by Ashley Bean Thornton
I love that Waco is small-big town or maybe a big-small city. We are small enough that rush hour is still more like “rush 15-minutes” and big enough to have a public radio station to listen to if you happen to get stuck at a light. (Thank you KWBU!) We are small enough that I run into people I know at the grocery store, and big enough that I meet new people with new ideas every day. We are a great size for a city…umm…town…umm…whatever…
Of course there are some challenges with being big-small. As sort of a “small town,” we might be tempted to believe that we all have the same ideas about what Waco should be, and how to go about getting there. In fact, we are big enough and diverse enough that there are many ideas about Waco. We need to make a point of listening to each other to pull those varied ideas together into one coherent vision. On the other hand, as sort of a “big city” we might be tempted to lapse into “big city apathy”– the unfortunate habit of letting “them” make all the decisions and then getting mad at “them” when “they” do something we don’t like. In fact, we are small enough that almost any of us could organize a group of like-minded residents and influence just about any decision being made in our city/town.
Because we are small-ish we all have the very real opportunity and responsibility to participate in the discussions and decisions that shape our community. Because we are big-ish, we need to take communication and participation seriously. It doesn’t just happen automatically. We have to be intentional about it. Our local government, school district and other institutions need to continue to provide opportunities for input, to make sure those opportunities are accessible to a wide range of people, and to publicize those opportunities far and wide in plenty of time for people to plan to participate. “We the people” need to take full advantage of the numerous opportunities available to us to join in the civic conversation. (The phrase “use it or lose it” comes to mind.) Here are a few ideas for doing that:
Participate in city planning with the new “Plan Greater Waco” on-line site at wacoplan.mindmixer.com. – The City of Waco and the Waco Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) are working right now on long-term plans that will shape and guide Waco for the next 10, 20, 30 years. The “Plan Greater Waco” site is open for everyone in the community to pitch ideas and give feedback on topics like “What are the three most important challenges facing Waco and McLennan County that we need to address between now and 2040?” and “What are our best resources that we should build on to strengthen our community?” On the site, you can give your own input, and see and comment on what your fellow residents are saying. It’s easy, and fun, and your feedback goes directly to the folks in the planning office.
Get involved with “Prosper Waco.” – Prosper Waco is our community-wide initiative to address challenges related to the high rate of poverty in Waco. Those guiding this initiative have wisely adopted a holistic approach of simultaneously working on health, education and financial stability. The initiative is designed based on the “Collective Impact” philosophy that calls for all of us to work together on a common agenda. Prosper Waco has been years in the making and has already benefitted from the input of many, many voices. If you would like to receive updates about the progress of Prosper Waco, send a note expressing your interest and requesting to be placed on the distribution list to [email protected].
Keep an eye out for town hall meetings and information sessions, and go! – Our various institutions – the city, the school district, the public health district, Waco Transit etc. – regularly hold town hall meetings and public information sessions for the express purpose of getting more community input into issues that affect our community. Even in this age of Facebook and Twitter, going to meeting is still a great way to get to know like-minded and different-minded neighbors, and to get to know the people who work for you in the various city, school-district, county and other public offices. Two great places to find out about meetings are the Waco Trib and Actlocallywaco.org. If you hear about a meeting that sounds important and interesting make it a habit to call a friend or neighbor and go!
Serve on a board, commission or committee – The civic work of our big-small community gets done to a large extent by boards, commissions and committees. There are over 30 boards and commissions listed on the City of Waco website and they welcome applications from every Waco resident. In addition to city boards and commissions, every non-profit in town has a board to help plan its work and committees to help carry out that work. Participation on one of these boards can give you a whole new appreciation for what is required to build a great community. Not sure you have the skills to serve on a board? Consider applying to participate in “Leadership Plenty,” a free 10-week leadership development program available to Wacoans who want to prepare themselves for effective civic participation. For more information, google “Leadership Plenty Institute Waco.”
Waco is a terrific place to live. We are big enough to dream audaciously, and small enough to know that we have to depend on each other and work together to make those dreams come true. A big “Thanks!” to all of you who are already working hard to make our community great. If you haven’t gotten involved yet, there’s no time like the present for joining in! Start with something small like leaving a comment on the wacoplan.mindmixer.com site or going to a meeting. Before you know it, you will be the one inviting others to the party!
This Act Locally Waco blog post is by Ashley Bean Thornton, the Manager of the www.www.actlocallywaco.org website and the editor of the Friday Update newsletter. The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
by Pat Atkins
The seven of us settle around the conference table into what have become our quasi-assigned seats. There’s no food. No drinks– except for those who have brought their own cup of coffee. Some have brought thick binders of documents. Others have in front of them only the papers to be reviewed at this morning’s meeting. Each of us quietly looks over the agenda, as we have done almost every Wednesday morning at 7:30 am, since the middle of February.
The meeting begins, and Dr. Roland Goertz reports on a Houston-based foundation that has approached us about committing resources to a community engagement strategy and participatory research aimed at “understanding and including the perspectives of the intended beneficiaries in program development.” The seven begin a thoughtful discussion of the offer and where it fits into the larger framework of Prosper Waco.
Many of you have likely heard of “Prosper Waco,” the community’s collective impact initiative focusing on issues of education, health, and financial security. Over the past year, you may have heard the statistics:
- 40% of households in Waco earn less than $25,000 per year;
- 45% of Waco’s unemployed are between the ages of 16 & 24;
- The median income in our community for individuals with only a high school degree is about $15,000 per year; that same median doubles to $30,000 per year, if the individual obtains an associate’s degree.
However, you are probably not familiar with the activity and planning that’s quietly taking place every week, far away from the spotlight.
