More than 60 individuals gathered together last week to discuss some of the issues that arise when living in diverse communities. The goal was to share ideas for developing inclusive practices within Cincinnati's neighborhoods.
Housing Opportunities Made Equal, in conjunction with a planning committee composed of various city and community partners, hosted a
diversity forum to work through a few of the issues and figure out solutions for some of the inequalities and exclusion practices that occur when people of different ethnicities, races, abilities, ages and socioeconomic statuses share space with one another.
“We’re so used to seeing people being negative and trying to keep folks out, that to have a room full of people who are trying to work really hard on inclusiveness and that’s it’s obviously important to them—just that positive energy is great,” says Elizabeth Brown, executive director of HOME. “And to hear from so many different neighborhoods—it’s that mutual support that you get knowing that other people feel the same way.”
Participants shared ideas about the changing faces of neighborhoods as they transition from places made up of homeowners to areas composed mostly of renters.
“Renters are really important for the neighborhood,” Brown says. “There’s a value to reaching out to them and making them feel welcome in the neighborhood—to make them want to stay there and to make it a long-term home.”
Community members also came away with the motivation to join together and start a community garden, and to follow in
Mt. Washington’s footsteps by creating what Brown refers to as “an old fashioned welcome-to-the-neighborhood book” to give to residents.
Since the 1960s, HOME has worked toward moving communities forward through integration; but Brown says it’s time to move to the next stage.
“You have the diverse neighborhoods, but they’re not necessarily inclusive where everyone feels that they’re part of a neighborhood,” Brown says. “We want to build these stable neighborhoods where people can take advantage of the diversity—we know it’s a good idea—we know it brings a lot to the people in the neighborhood.”
“It’s better for the kids to grow up in these diverse environments, but it’s not always easy; it’s not always comfortable, but people are hungry—how do you make it work? How do you make it better? People are getting out of their comfort zones and that’s a really good thing.”
Do Good:
• Attend a community council meeting to see who is speaking for your neighborhood.
• Talk to your neighbors.
• Promote inclusive practices by speaking up if someone is putting a neighbor down because of one's differences.
By Brittany York
Brittany York is a professor of English composition at the University of Cincinnati and a teacher at the Regional Institute of Torah and Secular Studies. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.