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Residents turn detective to fight crime

Tom Colls

July 02, 2019 |

BBC |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Atlanta, Georgia

A U.S. company, Flock Safety, has developed a security and surveillance system that allows residents to monitor the color, model, and license plate of every car entering their neighborhood. The system uses car license plate cameras that aren’t monitored by the local police or governments, rather, by residents themselves, to help deter crime. While the system has shown success to the tune of an average of two crimes solved every day, it also raises questions around the problematic nature of surveillance culture, privacy, and profiting off of safety and fear.

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Middlebury is walking towards restoration

Colleen Carroll

July 01, 2019 |

The Devil Strip |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Middlebury, Ohio

The town of Middlebury, Ohio organizes community walking audits that allow residents to actively relay concerns and complaints about their community. The audits focus on neighborhood improvement and encourage active community members to lead the charge in local development.

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How West Oakland Financed Its Own Grocery Store

Oscar Perry Abello

May 30, 2019 |

Next City |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Oakland, California

Public investment campaigns can raise capital and attract larger institutional investors. In the neighborhood of West Oakland, the Community Foods Market opened its doors by raising funds through a Direct Public Offering (DPO). In addition to using traditional grant funding and so-called “angel” investors, the Community Foods Market turned community members into investors, giving them partial ownership of their local grocery store.

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Cañada Cove COPEs with disaster planning

Libby Leyden

May 15, 2019 |

Half Moon Bay Review |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, San Mateo, California

San Mateo County’s coastside residents have created their own, volunteer-based disaster response system. Considering that they make up just 5% of the county’s population, and are just as much at risk for natural disasters like wildfires, flooding, and landslides, they recognized that they had to be proactive in the event that help and resources would be limited in such an event. The Cañada Cove Community Association developed a localized plan for disaster preparedness, including manuals, communication systems, and a database of residents that provides information on the specialized needs of citizens.

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Here's how Birmingham is battling its high homicide rate

Katherine Webb-Hehn

May 08, 2019 |

AL.com (Alabama Media Group) |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Birmingham, Alabama

From city-wide efforts to faith-based interventions to public health approaches, the city of Birmingham, Alabama is taking an all-hands-on-deck approach to ending gun violence in the city. The city has been deeply affected by structural violence, racism, and disinvestment, and is applying multiple approaches, like deploying “peacemakers” that talk to residents to figure out why violence is happening in the first place. The city has also increased the number of detectives covering homicides and area nonprofits are developing counseling, rehabilitation, and job training programs for young men.

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The Fight For Lights In SE Albuquerque

Marisa Demarco

March 28, 2019 |

KUNM |

Radio |

Under 3 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Albuquerque, New Mexico

After years of asking the city of Albuquerque to light their streets, the community group, Light the District has started doing it on their own. Recognizing that unlit streets can lead to crime and injuries, the group funds and installs their own streetlights to make neighborhoods safer.

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New Chicanos Por La Causa center to empower Maryvale community through education, jobs

Julian Hernandez

March 26, 2019 |

Cronkite News - Arizona PBS |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Phoenix, Arizona

A Phoenix nonprofit called Chicanos Por La Causa serves the Latino communities across the Southwest through education, housing, health services, and more. Their job fair, created to celebrate the opening of their new Engagement Center, aims to drive employment and improve education rates in Maryvale through partnerships with Walmart and the Maricopa County Community College District. Participants laud the Center and the program for helping them seek betterment in life, access to a job, or a better job.

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The inspiring thing that happened when a Japanese village went almost waste-free

Alex Gray

January 21, 2019 |

World Economic Forum |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Japan, Kamikatsu, Shikoku

Kamikatsu, a small Japanese village on an island, is on track to become a zero-waste village. The community is made up of only 1,700 residents and—through a combination of community conversations and sorting the waste to be profitable—they managed to keep more than 80% of their waste out of landfills and incinerators. On top of the environmental impact, the Zero Waste Academy brings together a largely-elderly population as a group focused on a mission and has led to an increased sense of community and well-being.

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My hometown is going to burn. Here's how my neighbors are preparing

Nathanael Johnson

January 14, 2019 |

Grist |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Nevada City, California

In wildfire-prone Nevada County, California, community squads that do controlled burns are on the rise. According to the Nevada County fire council, some 23 associations are active, while about 50 more are forming. By reducing wildfire "ladder fuel," these local groups can reduce the severity of future wildfires, all while protecting their homes.

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How the Ghana ThinkTank Challenges the White Savior Complex

Sara Rose Sharp

November 27, 2018 |

Hyperallergic |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

The Ghana ThinkTank connects planners in the so-called “first world” to planners in the so-called “third world” to challenge notions of development and spread ideas from overlooked sources. For a recent project, planners in Detroit worked with a think tank in Morocco to adapt a staple of Moroccan architecture to promote the use of public space.

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