The initial board of directors of Prosper Waco (Dr. Goertz, CEO of the Family Health Center, Mayor Malcolm Duncan, former Mayor Virginia DuPuy, businessman Bill Clifton, Providence Health Network CEO Brett Esrock, Rappoport Foundation Executive Director Tom Stanton, and I) are thoughtfully and deliberately laying the foundation for an initiative that will truly transform our city.
Since February, this group has:
- Participated in a SOAR (strengths, opportunities, aspirations, results) strategic planning process;
- Hosted community meetings on the initiative’s vision & mission statement;
- Adopted a Vision: Waco, Texas. Empowering every member of our community to maximize his or her potential.
- Adopted a Mission Statement: To build an environment in which all members of our Waco community are able to measurably improve their education, health, and financial security.
- Discussed the “backbone” organization which will assist with data collection; communications, and organizational demands;
- Formed a non-profit corporation and filed an application for recognition as a 501(c)(3) organization by the IRS;
- Drafted Bylaws to govern the organization;
- Adopted a preliminary 3-year budget and began securing commitments to fund the work of the backbone and community projects;
- Secured funds from the City of Waco & local foundations to assist with initial operations and organizational work;
- Selected a name for the initiative, with input from the community;
- Defined the framework of the three steering committees who will be charged with developing specific metrics and initiatives in each of the three key areas: education, health, and financial security;
- Developed over-arching, synergistic metrics to help define the work of the steering committees;
- Worked with a communications consultant on e-mail updates to almost 200 Waco citizens who have already expressed interest in one or more of the three areas;
- Worked with our communications consultant on the initial design of a logo and tagline;
- Developed the structure of an expanded board of directors, including ensuring meaningful participation from the community to be served;
- Made presentations to the Waco City Council Budget & Audit Committee and the board of directors of the Greater Waco Community Education Alliance;
- Retained the services of Baylor faculty to lead separate focus groups of business leaders and families living in poverty to secure their input on the direction of the initiative;
- Drafted a job description for the Executive Director; and
- Hired a search consultant to help us find the right individual to lead this effort.
If you were an observer attending a meeting of this group, you would witness an energy, level of commitment, and thoughtfulness unmatched by any committee or board on which I’ve served. You would see dynamic individuals, approaching this work with solemnity and incredible attention to detail. One member set the tone at an early meeting, stating matter-of-factly that this may be our only opportunity to address these issues on this scale, and if we don’t get this right, we may not get another chance for 20 or 30 years.
Each member has the confidence to speak up when they disagree, and the true humility to accept another’s point of view without getting defensive or feeling attacked. There is a sincere and mutual respect among the members. Every member comes to the meeting prepared, and there are countless e-mails between meetings sharing articles and case studies.
What is taking place and what is coming together is real. It is clear that everyone in that room and many in the community understand the need to convey and nurture a sense of hope within the community. Everyone recognizes the unique circumstances that have aligned the City, Waco ISD, Baylor University, the community foundations, the business community, and so many others into recognizing that these barriers must be addressed if we are to grow our community. This is not about charity. It is a vision that recognizes we can address education, health, and financial security in a manner that allows the entire community to benefit and grow.
It has been an honor to be a small part of this process.
The next steps are to hire an executive director, convene the steering committees to do the actual work, and to officially roll-out the framework of Prosper Waco early next year!
This Act Locally Waco blog post is by Pat Atkins. Pat is President of the Waco ISD school board and has served on the board since 2002. He is a partner in the law firm of Tekell & Atkins, LLP. He completely out-married himself, and he and his wife Sandy have three children, Benjamin (who lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina), Alexandra (a senior at the University of Texas), and Nick (a sophomore at Waco High.) If you would like to receive email updates regarding the progress of Prosper Waco, please send a note to [email protected] expressing your interest.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
by Ashley Bean Thornton
On October 27 last year I used this blog-space to say how excited I was that the City of Waco was hiring the W.J. Upjohn institute to do a study of income and employment in Waco. The folks from Upjohn delivered their report to the City of Waco on May 16. Since that time I’ve read through the “Upjohn Report” several times. It’s pretty complicated, and I’ve been struggling to find a way to mentally process it.
In the course of the last few years I have heard several theories about why our rate of poverty in Waco is so high. It occurred to me that one way to try to process the Upjohn report would be to see to what extent it seems to confirm or deny these theories. So, here goes. Here are six theories on why the rate of poverty is so high in Waco, and what I think the Upjohn report has to say about them. Note: throughout the report Upjohn puts economic information about Waco in the context of how we compare to nine peer Metropolitan Statistical Areas, or MSA’s, throughout Texas. Those nine MSAs are: Abilene, Amarillo, College Station – Bryan, Killeen-Temple, Lubbock, Odessa, San Angelo, Tyler, and Wichita Falls.
Theory 1: People just aren’t looking for work. – This does not seem to be the case. According to the report, “The good news is that in the City of Waco labor participation rates are relatively strong. This is especially true for the city’s Hispanic population. More than 70 percent of the city of Waco’s Hispanic working-age adults are in the labor force—either employed or looking for work (Figure 17). The participation rate for African American residents of the city is lower, 62.4 percent; however, it is higher than the average for the reporting peer MSAs, 56.0 percent” (p19).
Theory 2: We don’t have enough jobs. – It does seem clear that we are not adding jobs as fast as the rest of Texas, and we are also slightly behind our peer communities in this regard. Here’s a statement from the report that seems to apply: “Employers, the demand side of the area’s labor market, are generating employment opportunities, but not at the pace required to pull substantial numbers of residents out of poverty” (P. 13).
