Bridging race and class for community revitalization

Not sure if this is the appropriate use of "conversations," but in Madison, WI, we are in need of ideas for how to initiate an AoH process that bridges deep class and racial divides that exist within many of our neighborhoods so that we can bring people together to address the root causes of increasing crime in many neighborhoods, including developing community driven (alternative?) neighborhood revitalization projects that meaningfully include those who are most vulnerable and provide working class/low income people with social and economic well being that realistically reflects the world we live in regarding structural inequality and pervasive downward mobility. Examples of the process by which others have successfully brought this type of diversity together and/or models of the type of neighborhood revitalization I've described would be most helpful. We're stuck in old ideas that don't get at root causes or lead to sustained change, and a benevolent expert culture here.

Replies to This Conversation

Permalink Reply by Tuesday Ryan-Hart on February 18, 2013 at 11:42am

Hi there Jeffrey,

What a great conversation! And it's really in the center of my inquiry/work right now.

Did you know that there is an AoH happening in Madison, WI next month - March 14-16? I'll be there and several of the folks in Madison have been talking about how we use AoH to work in our toughest issues, ie race and class. Maybe you can join us - http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/295433?