What Builds Community

A call to action for community collaboration and development.

(Note: Erik Clemons and ConnCAT will hold a public discussion of their plans for development in the Dixwell neighborhood, at the Stetson Branch Library, 200 Dixwell Ave., Wednesday starting at 6 p.m. Event details here. Click here for a previous story about the emerging effort to remake Dixwell Plaza.)

(Opinion) The most important parts of community are the things you can’t replace when they’re gone. 

It’s the smell of breakfast sandwiches in the morning wafting from the corner store three doors down. Or the sounds of laughter mixed with the unmistakable rhythm of two jump ropes strumming the cement during a game of double dutch. 

Try as you might, these parts of community can’t be replicated when generations of families and residents from a neighborhood are forced to relocate for reasons beyond their control. 

Throughout our country, and in areas throughout our state, we’ve seen what happens when urban planning projects bulldoze into a neighborhood with promises of inclusive revitalization. All too often, those promises go unkept and marginalized people from communities of color and low-income backgrounds are left out of a new and improved neighborhood. 

I’ve personally seen what happens when communities are mined for their resources with an utter disregard for the residents impacted. I know what happens when parents are left with the desperate need to make ends meet but no longer feel the security of home because the streets have been carved up to fit the needs of a more affluent resident. 

When ConnCAT launched the Connecticut Community Outreach and Revitalization Program (ConnCORP) it was with the distinct intention to protect the irreplaceable parts of community. Over the last year, we’ve worked with community leaders and held conversations with elected representatives to hold us accountable for that mission. We’ve asked hard questions about what it means to live up to the value that no work about community can happen without that community, and we’ve gotten invaluable answers that obligated us to act with urgency. 

As we move into the new year, we’re committed to living up to that obligation by reaching out to community members to ask for collaboration. 

I’m not ashamed to say we don’t have it all figured out. In some ways, that willingness to ask for support and receive it is what builds and fortifies community. In that, I’m eager to deepen the work we’ve committed to at ConnCAT for over almost a decade and extend our footprint to support more of New Haven. 

It’s no secret that we’ve taken an interest in the Dixwell corridor. We plan to invest in Dixwell in a way that restores the richness of its legacy and ensures that generations of New Haveners have vibrant memories of parades and community days the way that seasoned residents do. But we know our investment in the Dixwell neighborhood requires an intentional commitment to every single person who calls it home while ensuring a path to wealth creation, entrepreneurial support and the professional development that people have come to know and trust from ConnCAT. 

Building a vibrant future for the Dixwell community means acknowledging the history of those streets. For me, that’s what solidifies my commitment – knowing that what builds community isn’t just the brick and mortar that make up the homes and businesses. Instead, it’s the families and neighbors that play a role in creating the sounds and smells that personify each block. 

My work at ConnCAT and throughout the state has deepened my understanding of what’s possible when everyone is pulling in the same direction. It’s also sharpened my vision to see the various ways that even your best intentions can have unforeseen outcomes when your work isn’t an authentic representation of the communities you wish to serve. In service to Dixwell and New Haven at large, ConnCAT and ConnCORP remain committed to offering our best efforts and collaboration. We’re cemented in a culture of continuous improvement and we’re embedding that into everything we do.

If you’re familiar with our work, you’ve heard me talk about the importance of committing to a social contract — a mutual obligation to support and help each other succeed. I’m bringing every bit of that core value to our plans on Dixwell and I ask for your partnership in imagining what is possible for a brighter future. 

Dixwell Plaza has always been a vibrant hub of community and culture. And as we embark on this journey of responsible economic development, we’re eager to collaborate with residents and ensure that the future of the Dixwell neighborhood holds true to the legacy created by the generations of residents who have carved out a rich and unique footprint in their community. 

Our plans for investing in Dixwell come with high standards for persistent and intentional collaboration and engagement because that’s what builds community.