Theory 3: A high percentage of our jobs are low-paying jobs. – This seems to be true, not only for us but for our peer communities. Here’s a quote: “As shown by three separate data sets, employers in the Waco MSA and its peer MSAs appear to be seeking a relatively high number of unskilled workers” (P. 15). It is assumed that these jobs, since they do not require much skill, will generally be low-paying jobs.
Theory 4: A high percentage of our workers are only qualified for low-paying jobs. – This seems to be an important part of the problem. According to the report, “It has been repeatedly shown that education matters for income growth (Figure 4). More than 36 percent of the individuals who are living in poverty conditions did not complete high school (Figure 5). But, you can’t stop only at high school. High school completers account for 26 percent of the persons living within 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. What is disturbing is that nearly a quarter of the city’s impoverished population completed some college or has an associate’s degree. While the data do not allow us to separate out the associate degree holders from individuals who attended but did not complete their college degrees, it is very likely that most of the individuals who are struggling in poverty are noncompleters. Clearly the importance of educational attainment cannot be understated” (p. 7). For the purposes of this report, Upjohn and the City of Waco agreed to define “in poverty” as having a household income of less than 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. If I am adding up the numbers correctly, the preceding statement is telling us is that somewhere around 85% of the people in Waco who fit that definition of “in poverty” have an Associate’s degree or less, with the vast majority of them having less.
Theory 5: You get paid less in Waco for doing the same job someplace else. – According to the report, this is not a big part of the problem. Here’s the statement: “Finally, in many of the conversations conducted with area community and business stakeholders, a shared perception was that Waco employers pay lower wages, in general, than other locations. As shown in Table 6, Waco area wages are generally lower than state levels, especially for some key occupations such as industrial production managers, welders, and first-line supervisors; however, they are higher for licensed practical nurses and plumbers. Although not shown, we compared Waco’s occupational wage rates with those of the nine peer metropolitan areas and found no significant differences. While it is true that wages in Waco may be modestly lower than in larger metropolitan areas in the state, so is cost of living in the city. In short, it does not appear that wages, in general, are a problem in attracting qualified workers.” (P. 17).
Theory 6: As soon as people start earning more money, they move out of Waco to the surrounding suburbs. – The Upjohn Report does not address this issue. The only thing in the report that might even touch on this idea is a Venn diagram on page 22 of the report that shows Metropolitan Waco Commuting patterns. According to the diagram there are over 67,000 people who are working in Waco but living outside of Waco. Are these higher wage earners who work in Waco but live in neighboring communities? Possibly, but the Upjohn report does not comment on that possibility.
There is much, much more information in the report than what I have offered here. I’m still processing what it all means. I’d love for you to read it and let me know what you think are the most important points. Here’s the link again, let me know what you figure out: The Upjohn Report. Let’s get a conversation going!
This Act Locally Waco blog post is by Ashley Bean Thornton, the Manager of the www.www.actlocallywaco.org website and the editor of the Friday Update newsletter. The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
by Kelsey Miller
Do you eat paleo? Primal? Local? Organic? Gluten-free? Refined sugar-free? Vegetarian? Pescatarian? Vegan? South Beach Diet? Atkins? Hunter-gatherer? Fast food junkie?
Or are you overwhelmed by what appears to be an ever-evolving set of messages about what is healthy, what our bodies were created to eat, and how to make good food choices? Americans are inundated with messaging that tells us we’re never getting it quite right with food, even as we are sold the “silver bullet” to good health and nutrition. As a nation, our diet-related health outcomes are worse than ever. Healthy eating enthusiasts have, at turns, said fat was making us fat, and then reversed that decision. It’s healthier to avoid meat, or it’s healthier to eat lots of meat. Carbs are the enemy; whole grains are essential to good health. Sugar is the devil; sugar is not really so bad in moderation. All of these developments and disagreements have emerged in just the past few decades or so. Even for the conscious consumer with enough income for flexibility in choice, the sheer number of choices and the ever-increasing volume of conflicting information is maddening.
How has our culture so deeply complicated one of the simplest and most basic human activities – eating? Writers much more skilled than I have contemplated these big questions at great length – check out Michael Pollan, Marion Nestle, Raj Patel, and Michael Bittman if you want to read more. But I’m more interested in this issue at the practical level – we are inundated by information (and misinformation) about healthy eating; how then shall we live? How can Waco become a better place for all people to eat and thrive, even when we don’t have all the right definitions or answers?
Let me be the first to admit, I am overwhelmed. I love fresh fruits and veggies, try to eat only meat, fish, and dairy raised ethically, and have had the privilege of growing my own food (and food for my community) as a former produce intern at World Hunger Relief, Inc. And yet…
And yet I still frequently find myself at a loss for what to eat in a pinch, how to make good choices with limited time and energy, and how to consistently make healthy food culture a part of my life. I often fail to eat healthy. I often struggle with this question of, do I have to eat healthy at all times in order to recommend it in the community at large? My professional mission – which interweaves with my personal mission in many ways – is to advocate for and strengthen programs and policies which increase children’s access to healthy foods. What if as advocates we were more open about the fact that none of us – or at least very few – get it all right when it comes to healthy eating?
Occasionally, I’ll try an experiment where I ask people from different backgrounds how they define healthy eating or good nutrition. In my limited, unscientific experience, very few people answer with any real confidence, regardless of their education or income level.
If you’re a student, how many times in the last month have you gone to a class or meeting and been offered free candy, cookies, or donuts?
If you’ve visited a food pantry recently, how much of your box was full of canned and packaged goods, with long ingredient lists, and few whole, fresh items?
If you’re working and attend many meetings, how many lunches have you been to recently where barbecue, meat-heavy dishes, or fast food was offered?
