The Geraghty’s Post

Is your school a neighborhood school? Do partnerships in the community drive value for the students and families you serve? This week I had the opportunity to discuss the strategic role of community partnerships with Jemia Cunningham-Elder, CEO at North Lawndale College Prep in Chicago. We got into: - Evaluating community sentiment - What types of partnerships you might want to look for - Potential pitfalls when leveraging partnerships - Practical considerations for operationalizing programs/partnerships - How partnerships can offer unique opportunities otherwise not possible - The role of a leader/CEO in driving community engagement - much more! Give it a listen 🎧

Excellent conversation with Melanie Frazer, ACE and the Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce! Thanks for giving me a platform to share information about the Project SEARCH program. #networking #schooltoworkprogram

DON'T PAT YOURSELVES ON THE BACK JUST YET! THE HISTORY AND PRESENT STATE OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX IN AMERICA CAN BE SUMMED UP IN ONE WORD: BROKEN #HOMELESSNESS IS THE RESULT OF DECADES OF THE FAILURE TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR ALL. DON'T BE FOOLED BY SLICK PROMOTIONAL POSTS THAT MAKE IT SEEM LIKE YOUR LOCAL, STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS ARE SOLVING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS. WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE PUBLIC AND TAXPAYERS MUST ASK: AT WHAT COST TO THE TAXPAYERS AND HOW LONG IS THE AFFORDABILITY PERIOD? EVERY TAXPAYER SHOULD BE ASKING THEIR ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: 1. How much local, state, and federal funding, tax credits, density bonus increase, waivers of impact fees, or other government benefit or incentive did the project receive? 2. What is the affordability period for each project and, if the affordability period is not in perpetuity or permanent, WHY NOT? 3. What guarantees exist that tenants in the affordable housing units will not be displaced after an "affordability period expires? Any LOCAL, STATE or FEDERAL official that does not MANDATE "permanent" affordability periods or affordability "IN PERPETUITY" for any project receiving some government benefit is commiting MALFEASANCE and should quit, be removed from office or be terminated. IN MOST CASES WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, the public and taxpayer are being fooled into thinking their elected and appointed officials are solving problems, when in fact, all hey have done is "KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD" to burden a future generation with the same problem or crisis!

Being Brooklyn bred-has taught me a few things: One—the block aunties know all the secrets. Two—we show up for our people. Three—double dutch isn’t for everyone. Mutual aid is one of the cornerstones of resource activation and if we were to approach community-generative resourcing processes through this lens—we’d get a lot farther faster. It’s not just about community-led or community committees; it’s about culturally relevant and aligned resourcing strategies that start at the top in grantmaking leadership. We need to set and implement the strategies. Black and Brown Brooklyn folks, like so many communities facing rapid and generational gentrification—and erasure—know that asserting ourselves and occupying space is needed. We know we’re stronger together. We know that we need to support one another. And we know what to do with that money when we get it. Let me clap so you get my point: 👏🏾 trust 👏🏾 us 👏🏾 with 👏🏾 resources 👏🏾 period. I guarantee you we can figure out what our communities need—because we are the community. There’s a rhythm to this resource work. Like telephone wires hitting pavement, we know how to tap in. We know what questions to ask, and when we don’t know an answer—we know which auntie has it. Ask me about it.

A key focus of Flemington Works is to understand and disrupt the conditions that hold social and economic inequality in place. One such condition is power. To inform our work, we have used this beautiful Far West Community Partnerships model. In practice, when designing and delivering our recent workshop series, this meant doing pre work with service providers and funding and policy partners, demonstrating humility, delivering sessions with Community Advisors in advance of workshops to ensure they felt comfortable and confident with the proposed content and process, establishing an agreed way of working together, curating spaces and seating, using a paid participation model, and ensuring table facilitators had a connection to Community. What efforts have you used to help shift power when working collaboratively?

If you aren't following Hearts to Homes, here's my PSA to suggest that you do. Learn more about what happens when foster care ends, and how giving someone a hand up can be life-changing.

Okay, I admit it -- proud Mom moment here But I promise there's a message here for job seekers Or anyone with a dream And a goal Isaac loves camp and bringing those opportunites to as mamy kids and families as he can Having worked in and managed several camps, he knew what worked, what didn't And what was missing He developed a new program Planted seeds Wrote a plan Made connections Baby steps led to an extremely successful program It's the same with job search (See, I told you there would be a tie-in) Decide what you are looking for Develop your plan Build your network Work your plan And keep working it It may take time, And that can be really frustrating You can't control the outcome, But can control what you do So keep at it If something isn't working, Take a break Regroup, Re-evaluate, Build on the feedback you receive Reach out for help and support! And keep going! Okay, back to the proud Mom for a minute Take a look at this video to see the kind of experiences he creates for kids Keep an eye out for the boy in the pickle 🥒 costume He's one of my grandkids 😊 What's your passion? How are you working at bringing that idea or that goal into reality? How can I help? ----------------- I’m Linda Brubaker, the “Career Search Doctor” Ready to look for your #nextforeverjob and hire your next boss? With 20+ years of recruiting and hiring experience, and 7 years as a #jobsearchcoach I’ll help you Leverage Your Skills and Build Your Career To see more of my posts, ring my bell 🔔

Exciting updates on the Obama Presidential Center!

For 62 years, Blue Hills Civic Association, or BHCA, has stood alongside the people of Hartford’s North End. With the support of organizations like the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, we are making a tangible difference. Our efforts are further empowered by a two-year, $450,000 grant from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, allowing us to build on the progress we have made in recent years. This investment acknowledges the impact of structural racism, which has left Black-led organizations like BHCA with 76 percent fewer assets than their white-led counterparts. Stable, flexible funding like this is critical to advancing our three strategic goals: economic development and housing, community engagement, and workforce development.

By "embracing the intersection of community building and strategic planning," The College of New Jersey made significant strides in its #firstgen student success efforts. Learn more about their approach in this #FirstScholarsNetwork blog at bit.ly/4bOGiz5.