By Jo Mathis
This week, Robert Bobb, the emergency financial manager for Detroit Public Schools, unveiled a plan close 44 schools, raise $700 million more in bond money for school improvements, and set higher goals for student achievement.
In the meantime, residents in six Detroit neighborhoods are determined that regardless of what happens at the district level, they can make a difference for their kids right where they live.
In 2006, the Skillman Foundation began a 10-year, $100 million Good Neighborhoods initiative to help the city’s six neighborhoods with the highest concentration of children.
“It’s really an effort to expand the opportunities for children to succeed and to break the cycle of poverty in these neighborhoods,” said Ed Egnatios, senior program officer for the Skillman Foundation, a private grant-making foundation aimed at improving the lives of Detroit children. About one-third of Detroit’s children – or about 65,000 — live in these six neighborhoods.
The programs work, he said, because they engage residents and other stakeholders of the area in building better neighborhoods where their children can thrive and succeed.
One of these neighborhood programs is the 829-member Congress of Communities Southwest Detroit Neighborhoods, or CoC.
CoC President Dorlester “Dotti” Sharp is determined to help improve conditions for the kids of southwest Detroit, and to make sure more and more residents join her in the effort.
“People want a change in their neighborhoods and communities,” said Sharp, a lifelong Detroit resident. “And that’s what we’re about. When you go to City Council and you have 200 or 300 people behind you, they’re going to listen to you.”
The CoC is divided into four clusters according to geographic areas – Mexican Town, Springwells Village, Delray, and the 48217 zip code. Each cluster is represented by six adults and two teens who were chosen in a November election in which 625 members cast votes.
“I got a call from the mayor’s office wanting to know how we did it,” recalled Maria Salinas, program associate at the National Community Development Institute, and the only paid employee associated with CoC. “The assumption is that people in southwest Detroit do not vote … Quite frankly, it was because of the outreach and commitment and message given at all the prior meetings that we’re trying to create a system of letting residents know that their voice counts … that it’s all up to them to advocate for their community.”
An executive board and a 26-member Board of Directors each meet monthly to discuss four topics essential to positive youth development: healthy and safe neighborhoods; school and education improvement as well as community programming; youth and family economic well being; and expanding youth activity and programming.
Toni Bunton became a CoC board member in the Mexican Town cluster because she believes in the program’s vision to motivate residents to become civically engaged in issues that affect southwest Detroit.
“We’re working to get people who are interested and dedicated to get residents to become members, to take it to the streets let people know the strategic plans and get people to the meetings,” said Bunton, who works for the Mercy Education Project in southwest Detroit.
She said the meetings since November’s election have been largely procedural, and she’s eager to get to the heart of the issues affecting children.
More than 800 people are members of CoC, and that number is expected to climb as members encourage residents to attend the monthly meeting closest to home.
Southwest Detroit is the city’s most vibrant, active area, said community organizer Joe Rashid, who is happy that teenagers are involved in leadership roles.
“A lot of times kids are shut out, but they actually have a voice and are able to be part of the decision-making process,” said Rashid, adding that the youths are encouraged to get other kids involved so they’ll be proud of where they live and work.
CoC members pointed with excitement to the March 18 “Our Kids Come First” rally to be held at 6:30 p.m. at Western International High School. The rally is a southwest Detroit coalition of educators, agencies, businesses, students, parents, churches, and community organizations – including the CoC — who have created a united front around issues affecting children in southwest Detroit.
“The rally encompasses everything we need to fight for in southwest Detroit – from better education for our kids to safer streets to better recreation,” said Rashid. “It’s a great event, but it’s only the beginning of what we’re going to do in the future.”
To get involved in CoC, call 313-384-2173.
One Comment
In 1997, the Detroit Planning and Development Department led a $1.5 million special project called the City of Detroit Community Reinvestment Strategy, that did what CoC is doing for the ENTIRE city, dividing the city into 10 neighborhood clusters and developing 10 year plans for each cluster (all done in a one-year process). I was a lead planner in that effort. I would have stayed on with it had the city not had other plans for me – and because I was promoted to other things I left the department to go to graduate school – I wanted to keep doing the CRS relationship work. Now done with school and looking for work myself, I wonder about the REST of the city outside the Skillman GNI – is NCDI – Detroit working elsewhere in the city with similar resources? The WHOLE city needs asset-based community development, and there are many philanthropic initiatives and community-based organizations needing resources. The CRS reports are still a great resource – I hope orgs continue to use them. I wish my hometown the best. Good to see the good news.