I do not seek to demonize any of these choices and realities (I have a particular weakness for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups…), but rather to suggest, aren’t we all kidding ourselves if we think only folks with low incomes struggle to make healthy food choices on a regular basis? Whether it’s the tyrant of Too Busy or the tyrant of Too Much Information, many of us feel helpless in our knowledge of what is truly healthy food, and in our ability to acquire, prepare, and eat such foods.
As I write this blog post at my desk, I’ve finished my lunch of roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, and watermelon, all packed in a reusable, BPA-free container. But here’s the wrench: I washed it all down with a carbonated soda in a – gasp! – Styrofoam cup. Does this make me a bad person? Does the fact that I have an on-again, off-again relationship with soda even when I know it is bad for me make my advice or recommendations moot?
If all of us “food people,” as I sometimes hear myself referred to around town, opened up about our own struggles to make healthy choices, I wonder if it might change the conversation. Would that vulnerability welcome more folks into the conversation about how to ensure all have access to healthy food? I am convinced that it is not people with low-incomes alone who need “education” on nutrition and healthy eating, as I so often hear well-intentioned people say. It is all of us. Despite cleverly curated Pinterest boards, how many of us really know how to cook simple and healthy meals anymore, or feel like we can make a healthy choice under pressure at most restaurants? What if we could embark on a journey of healthy eating all together, as a community, instead of drawing arbitrary lines in the sand about who needs education and support? Because if I’m being honest, that neon fast food sign looks pretty appetizing during my short lunchtime…and I, too, need encouragement and solidarity from my community to make better choices.
Kelsey Miller blogs for Act Locally Waco about Food Security and related issues. She is a Child Hunger Outreach Specialist at Texas Hunger Initiative’s Waco Regional Office. Kelsey is also a team member for the CHAMPS grant. The CHAMPS project aims to equip city leaders, anti-hunger groups, and the broader community to more effectively combat child hunger with the help of summer and afterschool meal programs.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
By Ashley Bean Thornton
Listen to the chatter on the street in Waco right now and this is what you will hear: “Have you been to the new stadium yet?” “Did you go to the first game?” “Amazing, right?!?”
You could probably throw a rock anywhere in Waco and hit fifteen people who are more devoted football fans than I am. But, despite my un-partriotically lukewarm attitude toward the national sport of Texas, I can’t help but be impressed by McLane Stadium. Wow! If you have to watch a football game, that is one fine place to do it!
Like about nine million other Baylor alums (give or take a few), I couldn’t resist snapping a pic of the new stadium and posting it on Facebook. A friend of mine commented on my post, “Does George Jetson have his own parking space?” His comment summed up what I was feeling when I took the picture. Gleaming on the banks of the Brazos, McLane Stadium looks like the future.
Do you think ten years ago there was someone…some starry-eyed, Pollyanna-ish, naïve Baylor supporter….imagining that in ten years the talk of the town would be “sail-gating” at the new on-campus, on-the-river stadium?
Think about it…Ten years ago, in 2004, no one I knew had heard the name “RG3.” Art Briles was happily racking up wins down the road in Houston. Baylor was coming off one disappointing season (3 wins, 9 losses), and heading into another (3 wins, 8 losses). Do you think there was anyone anywhere imagining that in ten years we would be hearing people say, like ESPN said recently, “Few college football cathedrals can match McLane … They don’t have to dream anymore on BU’s campus. All the pieces are in place to cement a spot among the nation’s best, year in and year out”? Really, do you think anyone back then was imagining we would be hearing that kind of pro-Baylor-speak from the TV sports people?
Yes, I think there were people who were imagining that very thing.
Even when it looked wildly improbable, there must have been people who expected we would get here. Yes, when they talked about it their friends rolled their eyes and smiled indulgently, but they kept talking about it anyway. When things looked like they were getting worse instead of better, they still promoted their vision every chance they got. Even when it was embarrassing and people were tired of hearing about it, they kept plugging away. They must’ve been constantly on the alert to seize opportunities, to put a piece in place here, another piece in place there until finally all the pieces came together. I’m pretty sure if there hadn’t been people like that then, we wouldn’t be hearing people say things like, “Awesome!” and “Fabulous!” now.
So, with great appreciation for the football visonaries of 10 years ago, and with our new shiny “cathedral” on the river as inspiration, let’s talk about the kinds of things we believe people could be saying in Waco ten years from now – in 2024:
“We thought about moving out of town, but we stayed for the schools.” — Ten years from now our school system is a magnet drawing people into Waco and keeping them here. College professors and employers are raving about Waco ISD grads. “They’re so well prepared.” “They know how to think.” “They’re such terrific problem solvers.” Our very own WISD grads are the technicians, engineers, health providers, teachers, artists and entrepreneurs who are pushing the Waco economy to new heights.
“I found a great job in Waco!” – The businesses we have now are expanding and hiring. Businesses and industry from other places have moved into Waco and started hiring. Our hometown entrepreneurs are growing and hiring. College grads are looking here first to start their careers. I imagine sitting on the plane from Dallas to Waco, overhearing the person sitting behind me tell her companion, “Waco is a great place to work. There are all kinds of new opportunities cropping up all the time. You’ll be glad you came.”
“This is such an easy town to be healthy in.” — I heard someone say this once about Austin, in the future we’ll be saying it about Waco. I envision healthy food readily accessible everywhere in town, in every neighborhood. Even hard-case fast food junkies like me will be giving in to peer pressure and starting to eat healthy. Parks, bike lanes, trails, and gyms will be bustling with activity as we have fun, get to know each other, and get fit all at the same time.
