Diamond in the Rough

Whether you are a faith believer or not, there is no denying that things are different at this time of year. And I’m not talking about the buying frenzy. As a people and as communities, during the Holiday Season we are more focused on others than ourselves. Even better, many of us are more focused on those less fortunate and that focus can help to permanently change lives for the better.

One of the reasons I’m a new urbanism advocate is because of the impact of this movement on our day to day experiences, especially the experiences of our children. As a mother and as a human being I feel such grief when I visit a blighted urban area where children are surrounded by crime, neglect and sorrow.

There is too much wealth in this country to allow such decline–especially in the urban centers that helped to build this nation.

So when I read the recent series in the Columbus dispatch about rebirth and regrowth in one of Ohio’s grittiest cities–Cleveland–I had to share.

Cleveland is the fourth poorest city in the nation and has been in a steady population and jobs decline since the steel industry started to collapse in the 1950’s. The city is also in the top 10 for the cities with the most crime (it’s #10 right after Richmond, California). Throughout the 1990’s Cleveland’s public schools fell short on every state standard for minimum acceptable performance.

But the news gets better. Recently the U.S. News and World Report listed Cleveland and its surburban schools among the best in the nation. While Cleveland’s suburban area schools have always been at the top of national school ratings, this most recent report included four City of Cleveland public schools.

What made the difference - human initiative and heart.

One Saturday in November, educators from the school board knocked on 1,400 doors to talk to parents of every senior at risk of not graduating in the City of Cleveland public school system. This is not normal procedure but it speaks to the great effort of a community - those working there and living there.

There are many organizations and neighborhood groups in Cleveland working hand in hand with private companies and city government to attract new life to the city and to help bring back one of America’s greatest cities.

From the Columbus Dispatch:

“…Cleveland is no mistake on the lake, because there is so much from the past to glorify in the city where John D. Rockefeller built his oil enterprise, where early 20th-century Mayor Tom Johnson showed the nation a reform government that worked, where Bob Feller mowed down batters and Jim Brown ran over defensive backs.

In so many ways, Cleveland has remained a great city. Anchored by the Cleveland Clinic, it is fast becoming a beacon of wellness to the world. Its bustling airport and lake port provide access to global commerce. Its orchestra and art museum are world-renowned. Playhouse Square is a first stop for Broadway plays.

“When you think of that, when you think of all these amenities and you have all these people visiting here and you have transplants relocating here — they all fall in love with Cleveland because they see a gem,” said Mayor Frank Jackson.”

Diamonds in the rough…that’s a good way for us to think about our nation’s more challenged urban centers.

Tags: City Life, New Urbanism