Westside Communities Alliance

A partnership between Atlanta's westside communities and institutions of higher education.

How Community Matters: The Nexus of Education, Communities & Housing

by

How Community Matters: The Nexus of Education, Communities & Housing

“Can it be good business to do the right thing?” That was the question posed at the end of March’s Atlanta Regional Housing Forum.

The forum’s introduction:
The academic achievement gap between poor and non-poor students is well-known. Low-income children consistently fall behind their peers in test scores, graduation rates, college enrollment, and other measures of academic success. In many cases, low- and moderate-income families cannot afford to live near high-performing, high-scoring schools. A growing body of examples demonstrates that building partnerships between schools, families, affordable housing stakeholders and community organizations can reconnect schools to their communities and improve educational achievements for young people.

Increase in partnerships between schools, families, and community organizations help to develop targeted educational programs and supports and increase access to services and opportunities to ensure that children succeed in school and are prepared for adult success. Likewise, partnerships have the opportunity to change traditional paradigms and improve school systems; in tough neighborhoods, and especially in large urban areas, schools can become disconnected from other assets, isolated from community leadership and concerns, and fragmented in their approach to young people’s development. Moreover, besides for directly affecting the lives of individuals and families, young people’s educational success is important to the economic success of neighborhoods and cities.

WCA Staff regularly attends the forum and this one hit particularly close to home. Carol Naughton, Senior Vice President of Purpose Built Communities spoke about community redevelopment through the East Lake Foundation. The creation of a mixed-income community has reduced violent crime in the East Lake community by 95%, reduced the amount of adults on welfare from 59% to 5%, and significantly increased CRCT scores and graduation rates for Drew Charter School students.

Naughton’s biggest message was about the relationship between housing and a child’s achievement and how youth achievement determines the future of an area. Currently, 1 in 10 Americans live in poverty and 1 in 4 children live in poverty. 86% of third grade children in concentrated poverty cannot read at grade level. Third grade reading levels are used to predict the number of prison beds needed, health outcomes, and other projections. She claims that tackling poverty issues is not only morally or socially just, it makes economic sense considering that the nation currently spends $500 billion on childhood poverty.

Marjy Stagmire, President of TI Asset Management, spoke about her residential property management experience in Clarkston, Georgia and her partnership with the local elementary school. In 5 years, Indian Creek Elementary saw a reduction in crime, a successful after-school program, and became a Title I School of Distinction. The Willow Branch apartments were purchased with $10 million of investment money and produced a 15% return on investment. Stagmire notes that these successes weren’t without challenges along the way. Yet, in the end, she was able to aid a struggling community and please her investors. She answers the question of “Can it be good business to do the right thing?” with a “yes”, cautioning that it is essential to be aware of the existing relationships when you come into a place.

Suggested readings from Enterprise Community Partners are:
Sustainable Communities Need Opportunity-Rich Schools: A Smart Growth Imperative – Future_of_Communities_SGN

The Positive Impacts of Affordable Housing on Education: A Research Summary – Housing_and_Education_Enterprise

Maximizing Walkability, Diversity, and Educational Equity in US Schools – Walkability_and_Diversity_PolicyLink

Read more about the Atlanta Regional Housing Forum here:

http://www.atlantaregionalhousing.org/forum/ 

Africa Atlanta 2014 Initiative

by

http://www.news.gatech.edu/2014/02/04/tech-launches-africa-atlanta-2014-initiative

Arts and culture, innovation, and entrepreneurship — these aren’t concepts that typically come to mind when Americans think of Africa.

Africa Atlanta

Click image to enlarge

The full schedule of Africa Atlanta 2014 events is available at www.africaatlanta.org.

But a Georgia Tech-led initiative has ambitious goals to recast narrow and negative perceptions about the continent and highlight Atlanta as a center for action.

The idea for Africa Atlanta 2014 grew out of a conversation over lunch one day when Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts Dean Jacqueline Royster learned that the Royal Museum of Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium, was closing for renovation and was willing to have pieces from its spectacular collection tour outside of Belgium.

She immediately set about finding partners and funding to bring to Atlanta an exhibition that was being curated for a U.S. tour, KONGO across the WATERS.

“From our start in 2012, we’ve found tremendous enthusiasm for this project,” Royster said. “The arts became our pebble in the pond.”

The ripple spread across universities, visual and performing arts organizations, African Diaspora heritage communities, governmental organizations and agencies (local, state, national, and international), nongovernmental organizations, business, and industry.

Taking a cue from the highly successful model for France-Atlanta, Royster chose a holistic approach and included activities spanning not only arts and culture, but education, business and innovation, and global affairs.

“The idea is to see the arts as a lens for understanding cultures more robustly within a global context,” she said. “We are thrilled to have one of the world’s foremost collections of African art to anchor this initiative. We are also thrilled to add many other amazing artistic and cultural activities.”