“How about if I meet you downtown somewhere? We can decide what to do when we get there.” — Ten years from now, people will be taking for granted that there’s always something great to do downtown. Downtown will be our gathering place, the hub of our community, the place where we run into our neighbors and friends, the place where we meet new people. It will be bubbling with enterprise, diversity, art, ideas, and great food! Businesses will be fighting for spots on Austin and Elm and 25th Street. Downtown residents will be enjoying their morning cups of coffee as they walk or bike to work.
“Let’s just take the bus.” – In ten years, people of all different income levels will be taking full advantage of our excellent public transportation system. We will all be enjoying the option to ride the bus to work, or to the doctor, or to meet friends to hear some music downtown. This freedom of movement will open up new job opportunities for many of us. We’ll be healthier, our streets will be less congested, our air will be cleaner, and we’ll be saving money because of it.
And, finally, the best thing we’ll be hearing in Waco in 2024…
“I wish I had invested in Waco ten years ago!”
This Act Locally Waco blog post is by Ashley Bean Thornton, the Manager of the www.www.actlocallywaco.org website and the editor of the Friday Update newsletter. The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
by Fernando Arroyo
She was only four feet tall. But, with a grip like a vice, she yanked at my arm while scolding me — in Mayan, in a voice that would rival Chef Gordon Ramsay of “Kitchen Nightmares” fame — to immediately stop stirring the pot of maize that was simmering on the open fire in front of me. I was learning about the roots of my Mexican indigenous culture, and evidently I was not a very good student. I had only ONE JOB, to stir the pot, and I couldn’t do it right! My eyes searched one of the many one-room, thatched-roof huts that dotted the village as I looked desperately for my professor who grew up in this village and was my translator.
The translation was, “You’ll spoil it! We must take great care in how we do this. Every step of the meal matters. Stir the maize in one direction. If you start stirring in the opposite direction, you will undo the care, work and energy that began in the stirring of the pot. Only one direction next time. Give it to me!”
Even though I did not master that art of making campfire joloch tamales that day, the instruction and wisdom I gleaned from the little Mayan chef was far more profound. She gave me eyes to see the wonder in our ordinary actions. I was struck by how even the most seemingly ordinary tasks and processes of the community had an incredible significance and power within them.
How do I use my new eyes at home in my own neighborhood? Through sharing.
Sanger Heights Neighborhood Association
I decided to discover my neighbors’ stories and to share my own. In doing so I found that creative energy and radical acts of kindness cascade from our neighbors and surge through our streets, parks, buildings and yards. In my neighborhood, Sanger Heights, strangers and friends are joining to share life, resources and transformation. Shareable.net describes what I see and hear in my neighborhood:
“When individuals embrace sharing as a worldview and practice, they experience a new, enlivening way to be in the world. Sharing heals the painful disconnect we feel within ourselves, with each other, and the places we love. Sharing opens a channel to our creative potential. Sharing is fun, practical, and perhaps most of all, it’s empowering. It enables us to experience and do things we never thought possible.”
Most of these kinds of connections are not begun by programs or institutions but by decentralized and self-organized groups stepping out to be intentional neighbors. Here are some experiments that my family and I have tried to expand our sharing opportunities:
Toy Swaps — I exchanged some toys collecting dust with new-to-the-Arroyo-kids toys at no other cost.
Clothing Swaps — We de-cluttered our closet and got a new wardrobe exchanging clothes in good condition
Meal-sharing — I cooked four casserole dishes with spaghetti and froze them. During a swap night with other families, I traded three of my frozen dinners for three different ones. Bam! I had three heat and ready-to-eat unique dinners I didn’t have to cook.
Car-sharing — Some friends are eschewing purchasing individual vehicles and instead are sharing a car, a van, and a truck. They share the maintenance costs and save themselves the full expense of vehicle ownership. Plus, they decrease their gas use and car pollution.
Cow-sharing — For the last two years, my friend and I have shared the purchase of a grass-fed cow from World Hunger Relief, Inc. A quarter of Rico the Cow fed my family for a year!
Do-It-Ourselves Education — On Tuesdays, my children and I meet up with other families from inside and outside the neighborhood to build balloon rockets, conduct archaeological digs, investigate erosion principles, and much more. On Fridays, I co-lead a neighborhood Spanish-exposure time helping children and their parents fall in love with languages, especially Spanish, my native tongue.
Peer-to-Peer Lending — Congregation members of a local church called Hope Fellowship are experimenting in lending to one another at zero percent interest as a way to disrupt the negative debt cycles crated by Cash-Advance/Payday Lending institutions and to invest in one another instead of the financial markets alone. This idea and practice was inspired by theologian Ched Myer’s Sabbath Economics series. Members of this project, called the Mustard Seed Fund, are excited about sharing the good news of supplemental economic systems that value people and places over profits.
Nuestra Voz
Nuestra Voz Open Mic Night — Artists, musicians, poets, writers and more gather the second Saturday of every month at 7PM at The Art Forum of Waco (1826 Morrow) to share their stories and create space for good ol’ fashioned “analog” social networks. I co-founded this event in partnership with Jenuine Poetess from Word Around Waco, and the Art Forum of Waco.
Halloween On Colcord — Ghosts, Ghouls, and Goblins from all walks of life gather to enjoy the sights, sounds and candy at this yearly neighborhood event. Last year over a thousand hotdogs were devoured. Neighborhood churches, organizations, and groups host front yard activities. Contact me if you are interested in hosting a yard or an activity.
Dia de los Ninos
Sanger-Heights Neighborhood Association — I’m on the board. We’re working on ways to boost our neighborhood economy. We are conspiring to help create celebrations that represent our neighbors’ stories like Dia de los Niños and more. We are developing our 501(c)3 status and laboring together to help repair our sidewalks and our homes that are layered with history and culture.
