How to Build Community

This is the text of a poster up on the wall here at the agency where I'm doing my field placement, which I love. (You can get yourself a copy here.) It strikes me as particularly relevant given all the strife that Philadelphia is facing with poverty, failing schools, and a frighteningly high homicide rate -- we just reached 300 murders this year. On the positive side I've been increasingly seeing posters around my neighborhood with anti-violence messages and hearing about anti-violence community rallies and so on. It seems like this city could be poised to really demand and implement change.

****

Turn off your TV.
Leave your house.
Know your neighbors.
Look up when you are walking
Greet people
Sit on your stoop
Plant flowers
Use your library
Play together
Buy from local merchants
Share what you have
Help a lost dog
Take children to the park
Garden together
Support neighborhood schools
Fix it even if you didn't break it
Have pot lucks
Honor elders
Pick up litter
Read stories aloud
Dance in the street
Talk to the mail carrier
Listen to the birds
Put up a swing
Help carry something heavy
Barter for your goods
Start a tradition
Ask a question
Hire young people for odd jobs
Organize a block party
Bake extra and share
Ask for help when you need it
Open your shades
Sing together
Share your skills
Take back the night
Turn up the music
Turn down the music
Listen before you react to anger
Mediate a conflict
Seek to understand
Learn from new and uncomfortable angles
Know that no one is silent athough many are not heard. Work to change this.