Hope in the Cities

For over two decades Hope in the Cities has helped transform Richmond, VA, from a symbol of racial division to a model for reconciliation. Through acknowledgement of history, honest conversation and skills building workshops, the experiential learning offered by Hope in the Cities builds capacity for community leaders.

A sustained citizen-led effort has resulted in a network of leaders in non-profit and business sectors, local government, media and education. It engages people across the political spectrum and of all cultural and religious backgrounds.

Hope in the Cities has developed a proven process for change that incorporates three vital steps:

Honest conversation: creating models of sustained community dialogue involving all sectors and leading to new and unexpected partnerships
Personal responsibility: moving beyond blame and personal pain to constructive action
Acts of acknowledgement and reconciliation: breaking cycles of guilt or anger to reach understanding and healing

Hope in the Cities offers Richmond as a center for community trustbuilding where processes for trustbuilding, reconciliation, and community change are regularly learned and effectively practiced.

Current projects

Unpacking the Census: the new realities of race, class, and jurisdiction. Addressing the issues of economic inclussion, this multi-media presentation on poverty in the Richmond, VA, region is moving a community from awareness to action. For more information and to schedule a presentation.
Metropolitan Richmond Day 2013: November 8, 12:00 – 2:00 pm, Omni hotel, Richmond, VA. This annual event convenes leaders from the public and private sectors to discuss key regional issues, and to encourage partnership. Keynote speaker: Dr. Gail Christopher, vice president for program srategies at the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. For more information and to register.
Training opportunities – take advantage of upcoming training opportunities or schedule a program for your community. For more information and to register.

News

Changing hearts and minds

More than 70 Americans from 12 states are expected to attend the Healing History: Overcoming Racism, Seeking Equity, Building Community conference in Caux, Switzerland. The US group will exchange experiences with many others from regions across the globe where unhealed racial history and discrimination are obstacles to building healthy communities.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Making democracy real

As our taxi pulled up at dawn and the sun surfaced from behind the tablelands, the wash of brilliant fuchsia bougainvillea and clear red geraniums welcomed us as we were serenaded by raucous birds and squabbling monkeys. After 40+ hours of travel my husband Ralph and I had arrived at Asia Plateau, India, to attend the 2nd Making Democracy Real conference.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Three neighborhoods - one community?

Three distinct neighborhoods, adjacent to each other, with distrust between them based on historical events – could they become one community that honors their distinct boundaries? Hope in the Cities was invited by the Neighborhood Resource Center to lead a process for residents of the three neighborhoods.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Hope in the Cities builds trust through honest conversation on race, reconciliation, and responsibility.

The vision is the creation of just and inclusive communities.

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The purpose:

Community Awareness - A focus on economic inclusion and the new realities of race, economics, and jurisdiction. A public process to educate citizens and to mobilize community support for action.

Communty Capacity - An experiential training curriculum that increases the capacity of community leaders to overcome legacies of racial history and to sustain initiatives for reconciliation and equity.

Community Vision - An anual Metropolitan Richmond Day forum convening leaders from the puublic and private sectors of the Richmond region to discuss key issues, engage in dialogue and build partnership.

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