According to Robert Sampson’s Great American City, the most resilient and cohesive neighborhoods, where neighbors take joy in the life of the neighborhood, are those where neighbors know one another and know that those around them will help in their time of need. In other words, people love their neighborhoods when they know each others’ stories and are there for one another when things go down.
Live these stories with me…or live into the ones in your own neighborhood. Move your barbecue pit and lawn chairs from your fenced-in backyard to the front yard and share a meal with a stranger or a new friend down the street. For a more enriching experience, share that meal with folks from another faith tradition, financial bracket, or cultural experience.
We are all social beings and our relationships and places make us who and what we are. Become an active part of one anothers’ stories. In the process, you too will receive new eyes to experience the exquisiteness of love and life in your place.
What kinds of stories do you see in your neighborhood? Share your stories in the comments. Contact me for more information.
This blog post was written by Fernando Arroyo. Fernando migrated from the Yucatan Peninsula to Waco and lives in the Sanger-Heights Neighborhood with his wife/best friend, three young children, (too many) ornery chickens, his wire-haired dog, and delightful neighbors. He works as a corporate instructor with Temple College and McLennan Community College teaching courses in workforce development, technology, leadership and management. Fernando’s experience includes being on staff and on the board of a number of nonprofit and for-profit organizations improving affordable housing, youth violence reduction, youth entrepreneurship, immigrant advocacy, public and private education, and community and economic development. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Baylor University and a Master’s from Concordia University. His mission is to serve as a catalyst for peace, healing, justice, and reconciliation. Contact him at l[email protected]. The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
by Jenuine Poetess
“The first move from chaos isn’t order—it’s creativity. In murals, music, theaters, cafes, and poetry. It comes from within people, within families, within community. It rises from the hunger people have for knowledge, ideas, and stories.” ~ Luis J. Rodriguez
There is a need, within all of us, to be known. A longing to be seen, be heard, be understood. Across all of time, arts and culture have served as a catalyst for this most fundamental aspect of our beings, of our becomings.
(artwork: Jenuine Poetess 2011)
Join me as I explore Waco’s rich community of visionary artists transforming, awakening, and inspiring individuals and their neighborhoods. My mission, as facilitator of Act Locally Waco’s newest blog series on Arts & Culture, is to show you—in such a myriad of vibrant hues—the thrilling work being done here and the extraordinary individuals giving their time and talents to our city!
Last week I sat down with Doreen Ravenscroft, founder and director of Cultural Arts of Waco . I have the utmost respect and admiration for her vision, her creativity, and her unwavering dedication to making arts, cultural, and opportunities for creative expression accessible to individuals of every age, ability, gender, culture, belief, class, and language.
Originally from the United Kingdom, Doreen moved to Waco in 1978 when her late husband Bill, was transferred to the M & M Mars US division. Here she became a part of the Open Door Arts Festival and when that project come to a close, she founded the Cultural Arts of Waco believing in the importance of continuing free, community arts opportunities. This vision gave birth to the Waco Cultural Arts Festival which is now celebrating it’s 11th year and has grown into five flourishing festivals in one.
(photo courtesy of Cultural Arts of Waco)
In her own practice, Doreen most enjoys painting in a large scale such as murals and faux finishing walls in addition to taking in theater, gallery shows, and live music. She is constantly nourishing her creative aspects and brainstorming ways to enrich Waco’s arts and culture offerings.
The Cultural Arts of Waco was granted the only Texas award from the Mid-America Arts Alliance in June 2013. This award funded the creation of the mural on the East Waco branch of the McLennan County Library. For several weeks leading up to the painting, artists gathered with community members to dialogue and draft the vision for this mural. Doreen organized the team of artists as well as the collaboration with neighborhood residents remembering, “It was so fabulous to learn so much more about everyone who lives in East Waco and all those little special anecdotes that only they could give to this project.”
I took a drive by that mural again after I met with Doreen; a visit I like to make pretty regularly. There are so many facets and stories within the mural I relish each time I spend with it.
(photo: Jenuine Poetess 2014)
As I was enjoying this gorgeous canvas, a man also paused to take it in. We chatted for a moment and agreed how lovely it is. I asked if he helped paint it, with a spark of pride and honor he said, “No, I didn’t. But I know people who painted this, they’re my neighbors and friends. I take this street to the bus stop, just so I can walk by here and look at it.”
This is the power of art. In community, for community, by the community. Accessible collaborations for all. I was moved, deeply, by this man’s pride and ownership of this public artwork. It means so much more than a brightly colored building in his neighborhood.
Doreen has an number of dynamic projects on her easel at the moment the grandest of which is the Waco Cultural Arts Festival happening September 26-28th at Indian Spring Park and Waco Convention Center. This free, three-day, community event for all ages offers art activities, concerts, performances, workshops, panel discussions, open mics, poetry slam, and film screenings from across the five festivals which include {254}DanceFest, ScienceFest, Celebration Africa FilmFest, WordFest, and the Main Stage MusicFest . Kicking off the festival weekend is the Annual White Linen pARTy featuring music by Guy Forsyth and the Hot Nut Riveters, a sneak peek at the {254}Dance-Fest, and ScienceFest Chair and visual artist, Erica Wickett. The White Linen pARTy is one of the key fundraising events for the Cultural Arts of Waco.
Toward the end of our conversation, I asked Doreen what her hopes are for Waco. I listened as she dreamed,
“I hope for Waco to heal wounds of its past, between its different communities. Arts help express what can’t always be said, it reveals our hurts, and provides space for understanding. I long to see more safe spaces where children and elders and individuals across every generation and ethnicity can gather around creative projects fostering curiosity, without barriers. And through that curiosity, begin to share and to listen to each other’s stories.”
