BRIDGES looks forward to bridge-building in Queensgate

Seeds of change are stirring for human relations organization, BRIDGES for a Just Community. At the end of December, the organization will move its offices from the fourth floor of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (NURFC) to 644 Linn St. in Queensgate near the West End.

Operating since 1944, the non-profit’s inclusion work centers around equipping people with ways to engage and develop relationships that transform the region into a more equitable and just community.

BRIDGES’ CEO and President, Lynnette Heard, believes that strengthening community linkages with neighboring areas—Price Hill, Western Hills and West End, urban hubs with many schools, religious centers and other non-profits—will help the organization carry out its mission more effectively.

“We see some synergy connecting with our non-profit neighbors to help continue to build capacity,” says Heard. “We think that this is a great opportunity to operate fully our educational programs with BRIDGES, as well as our Public Allies program in one location where parking is free, the location is on a bus line and it is located nearby an area that we are very supportive of serving and having a presence.”

For Heard, BRIDGES’ strengthened presence means being responsive to inequality issues. She intends to direct energies toward youth, citing that between grades 3 to 6 is when many children experience barriers to success.

“One of the barriers that we have found has been children not learning effectively in an environment,” Heard explains.

In BRIDGES’ 2012 Human Relations Progress Report only 11 percent of respondents said Cincinnati was welcoming and inclusive. “We still have gaps in reaching a variety of individuals who don’t necessarily feel that they are a part of everyday life in this community,” Heard says, “so what we look to do is to reach out to synagogues, to mosques, to temples, to churches, to schools and other non-profit organizations to say, ‘What can we all do working together to include everyone at the table of opportunity?’”

For the past 20 months, NURFC (which merged with the Cincinnati Museum Center in July) was BRIDGES’ home. Both organizations say they will remain close partners and collaborate on future programs.

“BRIDGES pursues an important mission, and we are pleased they found a new location to suit their purposes,” says Elizabeth Pierce, vice president of marketing and communications for CMC and NURFC. “As the Freedom Center continues on its path toward financial sustainability, it became necessary to identify new ways to increase revenue.”

In April, BRIDGES hosted a race forum in response to Trayvon Martin’s death and violence directed at African-American males. Heard says BRIDGES will revisit the topic in early 2013 and continue to host community dialogues. “We want to be relevant, we want to evolve and we want to make certain that as an organization we are tapping on the pulse of the city—knowing that as issues arises, BRIDGES is there to help respond.”

Do Good:

• Like Bridges on Facebook.

• Find out more about the Public Allies program that BRIDGES administrates.

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By Mildred Fallen