South32’s Post

Interesting read on the history of BEAD and the urgency to provide broadband access in rural communities. Broadband is "fundamental to questions about whether [residents] can raise a family, get a job, or survive at all." WOW! If you feel like your community is behind when it comes to funding and deploying broadband, you're not alone! Reach out to Olsson today. We specialize in helping rural communities and Tribal Nations navigate the complexities of BEAD. Ryan Meints, Assoc. DBIA, Peter Kenne, Rodney Martin, and Nicholas Danielson

Building a Stronger Community from Within: Education, Safety, and Responsibility in District 29 🌟 As we navigate through a world full of global challenges, it’s crucial to remember the importance of focusing on our home – our community, and especially our future leaders and our esteemed seniors. 📚 Education is the key to empowering our youth and seniors, shaping them into future innovators and active, lifelong learners. Despite facing obstacles like limited funding and outdated infrastructure, the benefits of a well-educated populace are immense – leading to a vibrant, engaged, and progressive community. 🛡️ Safety for our children and elderly is a non-negotiable aspect of a caring society. Addressing the physical and mental well-being of all age groups creates a nurturing environment that supports the growth and prosperity of every generation. 💡 Prioritizing our citizens is not about overlooking global issues, but about strengthening our community from within to better engage with the world. It’s about balancing our local responsibilities with our global commitments, ensuring we have a strong foundation to support others. Let’s come together to nurture, protect, and empower our community members, making NYC a beacon of hope, unity, and progress. Together, we can create a society that thrives on compassion and responsibility, setting an example for a brighter future for all.

At a recent The Aspen Institute Ascend event, I was describing the work of Advancing Communities for Equity with a new connection, Kat Kaufmann of The Bridgespan Group. She is a passionate early childhood advocate who had wonderful questions about our work. The one that I continue to reflect on is this: "Who is community?" My answer at the time was that we combine quantitative data (census tracts, enrollment data, community surveys, eligibility information, and the like) with what we learn in conversation. Who are the individuals and organizations in the community who are trusted by children and families? Where do they turn for resources, help, and guidance? Sometimes this starts with one or two names. Our goal is that by the end of our work, we have weaved together connections between systems and trusted community partners, to enhance collaboration and build communication that leads to stronger families. At the same time as this mixer, I began a re-read of @bell hooks' "Belonging: A culture of place" and I know that my description of community is too narrow. Community is where families feel safe and cared for, rejuvenated and seen, supported and whole. Healed. The supports offered by systems are by their very nature bureaucratic in administration and delivery. Through community partnerships, systems can tap into what works for families. This will require widening the table, sharing resources, reconsidering how power is operating, and doing things differently than we have in existing systems. What might we accomplish if people were more connected to each other and to the resources intended to support them? That is the the work of Advancing Communities for Equity. I am excited to share more about our work on this page. Thanks for the follow.

Passing down family traditions, sharing your story through photos and videos, and fostering intergenerational connections are just a few of the ways that older adults can leave a meaningful legacy. Learn more in our latest blog post. https://lnkd.in/gyvcgd2p

Love the commitment to action. First: listen to the perspectives and experiences of the people you’re designing for. Next: commit real resources to test those ideas. Future: scale up what works.

📢 Attention Richmond, IN 📍 Would you like to help groups make collective decisions, discuss complex issues, or effectively plan events, projects, or programs? If yes, this program is for you. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3wp2tNQ Register here: https://bit.ly/3wsYGz6 #PurdueExtension #communitydevelopment #communitydevelopment #cdext #FacilitativeLeadership #EffectiveLeadership

Mark's story highlights the critical role of our OPCs in saving lives and meeting people where they are. Our OPCs are a model for harm reduction and community engagement, averting overdoses and connecting people to care. Learn more in our baseline report. https://bit.ly/48AhJVz

Workforce development. Digital inclusion. Economic mobility. Building a strong local economy. Engaging community. Literacy across a lifetime. These are all areas in which public libraries play a crucial role, and we need our legislators to understand the ways in which our teams contribute to regional infrastructure. #publiclibraries #infrastructure #communityengagement #economicempowerment

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 CPLC for this decision.