Jenuine Poetess is an artist, visionary, and community organizer. In 2010, she founded In the Words of Womyn (ITWOW), an international, grass-roots, written and spoken-word arts project with chapters throughout Los Angeles; Waco, TX; and Lebanon. ITWOW empowers womyn of all ages to give sound to our story and volume to our voice. Jenuine also co-hosts Nuestra Voz & Word Gallery, monthly open mic venues for poetry, music, spoken-word, story-telling, and more! You can contact her at: [email protected].
by Phil York
Football season is here. As an Aggie transplant to Waco, I have a new struggle: competing loyalties as I slowly learn to cheer for my new home team, Baylor University.
On August 28th, the Family Health Center auditorium was buzzing with the energy of a packed football stadium on the Brazos. But, unlike a crowd that is divided by team loyalties, this audience was united by a powerful bond.
More than 80 Wacoans met under the leadership of Citizens for Responsible Lending (CRL), a group established this year by and for Wacoans for the purpose of advocating for an economically healthy Waco. The event was dubbed, “The State of Pay Day Lending Rally.”
Robin Reid spoke first at the Rally. Robin was the true expert in the room: she took out a pay day loan several years ago and had the courage to share her personal story with us. Robin reminded us that pay day loans provide an important service that is not provided by traditional banks. However, predatory practices such as intimidating phone calls at her home and workplace, automatic renewals, and exorbitant fees are not acceptable. As Robin highlighted, the discussion that night was not about being anti-business; but about being pro-good business.
After Robin, representatives from CRL (Alexis Christensen, Ryn Farmer, Rucker Preston and Josh Caballero), Texas Appleseed (Ann Baddour), and Texas Catholic Conference (Jennifer Carr Allmon) provided an update about Pay Day lending on the national, state and local levels. Together, the presenters answered several important questions, including these:
- Why should we care about pay day lending in Waco?
- What further steps can you take about pay day lending?
Why should we care about pay day lending in Waco?
We should care about Pay Day lending because of the negative impact it has on our local economy. Pay Day lending is a big presence in Waco. Waco has 29 licensed Pay Day Loan/Title Loan storefronts. That is more than the total number of McDonalds (8) and Starbucks (5) combined! Under the current laws that do not limit fees, size of the loan, rollovers or refinances, and do not consider the ability to repay based on income, Pay Day lending is a big loser for the Waco community.
Here are a few facts to give you a sense of the economic impact:
- Borrowers pay an average of $23 in fees every 2-4 weeks for every $100 borrowed. Installment payday borrowers pay about $100 in fees per $100 borrowed.
- 602 cars were repossessed last year by auto title lenders in the Waco area. To put that in perspective, there are 1,900 parking spaces available in downtown Waco for Baylor Football games. Imagine the cars in almost a third of those spaces being repossessed and their drivers left without transportation to get to work or to take care of the other necessessities of life.
- 10.5 million dollars were drained from the Waco area economy in 2013 because of excessive fees.
What further steps can you take about Pay Day lending?
Join us! – This powerful rally was the result of concerned Wacoans coming together. When I spoke to Jennifer of the Texas Catholic Conference after the rally, she commented that Waco is one of the most proactive and caring communities she has visited in her Texas-wide research. Whereas other communities need extra support, Wacoans boldy say “we got this!” You can join your neighbors and friends who are already part of Citizens for Responsible Lending (CRL). Contact Alexis Christensen at [email protected] or 254-235-7358 to learn more.
Know your rights – Organizations such as the Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid provide literature about pay day lending. If you or some of your friends and family are already ensnared in debt related to Pay Day or Title lending, one of the most powerful tools for reducing the negative effect is to know your rights. Here are two helpful bulletins:
Share your opinion with the Waco City Council – At the rally, Council Member Toni Herbert (District 4) reminded us that there is a designated item on each Council meeting agenda called “hearing of visitors.” This is time specifically set aside for citizens to have a chance to voice concerns. You could use this time to voice your concerns about Pay Day lending. Council meetings are held the first and third Tuesdays of every month. Here’s a link to more information about how our city council works: Waco City Council.
Sign the petition supporting a Waco City Council resolution about Pay Day Lending – The Citizens for Responsible Lending have drafted a resolution that we would like for the Waco City Council to adopt. If adopted, it would state that our city council resolves to:
- Urge the Texas Legislature and Governor of Texas to adopt a 36% annual percentage cap on fees/interest,
- Encourage the City of Waco to explore alternatives and ordinances,
- Follow the same format of cities such as Bryan and College Station that passed ordinances. Currently. (18 cities have passed ordinances)
If you would like to sign the petition urging our city council to adopt this resolution, contact [email protected].
Alas, football season is here.
Football seasons have winners and losers, and they come and go. Some seasons are filled with “band-wagoners” who follow in the wake of the winning team. Unlike the fickle nature of football followership, the diligent passion, care and concern of Wacoans is as constant as the river Brazos.
Robin Reid’s story is our story. Predatory lending practices that threaten the financial security of many Waco residents are a concern for all Waco residents. These practices threaten the economic health of our whole community by preying on residents who are working hard to gain a financial foothold. We know how to join hands and act locally to insist on fair, pro-good business practices, and that is exactly what we are doing.
Phil York, Director of Development at Waco Habitat for Humanity, is a self-described “policy nerd;” he is also the Act Locally Waco housing and homelessness policy blogger. You can direct questions to Phil to [email protected]. Would you be interested in blogging for Act Locally Waco? If so please email [email protected].
