Cohesive, resilient communities are multifaceted in nature and are more than just a simple sum of their parts. Resilient communities are more than just a collection of resilient individuals - rather a collection of resources, knowledge base, experiences, cultures and traditions, and social structures. When combined, these allow communities to minimize the impact of external shocks to the community. Communities are then able to withstand stress without degrading achieved through redundancy, interchangeable resources that can be suitable for multiple uses. In addition, the diversity of neighborhoods allows cohesive communities to rapidly achieve goals and to mobilize resources when conditions threaten the community. Divisions, either physically or socially can be devastating to the flow of resources required to achieve cohesive communities. Oftentimes, a community may need help from outside communities or government institutions that further diversify and supplement the resources of a community to mitigate external shocks. When developed, these cohesive communities can thrive and are also less likely to have common neighborhood problems such as crime and waste. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that there is a lack of conflict but rather means that the community has an ability to manage the variety of tensions and disagreements that normally occur. All these activities contribute positively to people’s mental health and social well-being.
This week’s theme of Cohesive Communities, centered around the ability of resource exchange, was made tangible during my visit to Gateway. As I walk around Gateway, I see a neighborhood that has a very similar set of resources, knowledge base, experiences, and social structures. In fact, much of the community is linked within the same social structure. The neighborhood’s history has created a tight-knit group of people who have family ties to the area. In the entire neighborhood, there was only 1 house for sale. Only 2 other houses were being renovated. This historical entrenchment creates a community that is socially cohesive. However, I see a risk of resiliency because Gateway doesn’t have the varying resources that were mentioned throughout many of the readings from this module. This lack of redundancy and diversity in resources, in addition to a potential lack of resource mobility and rapidity leaves Gateway at risk when a crisis does strike. Furthermore, additional resources that may complement Gateway’s current resource set are entering the neighborhood but are physically separate from the main community. The development completed at 30th Place NE has brilliant new townhomes and with them, new kinds of resources. However, to be cohesive, the communities must be integrated which will no doubt be a challenge. Reflecting on this module, I think I was most surprised at the idea of cohesive communities and how they relate to resiliency. I always seemed to link the two as if cohesiveness made a community resilient. However, through both the readings this week and the urban immersion at Gateway, it became clear that resiliency is about much more than cohesion. Resources drive a community towards resiliency and without the necessary and diverse resources, resiliency can be challenged. Therefore, it takes more than just tight-knit communities to achieve a fully flourishing community. Rather, it takes an expansion of resources and a diversification of skill sets and assets to ensure that a community can react, respond, and ultimately adapt in a time of crisis.
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