What Makes a Community?
July 27, 2021 - Camasonians interested in the question “What Makes a Community?” gathered for a lively discussion July 14. We’re smack dab in the middle of our 2021 Read for Change series of events, and this year’s theme is community healing. Since the theme was chosen so aptly by you, our community, we thought why not take the opportunity to bring people together and discuss what it takes to make a community in the first place. Or, maybe, what it takes to bring one back together.
First, participants who pre-registered were encouraged to read two articles, 10 Traits of a Positive Community and What Makes the Good Community? The final reading was an excerpt from Chapter 3 of Braving the Wilderness by Brenè Brown. Each article or excerpt expounded on research that impacts the current makeup of a community. For example, Dr. Brown explained how “sorting” is happening more often every year, with people spending the bulk of their time with like-minded friends and neighbors. Interestingly, while this self-sorting is happening, the rate of loneliness is also increasing.
As the group discussed this concept a few interesting points came to light. Architecture and neighborhood design had a significant impact on relationship building with neighbors. Houses today are less likely to have porches and people may be more likely to spend the bulk of their outdoor time in their backyards. Air conditioning allows people to stay inside when in previous generations the coolest gathering place might have been around the same, shady tree.
Another point our group discussed is technology. This impacts all communities but especially small towns. With the advent of the Internet, residents can find those with whom they share much in common. To be able to speak daily with an online community, geography no longer becomes a barrier and the search for community in one’s own (small) town may dwindle.
The other two articles focused on the tenets, based on research, most likely to be cited as the building blocks of a positive community. Between the two articles the following nine rose to the surface:
- Membership
- Influence
- Shared Emotional Connection
- Integration and Fulfillment of Needs
- Aesthetics
- Basic Services
- Education
- Social Offerings
- Openness
To discuss these tenets, we divided into four groups. Each group was assigned two-three tenets from the list above and discussed the strengths we bring as a community to each trait and identified opportunities for improvement. After every smaller group presented to the large one, we ranked these opportunities voting with blue, red, and yellow dots. If we could prioritize these opportunities to improve our community, where would we funnel our efforts? Blue dots were 3 points, red dots 2 points, and yellow dots 1 point and each participant had six of each color.
For results and photos of the evening, go to https://bit.ly/3BhvKYi. The short version:
- We want to see diverse voices represented.
- Affordable housing in general, including zoning and stigma around affordable housing, remains important.
- Pedestrian safety is a high priority.
- Inclusion and inclusivity is pivotal.
- Welcoming new residents to Camas needs improvement.
What do you think? Are these the top five criterion that need the most improvement for healing a community? And which ones do you think make Camas the strongest?
Connie Urquhart, Library Director
July 27, 2021
