Community as Progress

By Charlene Folston
Creativity + Social Change
University of Connecticut

I feel that progress is extremely important in a community. It is needed in order to move forward and advance in life. With progression you can build on your strengths and overcome your weaknesses. First, it is important that you know what your strengths and weaknesses are. I think that every community should have goals and objectives set in place so they are continuously working towards the outcomes. Each person in the community should have the same goals in mind. If there is no progress in a community there will not be any happiness because everyone would just be settling with what they have and not working towards making their current situations any better. You have to always strive to move forward in life. I would love to live in a community where everyone helped each other progress in life and worked to together to improve the look of the environments they live in. I do not like when there are negative views about a certain community and I see that no one is trying to make improvements.

I have learned that communities need strong foundation to build on in order to progress. Each person in the community is the foundation so it is up to them to make sure that it is a strong one. There are so many different issues in every community. I have also learned that the people in these communities do want a change; however, most of them do not know how to take the necessary steps towards progression. All they need is someone to help them and show them that they do have the resources that they are looking for. Education also plays an important role when it comes to progression. Learn about new ideas and ways that you can change your situation. You should know the process of progression and the steps that you need to take in order to achieve your goal.  It is important that you understand what you are fighting for. I feel that each person should make progress a priority of their own. It is everyone’s responsibility to contribute and help facilitate. We all can make a difference by using our own skills and various connections.

When you have a team of people that work together for the greater good for everyone as a whole it makes all the difference. It takes a strong group of devoted and dedicated people to change a community. You can’t just want a change for yourself. Your success depends on the people around you. It is impossible to progress on your own. The only way you can progress is when everyone is on one accord and has the same goals. If there is division in a community it will make it harder to advance and live a more comfortable life. You can tell when a community is progressing just by the people you see. I believe that progress has a domino effect, and once you begin to notice improvements in one area it will then transfer to next goal that need to be achieved.  Why not make the world a better place for everyone, instead of a better place for you?