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Right-wing politicians are attacking programs and policies that support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts at colleges and universities (and ultimately, all levels of education) in the United States. This should concern Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) proponents, because diversity, equity, and inclusion are fundamental values of ABCD. The concepts are critical to effecting positive change in communities of all sizes.

ABCD is an effective strategy for community improvement because:

  1. ABCD not only believes that every community resident can contribute to community-building, but that their contributions complement the skills and talents of others in the community and can be leveraged by connecting them with the capacities of residents from every conceivable background. ABCD values diversity.
  2. The valued participation in community strengthening activities that is at the core of ABCD, can provide previously denied opportunities to improve the quality of life of marginalized members of the community. ABCD values equity.
  3. Feeling welcomed, heard, and included in the creation of solutions to community challenges helps create the ability to implement capacity-driven results. ABCD values inclusion.

DEI critics have a zero-sum worldview. They believe if you have an opportunity, it means that they don’t; or if it’s fair to you it must be unfair to them. The fact is, however, that giving historically underrepresented groups opportunities does not mean less privilege for dominant groups. 

What Can You Do?

If you agree that this a dangerous direction for education to be heading here are a few things you can do:

  1. ACT LOCALLY - Educate legislators about the value of DEI. Make sure they actually understand the policies they may blindly oppose.

  2. CONTACT YOUR ALMA MATER – Ask if they are taking a stand to support students from historically underrepresented groups. If you support your institution financially with donations, ask that your gifts go to support DEI efforts.

  3. PAY ATTENTION TO ANTI-DEI POLITICAL ACTIVITY & ORGANIZE – The Chronicle of Higher Education maintains a map of anti-DEI legislation. The NASPA website has an Anti-DEI Legislation Response and Resources page.

ABCD Resources on Early Childhood Literacy?


By April Doner, 2023-08-25
ABCD Resources on Early Childhood Literacy?

Hey y'all,

Does anyone have resource recommendations on ABCD and Early Childhood Literacy?

I'm flying out to NY to join some library leaders around this topic in a couple of weeks and haven't seen much over the years specifically speaking to ABCD and this topic.

Anything you can share would be much appreciated!   (Including materials that may include ABCD-related but not explicit examples, concepts or practices)

Thanks!

~ April

aprildoner@gmail.com

ABCD Resources List


By April Doner, 2023-08-24

Hi all,

I've put together this ABCD Resource list, in part to help myself keep track of all the great resources, videos, etc. that are explicitly on ABCD or on parallel / aligned practices and ideas.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GE6afZoHUGQ1VyADXK9Vjbrp6_d5Ir24Um0JiRAIs_U/edit?usp=sharing

Wanted to share with everyone -- and also invite you to send me anything you think should be included!

ABCD Announcement


By Kim Hopes, 2023-08-22

DASHABCD_Gathering_Data_Workbook_001.jpgDASHABCD_Health_Equity_Workbook_001.jpg

New Publications added to the ABCD Institute website, Improving Health Equity through ABCD and Using Data to Tell Your Community's Story are ABCD workbooks co-authored by Darryl Answer and Ron Dwyer-Voss for Data Across Sectors for Health (DASH). These two publications are also now available in Spanish, Click here to access them.
Contact Kim Hopes at connect@abcdinstitute.org with any questions.

Host an ABCD Global Gathering


By Kim Hopes, 2023-07-26

Hi ABCD In Action members,

Would you like to host an ABCD Global Gathering on a particular topic? These are conversations on Zoom for people to come together to talk about topics and questions they care about. Do you have ideas for future Gatherings? Let us know and we will help you get started.

  • Come up with a topic and choose a date and time.
  • Post it on the events calendar
    • Click on the “Events" tab on your profile page and then click “+” to the right of the word “Events”
    • Fill out the form and submit
  • Reach out to Kim or Dharmik at the ABCD Institute (admin@abcdinstitute.org) if you need access to a Zoom link for your call.

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ABCD 2023 Unconference is happening now!

Join the 2023 online global ABCD Unconference October 16 - 26, 2023. Multiple free sessions happening on each day. This year the Unconference planners will be offering the ABCD world a series of regional &/or topical sessions, hosted and led by local people and all joined together under the Unconference banner! 

Learn more and register for sessions here 


The Stewards of the Asset-Based Community Development Institute indicated that the development of a neighborhood culture is the new frontier for ABCD work. The following list is a result of their understanding of culture building activities that reach beyond the implementation of programs. The activities below do not each stand alone. They are the threads that together create a community fabric from which a culture will emerge.

What do your neighbors do together that creates an enduring culture?

1. Recognizing Significant Life Events

A. When someone dies? How does the block join in mourning and memorializing the
person and their neighborhood contributions?

