Celebrating 20 Years of ABCD How is it radical and what difference has it made?

Two Paths to Healthy Communities: 1.Agency services 2.Community associations

AGENCY SERVICES COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS Professionals/ volunteers/clients Citizens Top-downDemocratic Focus on needsFocus on gifts One wayReciprocal SiloedHolistic Depends on moneyDepends on relationships

How is ABCD Radical? Radical (adjective): Very new and different from what is traditional or usual. -Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Labeling People as Clients is Radical Homeless Unemployed Poor person Non-English speaking Single parent Addict Offender Old person At-risk youth Disabled

Vashon, Washington ABCD is about Inclusion

WE ALL BELONG: PROJECTS Restorative Justice Program Amigos en Vashon Ferry Dock Welcoming Signs Challenge Day at Vashon High School Checkers in Town Breakfast at Sally’s Cross-Ability Friendship for Students Keep Dancing Welcome Wagon Hire Vashon Time Bank Homesharing The Wave Campaign Stone Soup Gathering

Stone Soup Gathering

Turning Citizens into Customers is Radical

118 th Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta ABCD is about Restoring Democracy

Whatever the question, community is the answer. -Margaret Wheatley

POTENTIAL OF ABCD Care for the Earth Care for One Another Promote Health Prevent Crime Respond to Disaster Sustain Local Economy Create Great Places

Too Much ABCD Practice is Pseudo -Creating an asset map, especially when done by paid staff -Using community volunteers to backfill for agency professionals -Starting with the agency’s agenda rather than the community’s -Focusing exclusively on the internal and not using the community’s knowledge and voice to hold outside agencies accountable

We Need to be Radical Practitioners of ABCD