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The DC Promise Neighborhood Initiative: CivicEngagement in Action“Are you all really going to do any of this?”

The young man looked me in the eye, and effectively took me to task as a representative for the DC PromiseNeighborhood Initiative (DCPNI). I was there helping the initiative with its neighborhood retreat, leading adiscussion with residents as part of a broader effort to engage the community. The young man awaited myresponse. It seemed that others shared his skepticism. With knowledge of previous fleeting efforts to improvetheir neighborhood and the wariness of outsiders that came with them, these concerns were not unfounded.

Startled by the earnest but piercing question, I paused for a beat and told him why DCPNI was different:“This isn’t just on me; it’s on all of us to make this work!”

I went on to say that unlike other programs he may have come across, DCPNI was here to stay and wascommitted to making a difference for an entire generation. This means that we would continue pushing after

the fanfare had died down and the fancy gatherings subsided. Nodding his approval, the middle schooler,along with classmates and neighbors, affirmed that he was in it for the long haul.

Early that chilly Saturday morning, over 60 youth, parents, and other residents of Northeast D.C.’s Parkside-Kenilworth neighborhood gathered a mile out of the District at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center.Along with several dozen volunteers, organizers, researchers and undergraduate students from GeorgetownUniversity, these community residents participated in a series of events to help shape the focus of the DCPromise Neighborhood.

Shuttled in from their Northeast DC neighborhood to the nearby Maryland suburb, community residentsarrived to find a complimentary breakfast and a diverse group of volunteers greeting them with rousingapplause. From the beginning, the event had the gravitas and energy of a Sunday morning service. Prayer,testimony, and tears filled the room throughout the event.

In concurrent sessions spread across the morning and afternoon, groups of about 20 youth and communityresidents huddled with volunteer facilitators and others to discuss the strengths, challenges, and opportunitiesfacing their community. Students from Georgetown University assisted by manning whiteboards for allparticipants to see and taking more detailed notes for DCPNI staff. This guaranteed that all questions,comments, and concerns would be communicated to the initiative’s leadership and ensured that localpriorities would be reflected in the program’s implementation.

Serving as a discussion leader for sessions on safe schools and communities, I had the opportunity to engagewith a number of residents from the Kenilworth and Eastland Gardens neighborhoods about some of the mosturgent priorities for the Promise Neighborhood. First, we discussed the assets in the community that couldserve as a strong foundation for the Promise Neighborhood.

Getting the ball rolling, I asked “what do we think our biggest strengths are in the community?” Withoutmissing a beat, most in the room replied “the people!” Consensus seemed to be that Parkside-Kenilworth’sbiggest strength is its committed residents— the supportive and responsible adults throughout theneighborhood, many without school-age children of their own, who treat all local youth as their own.

Next we talked about some of the challenges that we hoped our collective efforts would address as theprogram took shape. I heard a number of sobering concerns about safety in and out of school. The primaryconcern voiced by youth throughout the day was that students lacked safe passage to and from school. Gangsfrom other neighborhoods have been known to cause trouble around campus grounds, and students didn’t feellike they had too many places to hang out after school hours. Some of the adults present also mentioned thatthere are serious health concerns about some hazardous waste dumped in the area that had yet to be removed.

Finally, we shared ideas about how DPCNI could tackle the issues we discussed. There were a number ofsolutions suggested, most of which entailed further community involvement. One example was the hosting ofcommunity forums that would bring local elected officials together with residents to encourage moredialogue on pressing public safety issues. Another idea offered was the hiring of more police officers and/orcrossing guards that could provide a visible deterrent for destructive activity around youth. Discussionparticipants also supported the idea of organizing a push for more local facilities that could provideconstructive and safe spaces for youth.

After the afternoon discussion wrapped up, one adult and one youth from each of the sessions presented tothe entire group. With kids cheering their friends on and parents showing their appreciation for each other,stakeholders of all ages shared solutions they helped create and elected to share. Applause filled the room ashonest feedback, commentary and suggestions came from those who know the neighborhood the best.

For the youth especially, it was clear that the discussion participants were proud of their contributions andexcited that their input was valued. One young woman participating in my session was selected by her peersto present for the group, but was a little hesitant since she lacked public speaking experience. After my firstrequest she shot back at me. “I can’t do it! Why don’t you ask one of the other adults to present!”

I replied, “you just did a great job sharing your ideas with a room full of twenty people. What difference doesa few more make?” After a bit more cajoling and encouragement from the group, we eventually convincedher to take the mic in front of the room, and the next thing she knew she was confidently sharing the group’sthoughts with scores of people. Her presentation was met with applause and was wrapped up with a look ofaccomplishment.

DCPNI’s leadership clearly believes in securing community buy-in during the planning process. Includingneighborhood residents in the process builds trust and gives people a better understanding of the new servicesthat will be offered. Local residents can provide critical insight into community challenges and priorities,holding deep ties to the neighborhood that sometimes date back for generations. Perhaps most importantly, itempowers residents to take an active role in the transformation of their communities.

To close the day, the retreat leaders passed the microphones to anyone in the room who cared to share someclosing words. Heartfelt thanks were expressed and folks who participated in different capacities showedenormous amounts of appreciation for each other. One stirring moment came when a parent who had recentlyreturned to post-secondary education got the microphone. Facing the silent crowd, she shared that “although Iwas undecided about what I would be studying, today has left no doubt in my mind that I want to major ineducation.” The emotional revelation was met with an embrace from those around her and more warmapplause from throughout the room. Testimonies like these were evidence of the impact the PromiseNeighborhood effort is already having on its community residents.

Posted in Local Efforts, Neighborhood Movement, Promise Neighborhoods.

1 comment

By Hayling Price – March 4, 2011

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About Building NeighborhoodsBuilding Neighborhoods covers federal urban policy, with a focus on President Obama’s PromiseNeighborhoods initiative and similar state and local place-based efforts. Building Neighborhoods is a projectof United Neighborhood Centers of America. United Neighborhood Centers of America (UNCA) is avoluntary, nonprofit, national organization with neighborhood-based member agencies throughout the UnitedStates. Formerly known [...]more →

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