B. When a baby is born into the neighborhood? How does the block join in recognizing
and celebrating?

2. Raising Children

A. How do families in the neighborhood play together? (Street games, organized
sports, music, dance, barbecues, etc.)

B. How do you identify and use the capacities and abilities of neighborhood young
people?

C. When children graduate from elementary, high school or college?

D. What does the neighborhood do to facilitate young people learning from the
knowledge of the adult residents?

3. Helping Your Neighbors

A. How do the neighbors encourage a tradition of local sharing? (Sharing food,
equipment, child support, advice etc.)

B. To grow food locally?

4. Using Special Skills and Capacities of Neighbors

A. How does the neighborhood identify the capacities that each neighbor has to
contribute to neighborhood improvement?

B. How do you identify and involve the connectors on your block?

5. Strengthening the Neighborhood

A. What do the neighbors do together for fun?

B. What are the activities that have increased neighbors’ sense of community and
experience of belonging?

6. Creating a Neighborhood Identity

A. How did your neighbors identify the geographic space that they feel is the boundary
where they are responsible for the well-being of people who live there?

B. How have your neighbors developed a tradition of greeting and talking to each other
when meeting on the street or across yards?

7. Insuring Inclusiveness

A. How does your neighborhood welcome new people?

B. How has your neighborhood found ways to recognize and celebrate the differences
among themselves? (Race, ethnicity, nationality, identity, gender, orientation etc.).

C. How do new neighbors learn about the community culture and how they can
participate?

New ABCD Publication: Bridging the Divide

A new report released by the Asset-Based Community Development Institute outlines strategies for reducing polarization at the neighborhood level. The report, entitled "Bridging the Divide: Strategies for Reducing Polarization at the Neighborhood Level" is the result of discussions between members of the institute and provides an overview of the various approaches that can be employed in order to reduce the increasing levels of polarization in many communities. The report provides an invaluable resource for any group looking to tackle the issue of polarization. It will be a sought-after tool for anyone wanting to promote understanding and collaboration within a local community.

View the document on the ABCD website.

Capacities and Capacity


By John Hamerlinck, 2023-05-22

ABCD is rooted in the belief that the capacities of community residents, leveraged with their collective relationships, can be organized to improve the quality of life of the community. Most people get the relationships part of this formula. They enjoy working with like-minded people, and understand the concept of "strength in numbers." They also understand the idea of capacities, or assets, as meaning the gifts, skills, and talents of all residents. The uncovering of the gifts of the hands, head, and heart is part of the appeal of asset mapping.

Capacity, however, seems to be more difficult for some folks to wrap their heads around. Community capacity, as it relates to community-building, is about producing desired results. Capacity is the ability to do something, to make something happen. 

We can get stuck thinking that we need some mysterious "critical mass" in order to achieve our goals. Sure, if you're looking at something that will be voted on, then you will need one more than 50% of the votes. For many small, but important projects, however, you can get positive results by connecting the capacities of small numbers of people. Achieving an ultimate goal often happens as a result of many tiny successes. If you are at 0, and your goal is 10, you don't necessarily need a plan to go from 1 to 10 in one giant step. Maybe the path to ten will be 2+8, or 4+6. 

Capacity has no magic number. Sometimes the assets two people is enough capacity. Other times you might need six people, or 41, or 13. Getting as many people as possible on board is nice, but getting just enough people to achieve a desired outcome is pretty good too.

Capacity also refers to the ability to understand something. The idea of community capacity suggests that there are multiple strategies to create community change, because different members of the community see issues from different perspectives. This is where capacity meets relationship. This is where ABCD is useful. ABCD reminds us to talk to the people on the margins. If your issue is homelessness, talk to homeless people to gain insight into possible solutions. If your challenges are in schools, ask students for ideas.

Don't get caught up in the numbers. You will find the capacity you require in the capacities you discover.

Georgia Tech Brooks Byers ISS Seeks Community-Engaged Research Director

ABCD Institute Steward Jennifer Hirsch and Director of Serve-Learn-Sustain at Georgia Institute of Technology would love to see someone with and ABCD orientation fill this position.

In support of the Georgia Tech Strategic Plan, which reemphasized and recommitted the Institute to sustainability in service to people and the communities in which they live, the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems (BBISS) is seeking to hire a leader that will help foster growth at Georgia Tech in community-engaged sustainability research. The Community-Engaged Research Director (CERD) will serve the academic and research faculty of Georgia Tech focused on sustainability, clean energy, public health, and social impact. This position directly supports the Institute’s research mission as it relates to the just, equitable, and sustainable development of communities, with an emphasis on, but not limited to, under-resourced communities in the state of Georgia and the surrounding Southeastern United States.

Working with Georgia Tech’s research community and other community engagement specialists, the Community-Engaged Research Director facilitates the development of research programs and projects that intentionally engage and benefit specific communities, and that are funded by local, state, or federal sponsors, foundations, etc. The Director works with investigators at Georgia Tech to understand their research and aspirations, and with communities to understand their assets, needs, and interests. They bring skills in both community engagement and research, and help facilitate and steward relationships among researchers and community partners. The position will be housed in the Brook Byers Institute of Sustainable Systems, serving as a key member of Georgia Tech’s sustainability research leadership team and collaborating closely with related interdisciplinary research institutes (IRIs), centers, and initiatives.

NEW LINK (UPDATED 4/3/23): Please see the following external link for job 256768.

https://careers.hprod.onehcm.usg.edu/psc/careers/CAREERS/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST_FL&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=03000&JobOpeningId=256768&PostingSeq=1

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