Civitas Engineering Group, Inc.’s Post

The housing crisis isn't just an urban issue. Rural areas face their own housing struggles, affecting families and communities alike. Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group and partners like HAC are addressing this head-on. Discover valuable resources and advocacy efforts for rural housing development, including innovative solutions like manufactured housing. Plus, programs like the California Coalition for Rural Housing's leadership training are paving the way for young professionals to make a difference. Join the conversation and explore Aspen CSG's resources for stronger rural communities: https://lnkd.in/eqZHyDvr

If you want a glimpse at the extraordinary heart, soul, and intellect of New York’s Chief Judge, watch this short video of his remarks at our recent event.

This month, we're spotlighting Sherry Norquist, MSN, RN,ACM, Executive Director of Community Engagement and Impact, at Sentara Health! Says Sherry: "I have had the privilege of working beside so many amazing individuals, including local community leaders, faith-based leaders, nonprofit leaders, and the amazing leadership at Sentara. I have found that success lives at all levels of community health and have put a premium on communication and listening. These relationships foster sharing of learned and lived experiences with others." Learn more about Sherry here: https://lnkd.in/efGuzygZ

Great to be back again serving as emcee at the 17th Annual Hearts of Texas Luncheon, honoring Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Randy Bowman, Community Partners of Dallas and the Lewisville ISD. Volunteerism transforms lives! Thanks to Volunteer Now CEO, Rachel Currie Triska, for inspiring her incredible team. Americans gave 4.1 billion hours of service to humanity as volunteers last year. There's nothing more impactful than making a difference in the lives of those who need it most. As I share in my keynote address: "Live your life as a go-getter, yet, forever share your life as a go-giver."

There are so many things right about this approach and model. This project provides many examples to learn and model from. Edmundites, HURRAH!

#CommunityEngagement is a term widely used yet has vastly different interpretations. In my very biased opinion, to be effective agents of social change, it is important for us to recognize that we ALL ARE COMMUNITY MEMBERS and we each have beautifully diverse talents, skills, resources, power and influence that must be woven together to achieve our shared goals. When we engage with one another, for GHI, it means far more than transactional interactions or checking a box. It means earning trust, being in fellowship, developing an understanding of nuance, not shying away from tough conversations and centering those who are most effected by the inequities we aspire to eliminate. I offer a glimpse into who I am, where I have been and how I aspire to lead as an arbiter of GHI's community engagement efforts with hopes that you each will allow me to learn from your wisdom. #healthequity #maternalhealth #ruralhealth #advocacy #organizing #ittakesavillage #foundation

Dr. Jonathan Torres, a longtime ACOFP member and volunteer leader, is taking his advocacy to the next level. Learn more about his activism and what led him down this path in this ACOFP blog. https://lnkd.in/gbSnU7CY

Thank you for stating what we see somehow “overlook” The California Endowment. Our collective thanks to #farmworkers who ensure we eat, regardless of the physically demanding daily work and oftentimes not accessing the food they grow. What a parallel to ponder (not to shame, but to increase our collective curiosity and growth): traveling far distances from home with the hope of getting a smartphone camera’s distance from a musical performance; spending some of the time in dust, dirt, mud, and elements; paying large sums of money to witness incredible talent and creativity and being “seen” via social media. Versus Traveling far distances from home with the hope of a better paying job that can support themselves and their families; spending all of their time in the dust, dirt, mud, and elements; receiving low wages and being overlooked and taken for granted for feeding everyone who attends such festivals - and not being “seen” at all. Gratitude and curiosity helps us look at root causes to systemic issues. There are always solutions. P.S. COCHELLA PRODUCTIONS check out Lucidity Festivals local procurement system

"We continue to illuminate the path toward healthier communities and brighter lives for the children we serve, fostering a legacy of change that spans continents and generations." Maya Crauderueff, Founder and President of Maya's Hope Foundation, Inc. Swipe through to read more about the inspiring work being done at Maya's Hope, and catch the full write-up with the link below! https://bit.ly/3FOLMfM

Beth Chandler has made an indelible mark on our city. I’ve had the honor of serving on the Board of YW Boston since 2018. That was the year that Beth began her leadership as President & CEO of this crucial Boston organization. In 2020, I became the Board Chair, which gave me the opportunity to work more closely with Beth. Beth is stepping down this summer, after 12 years with YW Boston and six as its head. With her guidance and advocacy, YW Boston has made Boston a more equitable place for the benefit of all residents, in particular women of color. Beth stewarded the non-profit through historic challenges, from a complex strategic planning process to navigating the pandemic to selling the landmark Back Bay building. She also seeded the growth of diversity and inclusion throughout our institutions.  I’ve learned a lot from Beth over the years. From her strength—she’s very direct, and stands up for what she believes to be right. From her willingness to listen to different opinions and perspectives, and change her mind. And I particularly appreciate her combination of vision and strategy. Anyone who wants to make transformative change in their organizations can learn lessons from her tenure. When she led us in a deep probe into the meaning of our mission, she helped us focus on who our beneficiaries really are: not just the clients we consulted or the participants in the program, but the colleagues and clients of those people. She saw how YW Boston was a catalyst, inspiring and supporting people to be change agents in their own organizations. I vividly remember when the Board was discussing a tough decision. We’d been losing money on a volunteer-facilitated service. She wanted to hire staff to deliver it more effectively and charge a fee. We were anxious about the risk of hiring people with a budget deficit. Beth presented the alternatives clearly: we could gradually bleed out over time, or we could take this risk and build toward a sustainable model. She recognized it was the time for bold moves. We agreed. And when the demand for DEI services exploded, we had the people we needed and we were well positioned to provide the services. She also knew that boldness isn’t always about expansion. When I joined the board, YW Boston had 10 or 12 programs—we were spread a little thin. Beth and the leadership team honed the portfolio basically to three: Inclusion Boston, LeadBoston, and FYRE. These, along with advocacy campaigns like parity on boards and United Against Racism, share a theory of change: they build a group of people who have a real deep understanding of equity and inclusion, so that they can go back to their organizations and create change.  That vision has helped create a better climate for everyone. I give Beth my gratitude and my personal admiration, for all that she’s done—for YW Boston, for so many organizations that have worked with us, and for the City of Boston. Thank you, Beth. https://wix.to/Rmy6E0N