At the heart of all the joy, accomplishments, fears, triumphs, and dreams are neighbors and neighborhoods. We have public policy from the school board level to the supreme court, but at the end of the day our hopes and aspirations come to fruition in our neighborhoods. Neighbor-to-neighbor we build and rebuild our lives and communities. Yes, government at every level is intertwined with and often determines our individual and collective fates. But we are not simply acted on. We are organized and advancing the public good, often block by block. We do it with government funding and we do it despite not enough government funding. And we come together though the annual Neighborhoods USA Conference.
This year Jacksonville, Florida hosted the 50th annual NUSA Conference, May 20th through the 23rd, welcoming neighborhood activists, community workers, and government employees from across the country. The city rolled out the red carpet. Director of the Jacksonville Neighborhoods Department, Thomas B. Waters, served as the conference coordinator with support from departmental staff as well as those from the Recreation & Community Services Department, the Sports and Entertainment Department, and the Prime Osborn Convention Center. Director Waters and NUSA president Precious McKesson consistently welcomed guests throughout the conference, making everyone feel at home.
Conference workshops were led by NUSA members who shared examples of overcoming obstacles, community organizing, and strategies for building on a neighborhood’s strengths and engaging partners in implementing solutions. Topics ranged from reintegration into the community after incarceration; next generation “tool lending libraries” that support neighborhood upkeep and beautification; building partnerships that support workforce development for youth; transportation as a quality-of-life issue; strategic planning for small neighborhood organizations; preparing for disasters; and celebrating our neighborhoods. Pearl Shaw of Saad&Shaw was invited to join Joyce Cox, Senior Manager of The Office of Neighborhood Engagement for the City of Memphis and her team in sharing our experience with a cohort of community development organizations who created their own case for support to use in attracting funding and other resources. The executive directors of SCORE CDC (Rebecca Matlock Hutchison) and Binghampton Development Corporation (Dee Franklin) shared their case document, talking about how the cohort process strengthened their organizations.
Bus tours and walking tours of Jacksonville neighborhoods were part of the conference. We also learned about the history of Jacksonville and how public policy shaped current and historical neighborhoods – their strengths and their challenges. We were reminded that what we see when we look at our neighborhoods is not solely the result of individual choices. Slavery, emancipation, Jim Crow, immigration, access to jobs, city planning decisions, railroads, location, migration, and industry all formed and continue to shape Jacksonville. And its not just Jacksonville.
Across the country, each neighborhood has a history, long term residents, newcomers, and cycles of investment and disinvestment. While outside forces play a large role in shaping our neighborhoods, organized residents give birth to dreams and work to bring them to life. That’s what NUSA is all about – we are a nation of neighborhoods! God protect America.
Copyright 2025 – Mel and Pearl Shaw of Saad&Shaw-Comprehensive Fund Development Services, providing fundraising coaching, planning, case for support services, and more. www.saadandshaw.com.
