As our friends at The Hopeful Neighborhood Project say, “A neighborhood without neighbors is just a collection of houses.” And it’s true! The power of neighborhoods is created by the people there.
But, even with every home filled, a neighborhood can still feel powerless and unconnected. People who live close to one another may have very different perspectives of the neighborhood. They may have issues they’d like to see addressed in the neighborhood, but have given up trying to resolve them or believe this is just the way things are.
One foundational shift for healthy, connected neighborhoods is helping residents move from “I” to “We”. This comes in part through an active Neighborhood Story.
Every neighborhood has a story with a history of struggles, triumphs, and memories that define who they are. We discover this story by understanding who we’ve been, who we are, and where we’re going. This could include tangible information such as the name and boundaries. But, it’s also shared through our expectations of each other.
Think about if a new neighbor was moving next door and asked you about the neighborhood. What would you say? Would you say people keep to themselves, are really friendly, or that you look out for one another?
When I (Megan) moved into my first apartment (pictured above) the owner had shared that it was a quiet community. He made sure I knew that people kept to themselves and this was not a place for people who host parties or play loud music. From that point on, I assumed people kept to themselves. Even though it was ideally designed to get to know our neighbors and spend time in common areas together, we never interacted.
Now, in my new neighborhood, “keeping to yourself” isn’t a part of our story. On my first day here, my neighbor Bert stopped by to introduce himself. He shared with me about the other neighbors he knew on my street and told me how he grew up here. Dogs regularly get loose and it’s a block-wide effort to help figure out which dog belongs at which house. Both of these are an example of the small ways we communicate and participate in the neighborhood story. A neighborhood story can also be shared through storytelling, public celebrations, or community rituals.
A neighborhood story includes:
- Neighborhood name
- History
- Geographic boundaries
- Shared expectations
- Community Rituals
As mentioned above, every neighborhood has a story. So, what makes the difference? Why do some neighborhoods see themselves as “We” and others as a bunch of “I”s?
There’s three components to a strong neighborhood story:
- The neighborhood story is authentic.
A good neighborhood story is like a good nickname. You should feel a sense of pride and belonging because of it. In part, it communicates who you are and affirms your identity. Because of this, a neighborhood story should be authentic. It should be true to how neighbors see themselves. Saying we’re a neighborhood of friendly folks when that isn’t true won’t be helpful. This will actually cause people to not see themselves as a part of the neighborhood instead of aspiring to be friendly neighbors.
2. The neighborhood story creates an identity and ways to participate.
A good neighborhood story fosters a sense of identity. It helps people feel that they are part of something greater than themselves. It creates shared norms and a sense of ownership among neighbors and ways to participate in strengthening or changing that story.
It’s important to note that a shared identity must have pathways for everyone to be included and participate. Many neighborhoods previously (or still) have identities that were tied to economic status or race through the history of segregation and red lining in the US. But, to create healthy, thriving neighborhoods, we must embrace and celebrate our diversity as our different backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives creates a resilient community. One Indigenous author recently communicated this idea, “From our perspective, we take the stranger and turn them into family. We know from this, they will change and we will change as well.”
3. The neighborhood story is co-created and told by residents.
Lastly, a good neighborhood story must be co-created and told by residents. Residents are the best ones to share their story- they know it best! Attempts to create a neighborhood story that are external and don’t include residents at the center of the process will often fail at their goal and continue sidelining residents in the process.
For example, in one interaction several years ago, a resident I met introduced himself as living in “Waterford” when we were just a few houses down from a sign reading “Welcome to Ruby Village!”. I looked a bit confused and he explained that this was in fact Waterford. He shared that one day the city government put those signs there and residents didn’t know why so no one really paid attention to them.
A neighborhood is strongest when its collective story inspires a vision for the future. These two elements provide a sense of identity, belonging, and purpose for neighbors. It creates an environment where they can work toward shared goals and create a thriving, resilient community that can weather challenges and embrace opportunities. This is a foundational step for communities to unlock their full potential and build a brighter future for all.
Are you looking to discover or strengthen your neighborhood story? Sign up for our upcoming Webinar on April 16th with Dr. Amie Thurber, the creator of The Neighborhood Story Project to learn more.