December, A Time for Reflection

There’s an article from the September-October 2024 magazine of the Harvard Business Review where Michael Luca and Amy C. Edmondson (you’ll recognize that name from ‘psychological safety’ and Right Kind of Wrong) that summarizes ACT’s mission beautifully:

“When considering internal data or the results of a study, often business leaders either take the evidence presented as gospel or dismiss it altogether. Both approaches are misguided. “ ~Summary, Where Data-Driven Decision-Making Can Go Wrong

The article goes into greater detail and calls out the importance of matching information with the question being asked (internal validity), the pitfall of underestimating the importance of sample size (particularly relevant to many counties in our region), and the challenge of aligning outcomes with actual program activities. It is as though the authors have attended meetings here in Rochester!

We at ACT Rochester have turned to narrative as another key part of the solution to data-driven decision-making going wrong. If we challenge our default assumptions, we are more likely to ask the questions that Luca and Edmondson suggest and avoid the pitfalls.

So, in the spirit of reinforcing new ideas, the Brain Food posts in the month of December will be re-posts from the time before email alerts. We will highlight staff top picks from posts before October. ACT Rochester social media will call out older posts as well. We have worked hard on Brain Food throughout all of 2024 and want to make sure you don’t miss anything!

Happy December, friends of ACT! Please enjoy your Brain Food, nutrition for healthy thought :-)

The Science of Failing Well

There’s such a thing as failing well? Yep, and Harvard Business School Professor Amy Edmondson’s 2023 book Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well provides the detailed formula for productive failure and the circumstances to turn failure into innovation.

You may recognize the author’s name, as Dr. Edmondson coined the term psychological safety from her research about the dynamics behind successful teams. Psychological safety is an environment that encourages candor and reframes mistakes as learning opportunities. From this work, Dr. Edmondson turns to the idea of good failures.

If you read the book with a lens toward social change, it is a prescription for continuous improvement, intentional iterative action, and rigorous problem-solving. As Dr. Edmondson says, “Intelligent failures provide valuable new knowledge. They bring discovery. They occur when experimentation is necessary simply because answers are not knowable in advance” (p.11). Social transformation requires new knowledge and discovery precisely because we are asking hard, complicated questions.

Particularly poignant is the second part of the book: practicing the science of failing well. The three chapters in part two focus on self-awareness, situation awareness, and system awareness and how each intersect with failure. Dr. Edmondson highlights how our biases, contexts, and system dynamics influence how we frame (and our tolerance of) failure.

The overarching argument in the book is that fear of failure stifles innovation, so we need to take the fear away and be open to the good failures. Page 63 even poses some questions that would help us design a smart pilot program/intervention (spoiler: the goal of the pilot should be to learn as much as possible, not to prove the success of the innovation to funders)! Chapter 7: Appreciating Systems (p.227) is particularly relevant for our collective impact efforts.

The last chapter of the book begins with a quote from tennis legend Billie Jean King: “For me, losing a tennis match isn’t failure. It’s research.” Food for thought!

Source: Edmondson, A. C. (2023). Right kind of wrong: The science of failing well. Simon and Schuster.

National Zoning Atlas + Local Update

I attended Reconnect Rochester’s film event - “The Sprawl Effect” - last week, and it was fantastic! Information, important conversation, and inspiration were plentiful.

At the event, I was introduced to a new resource that is relevant to zoning conversations that I know are happening across our community. Reminder: zoning codes were highlighted in Poverty, by America as a key area to focus on for poverty abolitionist work.

The resources is the National Zoning Atlas, an effort to digitize, demystify, and democratize (the 3 Ds!) zoning codes across urban counties in the US. Of particular interest is an interactive map, that includes zoning information about much of Monroe County. In addition to the map, the website includes a section called ‘Atlases in Action’ that provides snapshots, examples of advocacy, analysis, and some curated research on the topic. It is worth perusing!

Note: the project’s focus seems to be urban areas and therefore only areas within Monroe County are included at this stage, and even within Monroe County there are some gaps (Irondequoit is not available, for example). The project is in building mode so we hope that their good work expands into the other 7 counties of our region.

Consider using the National Zoning Atlas to check your facts and inform your conversations about zoning codes in Monroe County! The link is also included on the National Data Sources and Services page under Resources (a great reference list!).

UPDATE: In a brilliant example of communicating and connecting, Shane Wiegand (of Our Local History at CCSI) alerted me to a local project done in collaboration with Dr. Stu Jordan at the University of Rochester on zoning regulations and city planning. Please find an excellent story map here and a map specific to exclusionary zoning in Monroe County (with 2018 data) here.

3 Excellent Short Reads on Public Safety

The issues of crime and public safety have been top-of-mind since before COVID, and then the circumstances of the pandemic made everything worse. So, communities across the country have been struggling with crime statistics, identifying trends, and attempting to intervene effectively.

Chicago and the University of Chicago Crime Lab have been center stage. The Crime Lab is nationally recognized for its applied research and is often seen as the gold standard for evidence-based intervention toward public safety.

On September 23rd, 2023, three articles came out that highlight the work of Chicago’s Crime Lab and provide high quality food for thought:

1. An article about the difference between data and personal experience, and what the experience gap tells us about the reality behind the numbers. I know that I have heard friends and colleagues talk about the confusion of data trends that show reduced crime while at the same time feeling less safe downtown than we can remember. This article provides approachable insight. Highly recommend!

2. An article about an approach to gun violence prevention that has been successful in high risk neighborhoods in Chicago

3. Commentary directly from staff at UChicago Crime Lab and insight into some of the work that the Crime Lab has done that shows promise and innovation, including the establishment of Strategic Decision Support Centers (SDSCs) for data-driven decision-making

Please consider reading all three articles, particularly as you engage in conversations about public safety in the city of Rochester. We need to learn from Chicago and see what we can customize for the Rochester context.