By Liz Ligawa
The previous month had closed its doors, taking along with it the security of minor accomplishments. Rent: paid. She had grown to appreciate such victories as they were hard won; however, they rarely lingered long. This life still felt odd to her- the newly poor. She was not yet adept at balancing the weight of a community’s conclusions concerning the economically poor. She struggled against this label. At any rate, she still found herself at this uncomfortable threshold- the bewitching hour, if you will. This is the place where settled becomes uncertain. Done becomes undone. Exclamations curl into question marks. The place when the clock strikes midnight…the first day of the month.
Responding to a prompt the other week at In The Words of Womyn Writing Circle, I explored the factors that pigment how we see one another. We have all done it before – created a backstory to a situation with little, or no information. For instance, take the couple in the car idling next to yours at the red light. The conversation seems quite animated. It is easy to create an entire commentary based on just what is seen. We think they are in an argument, or maybe perhaps it’s charades…yes, definitely charades. But can we get the real picture without words? The ways we interpret what we see in the world and the ways we determine how we should respond to others come to us through pipelines which preceded our generation, our nation, and even our society. One woman’s story shows us how.
She slowly left the office which was connected to the place where God’s people gather, trying to shake the heavy haze of defeat from her mind. She had asked for aid. She was denied. This is not an unusual story, but she wondered what could have informed the greeter’s conclusion. Maybe it was her bare ring finger, freshly unadorned, yet still declaring her to be less than another whose finger resembled a more acceptable status. Maybe the problem was her empty hands whose emptiness looked more indolent than worn. It may have even been her accompanied left hip, sweetly occupied by a sleepy little one looking for a safe place to rest. What did the greeter see?
There is a history to caring. My critical attention in Dr. Gaynor Yancey’s course, Urban Mission Issues, reminded me that societies have differed, historically, in their approach to meeting the needs of others. In Egyptian society, good deeds were recorded as Acts of Mercy in each person’s Book of the Dead. A fat Book of the Dead filled with Acts of Mercy was seen as contributing to a pleasant afterlife. This idea motivated the response to the needs of others. In the mother’s case above, however, declining to help her would still qualify as an Act of Mercy since it did not impose harm (Negative Confession). No need was actually met, but no harm was rendered. It sounds like parts of our current society are singing the same verse of a very old tune.
Greek society demarcated the poor as either worthy, or unworthy. The “worthy poor” could receive care from the community; the unworthy poor were not as fortunate. Similarly, in Roman society, a person’s citizenship qualified him to receive from the community. This sole identifier served as an important indicator of determining the responsible party. Citizenship would answer this question, “Whose concern are you?”
As I listened to this mother, I saw reflections of these past societies intermingled with her story. The Negative Confession of the Egyptian society gives us the justification for “not doing”: not bringing harm, but neither bringing good. There is also the delineation of the Greek society making caring more necessary for one class of poor than the other. Then there are the remnants of the citizenship standard central to Roman society. I saw all of these in one story.
Now, we all have our reasons for giving, or choosing against giving. My interest does not concern imposing unnecessary feelings of guilt. I am, however, interested in calling attention to the motivations behind our giving, and maybe even encouraging some redistricting of our boundaries concerning who receives our care.
The mother thought about the greeter’s comment as she shuffled her little one into the seat: “I’m sorry, we can’t help you. Our resources are strictly for our members.” As she thought about the thousands of faces which gathered to worship in one of three services on Sundays, the mother wondered aloud, “She thinks I am not a member, but she didn’t even ask….”
The greeter had already created a backstory, and that informed her conclusion.
Just then, her little one softly questions, “Where are we going now, Mommy?” She does not know. Thirty seconds before this inquiry, she did. Now, she no longer does. She swallows hard and pushes shame aside long enough to smile down at the bright, waiting eyes, “Home.”
This post was written by Liz Ligawa. Liz is a graduate student of Baylor University where she has found the perfect expression of her community-centered heart in the MDiv/MSW degree program. With a concentration on Community Practice, she is also the adoring mother of one son, Elijah, who prefers to be regarded in public as Spider-Man. She may be reached at [email protected].
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
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by Julie Talbert
After being laid off from her first job, Doll Wilkerson spent time caring for her sick mother until she passed away. Earlier this year, she decided it was time to find a new job. Doll has a disability and thanks MHMR for helping her get hired at Big Lots. The final challenge for Doll was to figure out how to get home from work at night.
Doll, who lives in north Waco, shares this challenge with as many as 26% of residents living in parts of north and east Waco who do not have access to vehicle. Waco Transit’s bus service stops running at 7:15 p.m., leaving many without a way to get to or from work at night.
For now, a solution exists. Doll was excited to learn about the Evening LINK; the first-ever evening transportation service available Monday – Saturday from 8:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. Evening LINK is a project of Workforce Solutions in partnership with Waco Transit and several other local agencies.
The Evening LINK is successfully addressing a growing need of residents working non-standard hours. Jobs in the food service, retail, health and medical, and manufacturing industries often require employees to work nights. The Evening LINK provides approximately 400 passenger trips a month using three vehicles and a reservation system to get workers in the greater Waco area to and from work safely, reliably, and affordably. Eighty percent of passengers are employed full time and 90% report that the service is extremely important to keeping their job. More than 60 businesses have employees who have used the Evening LINK.
Doll has been riding the Evening LINK five nights a week for the last three months. The service is helping her meet her goal of “living a healthy and independent life.” At 40, feeling independent is important to Doll and she expresses her excitement about her new life by saying, “My disability may slow me down, but it won’t stop me.”
This Act Locally Waco blog post was written by Julie Talbert. Julie manages the child care and public transportation contracts for Workforce Solutions for the Heart of Texas. She believes that access to affordable, dependable and high-quality early education and public transportation systems are critical to a vibrant community. They are necessary to help us realize a vision of healthy children, strong families, and thriving economic opportunities.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.