The "Community Voices Initiative" at Uphams Corner News.
As a vehicle for the presentation of Community Voices and Community
Conversation, Uphams Corner News was founded in 2010. It is the
passion of the people working toward
a cause that defines the real power of this country.
Uphams Corner, like all neighborhoods in Boston, has unique
demographics and needs. But more than that, Uphams Corner
is a neighborhood of people whose stories lay the foundations for true
humanity. We want those stories told. We want those voices
heard.
Community Voices Initiative : More Details
The Community Voices Initiative is simple. Just tell us your
story and we'll do the rest. You can write your story or tell us
your story in person or over the phone. We'll help in the
formatting. A photo or graphic image (or lots) makes a big
difference.
Passion
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What is your
passion? It can be your work, your avocation, your family, your
art, your relationships, how you work with others, raise animals, your
garden, your books, your music, your inventions.
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Sharing
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What you love is a
secret unless you share it. A chance encounter with a friend or
stranger rarely unzips the beauty inside you. We have no idea
that you raise chickens in your backyard, that you are a budding
artist, that you love your job and care deeply about its mission, that
you love your family, that you care about the future of this
country.
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Story
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You have a story -
you have many stories. Your story comes from your passion.
It comes from your heart. Your journey gets you up in the
morning with a dance in your toes and a simile on your face.
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Impact
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Others listening to you, watching you or reading your story will sense
your passion, see you as someone unique and memorable. Suddenly, they become motivated and begin
to see themselves and life in a different way.
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Love
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Telling "your life's
story" is simple and straightforward. There is always something
special about what you have to say.
"I love my family, my home. I love my garden, my art. I
love Uphams Corner." What do you love and why? What are you
doing? What is your company doing? What do you feel
passionate about? Take that magic step onto the stage. Tell
us your story and let your spirit shine through.
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Help
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Uphams Corner News
is here to help as well. If you have a story to tell, we will
help you write your story. That's the easy part. The jewel
and the surprise and the excitement is your unique story that no one,
absolutely no one else but you, could have written.
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Contact
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Nancy Conrad
uphamscornernews@gmail.com
617-436-8559
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Recent Contributors to the Community Voices Initiative
Shannon's Voice
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In August 2012, Shannon Flattery
contacted UC News. She volunteered to
gather up photos from a back to school barbecue organized by the Bobby
Mendes Peace Legacy. She also agreed to pass along information
about the event. Just a simple story. Just a barbecue that
brought a lot of kids together in the community to receive school
supplies.
Shannon's response was a surprise. She submitted a
complete article, the quality of which was outstanding.
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Sandra's Voice |
UC News contacted
Dorchester Bay, a nonprofit that has been in Uphams Corner for
decades. They are always busy making significant contributions to
the community. Yet, we wanted a more personal presentation of
their efforts.
Sandra West, who has
worked at Dorchester Bar for 10 years and who is deeply committed to
the work this
nonprofit does, wrote an article about the future of the old
meatpacking plant on Quincy Street. Her article was
excellent.
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Jada's Voice |
What about the youth
at Bird Street? Wouldn't it be wonderful to hear from them?
Julia Bethmann was the best! She worked with the youth,
identifying a THIRTEEN year young person, Jada
Cassamajor, who loves being a journalist (already). Jada
wrote an article and someone else from Bird Street took a photo.
UC News formatted the information and uploaded it to the website.
Now you
couldn’t ask for better.
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"Community Voices Initiatives" throughout the World
Organizations across the United States and internationally use the
expressions “community voices” or "community voices initiative" to
emphasize the importance of the "people" and their ideas in the presentation of their causes and goals.
Following are a few organizations that brand themselves in
this way while being remarkably varied in their specific causes and
goals. Yet,
underlying their efforts and why the term "community voices" appeals to
them is a recognition of the power of the people to make a difference
in their own community (whatever that may be).
Summary of the Organizations - Note: the table following provides additional details and links to the websites.
- The Kellogg Foundation has adopted the term
"Community Voices" to express its efforts in the area of health care
for the under insured and uninsured.
