The Divided Community Project’s Community Resiliency Initiative is a coalition of community leaders who have convened broad-based community planning efforts to address division in their communities. In spring 2017, the Divided Community Project secured funding from the AAA-ICDR Foundation to enable Community Resiliency Initiative members to develop case studies which describe local dispute planning initiatives that address controversies and confrontations that divide communities. Five communities completed case studies:
Rochester’s Community Response Team
- Study 1 illustrates the work of the Rochester Community Response Team, an effort launched through the work of a local dispute resolution center and a local newspaper, which began developing plans for a collective community response to civil unrest.
Orlando Speaks
- Study 2 describes Orlando Speaks, a new approach to police-community dialogue developed through a partnership between the City of Orlando, the Orlando Police Department, and Valencia College Peace and Justice Institute.
- This Appendix includes documents referenced in the Orlando Speaks case study.
Strengthening Communities Project
- Study 3 discusses the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center’s Strengthening Communities Project, convened by a non-profit dispute resolution center in San Mateo County, California.
Columbus Community Trust
- Study 4 highlights the work of the volunteer Columbus Community Trust, convened with support from the Columbus Bar Association and the John Mercer Langston Bar Association, with support from the local U.S. Attorney’s office.
Unity in the Community-San Leandro
- Study 5 describes Unity in the Community-San Leandro, a group of San Leandro (California) volunteers who convened in response to a series of local hate incidents.
Collectively the case studies illustrate various methods for convening broad-based community planning efforts. Each case study includes an illustrative flow chart of the processes used in each community, connecting each pilot project’s work with DCP guidance articulated in the 2016 report Planning in Advance of Civil Unrest. For example, the Columbus Community Trust–the project’s flow-chart is pictured on the right–initiated a broad-based community planning process; assessed community division; designed processed to raise problems and work with public officials; hosted forums to establish patterns of constructive practices; and, began developing concrete plans for civil unrest. Should you have questions about the Community Resiliency Initiative, contact the Divided Community Project’s Deputy Director at froehlich.28@osu.edu.