Tuesday, March 1st was a day spent engaging with the community and getting to know how people interact and build community despite change. Previously during this immersion, we had learned about the Columbia Villa, a public housing site that housed predominantly low-income people of color. In 2001 the neighborhood received a grant that enabled the revitalization of Columbia Villa into New Columbia. We spent the day visiting the neighborhood with the goal of understanding what life was like, and how the revitalization efforts affected the residents.
We started the day meeting with Shalonna Jackson and Michael Mangum, two community organizers who work for Home Forward, which is an organization that focuses on blending affordable rental homes as well as owner-occupied homes to revitalize the New Columbia neighborhood. Shalonna and Michael spoke about their experiences with working with Home Forward as well as the history of the neighborhood.
Next, we talked to two women, Lei and Larena, who worked at the Charles Jorden Community Center in the New Columbia neighborhood. They spoke about the importance of the community center and how it plays a role in creating a sense of belonging for the residences.
Afterwards, our group spent time cleaning the neighborhoods’ community garden. During this we got the chance to speak with one of the members of the neighborhood. She told our group about how the garden provides a deep meaning to her because it gives her an outlet to engage with others in the community as well as spend time outdoors. To me, this encounter was significant because it made me realize how having a sense of belonging and community can be so impactful for peoples’ well-being. We ended our time at New Columbia talking with Charles, who works for the local grocery store in New Columbia. He shared his food, coffee, and experiences with our group.
Throughout all our interactions with people in New Columbia it was clear how passionate they were about their community and how eager they were to share their passion with our group. I left this experience feeling inspired to engage in my own community in a more meaningful way, as well as hopeful to the future of New Columbia because of the passion the community members expressed.
After our long day of visiting New Columbia, we went back to the Church where we were staying and invited member of the Church over to join us for dinner. Reverend Marva brought us her homemade pie, cake, and lasagna, all very delicious! We spent the night exchanging our stories and hearing about their personal experiences. We also learned about the Church’s history and how gentrification has led to the Church’s decline in membership.
Throughout the day I felt immense gratitude towards those who shared their stories with our group, as well as a gratitude for those who care deeply for their community. Getting to understand the passion and care people have for their community was contagious and made me want to engage in my own community more.
By Kari Thordarson