Transforming West Coconut Grove
Miami, FL- After taking a full
year to create relationships in an impoverished community, Urban Resurrection, a group of
activists living in the West Grove are now starting to see changes. Three years
later, they are a respected part of the community and the community is seeing
empowerment as well.
They have started community groups that make plans to change their community. Plans have included gardens that feed over six households, an open mic for youth once a month, two businesses with the youth, mentoring programs and block parties. Local politicians respect them, but most of all, they are a part of the community.
They have started community groups that make plans to change their community. Plans have included gardens that feed over six households, an open mic for youth once a month, two businesses with the youth, mentoring programs and block parties. Local politicians respect them, but most of all, they are a part of the community.
“We’re connected to churches,
businesses, non-profits, government, but mostly we’re connected on the
streets,” said Laurie Cook one of the co-founders. “Relationships give us the
platform to do what we do.”
What they have been doing has grabbed the attention and admiration of local politicians as well.
“They have done great work,” said Homer Wittaker, aide to Commissioner Carlos Jimenez. “They have created a real community of neighbors to take care of one another’s needs.”
Three years ago, Michael and Erika Philip, their 3 children and their friend Laurie Cook moved to Miami from Chicago with the financial backing of churches and friends to help in the community of the West Grove, but they didn’t start any programs. To the dismay of many of their supporters, Urban Resurrection spent the whole first year developing relationships and trying to get to know the West Grove rather than starting programs they thought would solve the problems they saw.
“We moved in and listened to what
the people had to say and built a strong trust level,” said Michael Philip one
of the co-founders. “We don’t act until the community says what they want to
do.”
The West Grove is a historically Bahamian community where more than 40 percent of the 3,000 residents of this 65-block area live below the poverty line, and these activists live in the community itself.
With its now six staff and five volunteers, Urban Resurrection makes sure they are directly involved in the community.
“Our volunteers are required to go through a rigorous, six-week training program before they work with us,” said Cook. “In our mentoring program, our mentors are required to spend time in the community with the family of the kids they’re mentoring.”
Every week Urban Resurrection meets with the Carter Street Block Club with its neighbors to discuss what the needs of the community are. The group, made up of people from all ages, from small children to its oldest member who is 83. This community group has closed a generational gap that exists in the West Grove.
“There is at times a divide between the generations here,” said Cook. “We have brought young people into our community meetings and the elders are surprised by what their young people can do.”
The group has started a garden
initiative that supplies food among the seven houses in the group, and the same
group has organized a hurricane preparedness program. In response to youth
violence that occurred in 2007, another community group decided to create their
BEATS (Bringing Eternal Arts to The Streets) program that attracted one
volunteer, a rapper from the Tampa area, to teach their hip-hop class over the
summer.
“This is not just another organization. This is a relationship,” said Sekajipo Genes, a Christian rapper who will be releasing his first album in December and has moved to be in the West Grove permanently. “Urban Resurrection is a big story.”
The organization is now starting two businesses headed by some of the youth in the community: a t-shirt design company and a photography company. Orders are coming in from around the United States.
When asked if it is uncomfortable being white in a predominantly black community, Michael Philip who is white but has adopted two children from Ethiopia, responded that he enjoys the culture here and feels comfortable.
As one politician, Stephen Murray a Democratic Committeeman who blogs about issues pertaining to the West Grove observed of Urban Resurrection (see article below), “They are extremely popular within the community. Community organizations like these fill the void that local government cannot.”
What they have been doing has grabbed the attention and admiration of local politicians as well.
“They have done great work,” said Homer Wittaker, aide to Commissioner Carlos Jimenez. “They have created a real community of neighbors to take care of one another’s needs.”
Three years ago, Michael and Erika Philip, their 3 children and their friend Laurie Cook moved to Miami from Chicago with the financial backing of churches and friends to help in the community of the West Grove, but they didn’t start any programs. To the dismay of many of their supporters, Urban Resurrection spent the whole first year developing relationships and trying to get to know the West Grove rather than starting programs they thought would solve the problems they saw.
“We moved in and listened to what
the people had to say and built a strong trust level,” said Michael Philip one
of the co-founders. “We don’t act until the community says what they want to
do.”
The West Grove is a historically Bahamian community where more than 40 percent of the 3,000 residents of this 65-block area live below the poverty line, and these activists live in the community itself.
With its now six staff and five volunteers, Urban Resurrection makes sure they are directly involved in the community.
“Our volunteers are required to go through a rigorous, six-week training program before they work with us,” said Cook. “In our mentoring program, our mentors are required to spend time in the community with the family of the kids they’re mentoring.”
Every week Urban Resurrection meets with the Carter Street Block Club with its neighbors to discuss what the needs of the community are. The group, made up of people from all ages, from small children to its oldest member who is 83. This community group has closed a generational gap that exists in the West Grove.
“There is at times a divide between the generations here,” said Cook. “We have brought young people into our community meetings and the elders are surprised by what their young people can do.”
The group has started a garden
initiative that supplies food among the seven houses in the group, and the same
group has organized a hurricane preparedness program. In response to youth
violence that occurred in 2007, another community group decided to create their
BEATS (Bringing Eternal Arts to The Streets) program that attracted one
volunteer, a rapper from the Tampa area, to teach their hip-hop class over the
summer.
“This is not just another organization. This is a relationship,” said Sekajipo Genes, a Christian rapper who will be releasing his first album in December and has moved to be in the West Grove permanently. “Urban Resurrection is a big story.”
The organization is now starting two businesses headed by some of the youth in the community: a t-shirt design company and a photography company. Orders are coming in from around the United States.
When asked if it is uncomfortable being white in a predominantly black community, Michael Philip who is white but has adopted two children from Ethiopia, responded that he enjoys the culture here and feels comfortable.
As one politician, Stephen Murray a Democratic Committeeman who blogs about issues pertaining to the West Grove observed of Urban Resurrection (see article below), “They are extremely popular within the community. Community organizations like these fill the void that local government cannot.”