see a bridge does come in handy, especially when you need one.     

Pathways To The Future

A bridge is also a term that is used as a metaphor to signal a need to connect with people in an effort to resolve issues or to gain support for new initiatives.  It is the central concept in a process to reach out to people, to gain an understanding, respect differences and to build trust.   It is to dialog with people who have been harmed, disenfranchised, taken for granted, but who also need their voices to be heard and their concerns addressed in positive ways. 

Milwaukee, like most of urban America is in need of some social bridge work.   Too many bridges have fallen down, underutilized, become obsolete or are headed nowhere.   Some new bridges need to be built, while some old bridges need to be torn down and yet others need a long term maintenance plan.  As communities, cities, and the world continue to grow and become more diverse with each passing day, there is a tremendous need to build stronger bridges that provide opportunities for greater understanding, tolerance and acceptance.     

Bridges regardless of their design, looks and length…were built to connect people, cities and communities.  John Burroughs, (1837-1921), a highly regarded American naturalist and essayist in the U.S. conservation movement.... once stated that “For anything worth having one must pay the price; and the price is always work, patience, love, self-sacrifice - no paper currency, no promises to pay, but the gold of real service.”   So I say… “Let’s make a down payment and build some bridges that head somewhere and that will last.”