December 2021: Year in Review

December 2021: Year in Review

Hope you're having a happy holiday season! Here's a look back at some highlights from 2021 from Durham Community Engagement.

We are continuing the Our Community Stories video series in 2022! Coming in January, we're exploring stories from Wheels Fun Park. This event will take place Friday, January 28 at noon. Register for the Zoom link - note, there is a new link for the 2022 series!

As always, let us know if you have any questions.

Wishing you health and happiness!

-Your City of Durham Community Engagement Team 

This Year's Impact 

Our Community Stories

The Our Community Stories series explores histories and stories from Durham's marginalized and underrepresented communities. We've had 12 video sessions added to the series in 2021. Spotlighted communities were Brookstown, The Bottom, College Heights, Merrick Moore, East End, Algonquin Club, Emorywood Estates, Durham College, Lincoln Hospital School of Nursing, youth activism, and McDougald Terrace. Check out all the recordings on Youtube! The series also shows on Durham Television Network on Saturdays and Sundays at noon.

COVID-19 related webinars

Facebook Live sessions related to COVID-19 community conversations were held this year. You can find English recordings on Facebook for:

Funding for Community Partners

Community partners are local groups who contract with the City to design and lead engagement in their communities. 2021's partners were collectively awarded $100,000:
  • AMIA, through Luma Consulting, LLC, leading engagement in Durham's Latinx communities
  • Bragtown Community Association, leading engagement in the Bragtown neighborhood between North Roxboro Street and Old Oxford Highway
  • Be Connected Durham, leading engagement along the Fayetteville Street Transit Emphasis Corridor between Lakewood Avenue and Riddle Road
  • Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, Inc., leading engagement along the Holloway Street Transit Emphasis Corridor

Read more about the partners. We're bringing on 3 new groups in 2022 - stay tuned for the official announcement!

Neighborhood Engagements

Community Engagement staff frequently go to Durham communities to connect, distribute information on City resources, and have fun!

Some highlights...

Tuesdays in the Garden: This Fall saw plenty of activities at Hoover Road teaching kids fun things about growing your own food, nature, and science. There were also parties, backpack and school supplies distributions, tie-dyeing, and skateboard and bike giveaways!

GIRLS Camp: Durham's Police Athletic League (PAL) and Community Engagement Staff partered on GIRLS camp this year, designed for girls from four communities in Durham. Our own Alexis John is the recipient of The National PAL 2021 Inspirational Volunteer of the Year award in recognition of her outstanding support of DPD’s PAL program.

This year also saw Zumba events in Latinx communities, African dance and drumming sessions, information and resource distributions, surveys, distribution of resource bags, community conversations around policing and racial healing, and more. Check out our Facebook for photos from these events.

Partners Against Crime (PACs)

The Partners Against Crime (PAC) program promotes collaboration among police officers, Durham residents, and city and county government officials to find sustainable solutions to community crime problems and quality of life issues. This year the PACs transitioned to online and hybrid meetings, provided in-person events and meetings via Facebook Live, connected residents to resource and City/County officials, and facilitated community conversations.

Together, city wide PAC had 1,000+ residents in PAC meetings this year. Interested in participating? Find your district.

Neighborhood Matching Grants

The Neighborhood Matching Grant program provides up to $2,500 in matching funds to help Durham neighborhoods become better places to live, work, and play. Watch a video summarizing the COVID-19 Neighborhood Partnership Grant program.

Team updates

Alexis John was promoted to Community Strategic Planner. New team members this year included Carolyn Caggia - communications intern, Miles Spann - District 2 Coordinator, Hallie Orr - outreach coordinator, building community equity program, and Selina Máté - Refugee & Immigrant Affairs Strategist. 

Building ECE in the City

The Durham Community Engagement team had many presentations and trainings this year to support equitable engagement efforts in the City. Staff presented at meetings and conferences including the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) annual meeting in May. The team also consulted with various departments and agencies on matters such as fines and fees justice, land use and the Comprehensive Plan, the Belt Line Trail, DCHC MPO's Transit plan, sustainability, budgeting, the Durham Sports Commission, and more.


What's Coming Up + Ways to Get Involved

Our Community Stories: Wheels Fun Park

The next chapter of the Our Community Stories series will spotlight Wheels Fun Park, on Friday, January 28 at noon. Sign up for the Zoom session!

Don't forget to like us on Facebook to keep up with the latest events and community engagement news!

This newsletter and past newsletters are also available on our website. You can reach us at (919) 560-1647.

Do you have community news you'd like us to promote? See our Request for Promotions form. 

Thank you,

Your Community Engagement Team:

Constance Stancil, James Davis, Lynwood Best, Alexis John, Tannu Gupta, Laura Biediger, Jennie Belle, Miles Spann, Carmen Ortiz, Kevin Jones, Selina Máté, Hallie Orr, and Carolyn Caggia.

Showing 1 reaction

Please check your e-mail for a link to activate your account.

  • Carolyn Caggia
    published this page in News 2022-01-04 21:12:42 -0500