I’m thrilled to announce that my chapter “Creating and Nurturing Communities of Practice for Neighborhood Revitalization” has just been published in the volume Handbook of Quality of Life and Social Change — part of the International Handbooks of Quality-of-Life series from Springer. The chapter became available online as of October 5, 2024. SpringerLink
What the Chapter Covers
In the chapter, I explore how communities — much like the families we’re born into — shape long-term outcomes across health, income, and educational opportunities. I argue for the importance of place-based community revitalization and shared learning, as embodied in a “community of practice” (CoP) model. Drawing from the work of Purpose Built Communities Foundation, I show how collaborative, cross-sector leadership involving residents, civic organizations, philanthropy, and business can promote equity, wellness, and opportunity across neighborhoods. SpringerLink+1
Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all blueprint, the chapter highlights how a CoP helps local leaders learn from each other and adapt effective strategies across different contexts — respecting the unique challenges and assets of each neighborhood. SpringerLink
Why This Matters to Me (and Hopefully You Too)
Writing this chapter has been a deeply personal and professional journey. Neighborhoods are more than just geographic areas — they are ecosystems of relationships, aspirations, and potential. I believe that by strengthening community networks, we can build more equitable and resilient places for families to thrive.
Publishing this work feels like a first step in a larger conversation: one that bridges research, practice, and real-world impact. My hope is that the ideas shared in this chapter will inspire practitioners, policymakers, and community advocates to think differently about neighborhood change — not just in terms of projects or investments, but in terms of people, relationships, and shared learning.
What’s Next
- I plan to continue exploring how CoPs can support community-led transformation, especially in under-resourced neighborhoods.
- I hope to engage with practitioners, community leaders, and fellow researchers to test and refine these ideas in real-world settings.
- Feel free to reach out if you want to discuss collaborations, community building, or future research ideas.