- The American Library Association uses a variation:
"Empowering Voices - Transforming Communities" in calling for strong
community voices who will advocate on behalf of libraries but tailored to the needs of the community.
- The Athens Vrtual Community Initiative (community
voices), driven by social media, is intent on rebranding Greece into a
nation that reflects collaborative cooperation, innovation and honest
hard work.
- The New Leaf Initiative is a nonprofit's response to a battered
town, State College, PA, following the revelations of one of their most
revered town figures, Jerry Sandusky. What prevents the real
citizen voice from being heard, this initiative believes, are the public relations reps and
attorneys who are filtering the people's stories. The goal is to
find a way to make the communication and idea sharing process fully
transparent.
- Finally, the Old Globe is inviting adults from the
underserved communities of San Diego County to participate in workshops
designed to produce short plays - a structure to capture community
voice in the context of narrative.
Common Threads in the Initiatives and Implications for Uphams Corner
In
these examples, the community is given voice (is taking voice) because
of an unmet need - health care, advocating for libraries, the need to
change a community's poor
image or reputation, a citizenry involved vicariously in an
extraordinarily painful experience, often with no voice of its own
and, last, a creative composition format that encourages expression
from
residents in underserved communities.
Common to all these efforts is a fundamental human emotion -
passion. Passion for an idea and, ultimately, the strength of
conviction it generates is the basis for taking action to move closer
to resolution or satisfying unmet needs.
And how does that speak to Uphams Corner?
The passion of a group of grass roots people (citizens) working toward
a cause is where the real power of this country lies - - - unless, of
course, we give it away or sell ourselves out to big business.
Uphams Corner, like all neighborhoods in Boston, has unique
demographics and needs. But more than that, Uphams Corner
is a neighborhood of people whose stories lay the foundations for true
humanity. We want those stories told. We want those voices
heard throughout the nation.
The Community Voices Initiative is our way of reaching out to our local
businesses, community organizations, nonprofits and, best of all, our
citizens.
Uphams Corner News looks
forward to encouraging all of our voices, all of our ideas and all of
our visions for a better tomorrow.
Website
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Description of the Group's Objectives
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Community Voices |
The Community
Voices: HealthCare for the Underserved program is a multi-year
initiative funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The program is
designed to improve access to quality health care for the under and
uninsured.
In addition, the program is designed to give a voice to communities
regarding health care access and quality in terms of national policy
decision making.
A total of thirteen communities form the foundation of Community
Voices, working to identify and implement best practices in meeting the
needs of those who either do not receive health services and/or receive
inadequate health services.
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New Leaf Initiative asks for community voices
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The New Leaf
Initiative in State College PA, a nonprofit incubator for local project
ideas, plans to ask daily questions to inspire dialogue and expression,
allowing people to write their answers on a table placed in a public
setting, freely available with no restrictions. Organizers want
to offer an outlet for stories not filtered through public relations
representatives and attorneys (related to the Sandusky issue) but more generally applicable to freedom of expression.
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The ALA - American Library Association |
Empowering
Voices - Transforming Communities - Engaging our communities to
advocate for libraries and their value, based on factors that matter to
communities and their leaders. What will motivate potential
partners? What are the aspirational goals of our communities? What do
we need to do to transform libraries and librarianship?
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Athens: Virtual Community Initiative
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Shop owners on
picturesque Pandrosou street in Plaka, Athens, have started a virtual
community initiative with a blog and Facebook page. They aim to
“rebrand the image of Greece into one that reflects collaborative
cooperation, innovation and honest hard work”. With their most recent
project, they hope to inspire others to reclaim the beauty of
pedestrian streets of the degraded downtown and historical center of
Athens; enjoy some photos of the newly colored street here.
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The Old Glove Community Voices
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The Old Globe is
pleased to invite community members to participate in The Old Globe
Community Voices, a series of workshops dedicated to the creation and
presentation of short plays by adult residents of San Diego County.
The Globe is partnering with local organizations, community theaters,
the military community and faith based groups to help identify workshop
participants.
Adults 21 years and older representing underserved communities are
invited to participate – no experience required! Participation is free;
workshops are limited to 10 people.
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Posted: October 24, 2012
Nancy J Conrad
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