Six Community Development Principles I learned in Middle of Nowhere Tennessee

Six Community Development Principles I learned in Middle of Nowhere Tennessee

This little spot will always hold an almost magical space in my heart. Throughout my childhood, my siblings, my cousins, and I would be dropped off at the little green house on the corner (aka my grandparent's house). Most of my cousins are older than me. They'd all go into town and go to radioshack or the brand new two-screen movie theater or something. While I'd stay back at the house with my brother and my cousin Derek affectionately known as Dirk. We'd find the coolest rocks, invent new games that Micah would always change the rules to, we'd skip stones in the hidden pond, ate honeysuckle, we'd stay up late watching the twilight zone and Mr. Ed. This place was so easy. Not a worry or care.

I work in the community development field now where there are lots of worries and cares. Still, a lot of the community development principles that I believe to my core started at the little green house on the corner.

1. There are wise people who have been doing this work, living this life a lot longer than me. I don't have to listen to them but that's how city kids end up eating crabapples and getting shocked by electric fences.

2. You're never really alone, someone will come down the street eventually.

3. Mixed-use development just makes sense. My Grandparents church, affectionally known as the church with the ladybugs, once served as a church, a schoolhouse, a wedding hall probably a million other things too.

4. Workforce development is a hands-on initiative. It sounds something like "Come on and help me with this..."

5. Nowhere is somewhere to somebody. I've only found my dad's hometown on one map one time. But to the people who lived and loved there, it's home.

6. and most importantly, Keep on Keepin on, just because things are difficult, just because things don't go right the first time doesn't mean you quit.

My summers in the middle of nowhere make me a better community development practitioner today.