While exploring Northside with my classmates this week, I got the impression that Northside is a fairly close and tight-knit community. As Yancy stated, Northside is a collection of somewhat eclectic people (Yancy). This was apparent from the wide range of unique stores and restaurants located along Hamilton Avenue. For example, the Shake It record store seemed to be a fun and hip place where young musicians and artists would shop and spend time together. I saw several small shops and boutiques with artisan-style handmade crafts, accessories and knickknacks. The wooden pig featured in the inset picture is one of these handmade knickknacks. I think that this shared eclectic nature throughout Northside brings the community closer together because it creates a strong bond between the members of the community. The members of the community are all interested in the unique talents and goods that their neighbors have to offer. Furthermore, they want to support each other. I sensed this feeling of
mutual support at the end of our time at WordPlay when Yancy was recommending a
good local restaurant. She seemed very eager to direct us to Tacocracy, a small taco shop located a few doors down. I also visited the Farmers Market at the Northside Presbyterian Church. Again, I sensed a feeling of mutual support. The vendors, some of whom were from over an hour away, were happy to supply their customers with fresh, organic fruits and vegetables. In turn, the customers were eager to support their fellow community members by purchasing these goods. I think this shared eclectic nature and sense of mutual support truly creates a strong community in Northside.
I definitely gained very different impressions from our experience with Brandy at 3CDC in Over-the-Rhine and from our experience with Yancy at WordPlay in Northside. Both organizations – 3CDC and WordPlay – are nonprofits; however,
I think they have different goals. WordPlay was a fun, open place where all members of the community are welcome and accepted. According to Yancy, the goals at WordPlay are to create a safe space for children, to show interest in the children’s work, and to empower children by giving them a voice through writing (Yancy). The volunteers at WordPlay are truly attempting to make a difference in the lives of the children in their community. They want to give them to tools to succeed in school and to keep them from becoming involved in more harmful activities after school. From Yancy’s description of WordPlay and its objectives, I gained the impression that WordPlay is much more attuned to the needs of the Northside community that 3CDC is to the needs of the Over-the-Rhine community. Brandy’s description of the projects promoted by 3CDC gave the impression that 3CDC is not entirely concerned with what the members of the community want. 3CDC is developing new restaurants and housing units that many of the current local residents cannot afford. It seems that 3CDC is interested in attracting a new clientele of people to the Over-the-Rhine community, rather than attracting the current clientele of residents.