David Brown, Chief Preservation Officer of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, writes about the use of Historic Preservation in community revitalization. His article focuses on Detroit, as America’s new community development test kitchen. The Detroit neighborhood, Jefferson- Chalmers, recently earned a “National Treasure” distinction, which Brown speaks to a bit more here. It’s a great read and worth getting into if you live in a neighborhood with history (I bet you do).
WMATA Proposed Cuts Worry Residents
WMATA and it’s DC Metro have it tough. They are short money, but need to continue operating expensive mass transit facilities. We get it. We have worked with non profits and government agencies all over. Shoe string budgets are not fun.
But we caution against moving forward with a plan like the one described in this Washington Post article by Martine Powers, The 20 stations Metro could close during off- peak hours to save money are mostly in communities of color
Of course, we have an idea to help with that budget shortfall.
Give us a call, WMATA.
Georgetown University & Unsung Heroes
The Washington Post did a spotlight on an effort initiated by Georgetown University students to bridge a divide between students and campus staff, through a project called “Unsung Heroes.” In the vein of social media accounts like Humans of New York, Unsung Heroes provides quick spotlights of familiar faces around campus. The only difference? They are all of the workers who keep their universities running behind the scenes. Cashiers, bus drivers, janitors, etc.
Each of those workers has a story. Many of them are immigrants, and their collective histories of war and flight and families left behind offer a master class in geopolitics. No tuition needed.- Petula Dvorak, Washington Post reporter
On Our Shelves
Currently on our shelves and highly recommended:
- Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America- Jill Leovy
- Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City- Matthew Desmond
- Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis- J.D. Vance
What are you reading?
Two Speed Recovery: Detroit and Beyond
The New York Times published a piece investigating the recovery of Detroit, outlining the two distinct worlds the city’s recovery has created and exacerbated. But this story isn’t exclusive to Detroit. As American cities bounce back from the recession, two very separate worlds are taking hold in cities all across the nation. Whether you’re in Washington, DC, San Francisco, or Columbus, Ohio it is clear that not everyone in our recovering cities are actually recovering.
We Need an Inclusive Economy
These are th
e sort of things that make us proud to be a Benefit Corp.
“We need an inclusive economy. To create an inclusive economy requires that we prioritize, measure, and manage the diversity and inclusivenes of our businesses, our supply chains, our investments, and our B Corp community.
In short, we must lead on inclusion to be credible leaders of a global movement of people using business as a force for good.”
Currently on Our Shelves
Currently on our shelves and highly recommended:
- The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness- Michelle Alexander
- Encyclical on Climate Change & Inequality: On Care for our Common Home- Pope Francis
- Root Shock: How Tearing up City Neighborhoods Hurts America and What We Can Do About It- Mindy Thompson Fullilove
What are you reading these days?
Root + Branch 