Campus sponsors include the Office of the Provost, Office for Institute Diversity, Office of International Education, College of Architecture, Scheller College of Business, Office of International Initiatives, College of Science, Institute of Paper Science and Technology, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, the IAC School of Literature, Media, and Communication, and the IAC School of Modern Languages.

Events across the city are already underway. Upcoming campus events include the
following:

  • Mapping Place: Africa Beyond Paper (Feb. 28-May 17): An exhibition exploring the changing representation and projection of space that has shaped our approach to Africa at the Robert C. Williams Paper Museum. Admission is free.
  • Shuffle, Shake, and Shatter by Sanford Biggers (March 28): A multimedia film suite exploring the formation and dissolution of identity at the Ferst Center for the Arts. Tickets are $15 for the general public.
  • Africa Beyond Africa: The Future of Cultural, Social, and Scientific Research Conference (May 16-17): This event will focus on challenges museums face today including uses of science and technology for presentation and representation. See www.africaatlanta.org for registration fees and details.
  • KONGO across the WATERS (May 17-Sept. 21): Art and artifacts from the Royal Museum for Central Africa explore connections between the art and culture of the Kongo peoples and African-American art in the United States at Jimmy Carter Library and Museum. Tickets are $8.

View the full schedule of events here.

Related Links

Contact Information

Rebecca Keane
Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts

Westside Connectivity Studio

by

Tracks

http://www.connect.gatech.edu/

Twelve students, Bruce Gunter, and I are eager to share with you the questions, issues, and ideas we are having about our study area, which is a one mile radius around the Atlanta Falcons new stadium site. We are seeking ways to connect the needs of the neighborhoods, the governmental agencies, and the private sector developers with the resources that are being spent in ways that all impacted can benefit. Our work falls into four broad categories:

  • Jobs, community development, and housing
  • Transportation, including walking, cycling, transit, roads, and parking
  • Land use and urban design, including walkability, active uses along major streets, historic and cultural celebration, and public safety
  • The environment framework, including topography, storm water, soil conditions, health impacts, and park and green space opportunities

We are a little past the midpoint of our effort, where the first half was dedicated to exploring how impending investments might benefit the communities, both meeting  citizen quality of life needs and physical improvements. At this point, we have more questions than answers about all the many issues in play, and we need widespread and diverse guidance from the various interests who care about this part of the city. So far we have participated in meetings large and small with a wide range of individuals and groups; we have read up on all the studies that have gone before; and we have studied what others do in other places. We have tried to group our findings in ways that make sense and that facilitate your guidance and feedback.

– Michael Dobbins, FAIA, FAICP

To see notes from the October 30th presentations, click below:

Connectivity Studio Presentation_October302013.

“How Can Colleges and Universities Engage in Community Development: A Communities Perspective.”

by

You’re invited to attend the first Westside Communities Alliance (WCA) Discussion Forum entitled “How Can Colleges and Universities Engage in Community Development: A Communities Perspective.” 

Event Flyer: WCA_Panel_Nov15

The forum will take place Friday afternoon, November 15th, 3:00-5:00pm at 590 North Avenue NW, Atlanta, 30318. We are pleased to have Dr. Harley Etienne, one of the founders of the Westside Communities Alliance and author of Pushing Back the Gates: Neighborhood Perspectives on University-Driven Revitalization in West Philadelphia moderating the discussion.

The City of Atlanta has prioritized the development of the Westside through a commitment to support the new Atlanta Falconʼs stadium, advances with the BeltLineʼs Westside Trail, and more. There are at least seven colleges and universities located in West Atlanta, and more than half of all Atlanta college students are educated on the Westside. We believe hearing Westside community voices and understanding resident perspectives is essential for lasting community transformation. Through this forum the WCA seeks to provide a platform for community organizations and active residents to share concerns, interests, and wishes for responsible partnerships with Atlantaʼs area colleges and universities. Together, we believe, we can bring about community transformation that has lasting benefits across all Westside communities.

The WCA provides a mechanism for sustained partnerships with city officials, relevant funders, higher education institutions and community stakeholders. Together, we can develop comprehensive solutions for complex community challenges. Together, we can rebuild thriving urban neighborhoods on Atlantaʼs westside. Together, we can do better.

Combating America’s Food Deserts

by

Check out this recent report from Marion Phillips, a second year Master of City and Regional Planning Candidate in the College of Architecture at Georgia Tech. It includes striking maps, like the one shown below, which investigate the presence of “food deserts” in Atlanta. Looking beyond our city, it draws on lessons learned from other parts of the country to address the scarcity of healthy, fresh food in many communities. Download the full report here: Combating America’s Food Deserts. Thanks for sharing Marion, and great work!

Grocery Map