When neighbors are at the center of generating ideas and creating their visions, local resources, gifts and talents can be tapped and built upon rather than extracted or ignored. This story from the city of Ft. Wayne, IN illustrates ways that a city planning department can nurture community-led approaches and the revival of neighboring.
Great Lakes Urban‘s Bright Spots in ABCD series is a live, open, virtual conversation with thought leaders that are building strong neighborhoods and vibrant cities using Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) principles and practices.
In this episode, learn from Réna Bradley, a Neighborhood Planner and activator for the City of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Réna manages the FORT-ify Neighborhood Accelerator and will share how City leaders can develop local leaders and reinvigorate neighborhood associations through an accelerator program.
Réna Bradley is a designer and community advocate. Her experience working across the private, public and nonprofit sectors, has taught her that design is a tool to develop not only places, but a sense of well-being, unity, joy and agency in individuals and communities. She uses design thinking as a tool to mobilize youth, residents, and volunteers who want to make a difference in their community.
Based in Zeeland, Michigan, Great Lakes Urban Restoration Network connects people in communities and strengthens their efforts to build strong, safe, and healthy neighborhoods. Connected neighbors can tap into their existing resources and skills to improve the things they find most important to their well being, like better education or access to healthy food.
Great Lakes Urban works in the cities of Holland, Grand Rapids, and several other regions of West Michigan.
Going Further:
- Community Ownership in Practice (Sellassie, Dubb, McMahon, Barbakoff)
- Asset Based Community Development: How to Get Started (Agdal)
- The Power of Asset-Based Approaches in Mobilizing for Social Change (MacLurcan)