Brain food for evidence-based decision making around public safety!

Guest Post: Child Poverty

Reminder: let’s be poverty abolitionists! Particularly for the sake of children.

To meaningfully address childhood poverty, we need to adopt a poverty abolitionist framework. This means rejecting short-term, individual-level interventions and focusing on dismantling the capitalist and racist systems that reproduce poverty. It’s not enough to offer after-school programs or meals; we need systemic change that includes reparative justice, universal basic income, and equitable school funding.

Educators, policymakers, and communities must collaborate to push for policies that dismantle poverty at its root. This includes advocating for increased funding for public schools, particularly those serving low-income and marginalized students, as well as broader social policies that address housing, healthcare, and employment inequities.

If you haven’t yet, consider reading Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond!

The poverty we see in Rochester—and in cities across the U.S.—is not inevitable. It is a policy choice, perpetuated by systems that prioritize profit over people. Childhood poverty is not a byproduct of individual failure, but of systemic neglect. If we are to create classrooms where every child can thrive, we must first dismantle the systems that ensure some children will never have that opportunity. The path forward is one of abolition, equity, and justice.

Dr. Tyana Velazquez-Smith is the Director of Early Childhood at Rochester Area Community Foundation. With a doctorate in Teaching and Curriculum from the University of Rochester, Dr. Velazquez-Smith is an adjunct instructor at U of R, teaching courses like Race, Class, Gender & Disability in American Schools. She is the Founder and CEO of Sensational Inclusion, dedicated to building equitable educational ecosystems. Dr. Velazquez-Smith is a native Rochesterian, passionate activist, educator, and dedicated researcher.

Creatives Rebuild New York

Did you know that New York state has an investment and relief program dedicated to the financial stability of artists and the organizations that employ them? The program is called Creatives Rebuild New York. Find out more here.

Next City posted an article on September 18, 2024 that tells individual artists’ stories about their experience with the program. It provides a bit of background and then beautiful pictures and stories. Find it here and enjoy some arts and culture brain food!

Curated Book: The Way Out

ACT Rochester Advisory Committee member Sharon Stiller attended a presentation by Columbia professor of psychology and education Dr. Peter T Coleman and recommended his book, The Way Out: How to Overcome Toxic Polarization.

Instead of pitching the book, let me provide some quotes to whet your appetite:

“We don’t process new information neutrally, instead we are motivated to make sense of it in ways that are consistent with our existing worldview…” (pg. 30)

“After a sufficient reset, the next order of business is to locate what is already working. This practice is based on research findings that change-resistant problems are often most responsive to positive deviance or bright spots, existing remedies that have already arisen and proven useful and sustainable within the context of the problem.” (pg. 77)

“when feedback on the result of our actions come in it is time to pay more attention, not less; to make more decisions, not fewer. It involves starting wisely, making corrections in midcourse, and learning from our mistakes.” (pg. 203)

ACT Rochester followers should find these quotes familiar and while the topic for Dr. Coleman is the political polarization, the points made in the book are very applicable to our community’s struggles with social change.

The good thing to know is that the way of thinking that ACT Rochester has been promoting - the scientific method, embracing complexity, continuous improvement - are based in science! Peter Coleman’s The Way Out is a great resource as we continue toward social transformation.

Source: Coleman, P. T. (2021). The way out: How to overcome toxic polarization. Columbia University Press.

Curated Article: How 3 cities are using federal funding to reknit communities divided by urban renewal and freeways

Reimagining the Civic Commons posted an article about Reconnecting Communities grants that includes case studies about Cleveland, OH, Akron, OH, and Miami, FL.

Included in the case study review is a spotlight on designer and spatial justice activist Liz Ogbu. Liz Ogbu was a featured speaker in Syracuse at the New York State Funders Alliance meeting in October of 2023, and she was fantastic. Her message promotes a diversity of narratives and embracing creativity as we think about our public spaces.

We have similar urban renewal projects that we think about and talk about in our community, and these 3 case studies may spark something new in the story you tell or the framing you use.

As a reminder, opening our minds to new stories often leads to innovation, which can lead to transformation and improvement. Let’s get creative!

Science Podcasts

Are you a podcast listener? Do you spend time in the car that could use some stimulating brain food? There are so many podcasts available now, you are sure to find something you like.

Brain Food has covered a few podcast episodes, including one with Bill Gates that highlights advanced problem-solving. The whole episode is great, and the post is worth a read!

In case you’re looking for science-related podcasts (fun!), Podcast Review posted an article on The 11 Best Science Podcasts. In the review, staff writer and assistant editor Alice Florence Orr says:

“By emphasizing methodology, a good science podcast not only asks interesting questions; it also explains how and why we arrived at an answer.”

Does that sound like something ACT Rochester would support, or what?! Consider a science podcast for some extra brain food!

Curated Book on Urban Design

A close friend lent me the book Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design by Charles Montgomery after a lengthy policy conversation. He told me I needed to read it; he was right. You should read it, too!

Note that Happy City is not written by social scientists so the objective of the book is not to prove or disprove a hypothesis. I loved and recommend Happy City because it is an exercise in out-of-the-box thinking. It is a catalyst for innovative problem-solving. It provides case studies of cities across the world, told as stories, and patched together for a wholistic and human-centered approach to the complex challenges of urban areas. Happy City highlights the successes of Vancouver, Canada, Bogota, Colombia, Siena, Italy, and Paris, France, and it uses history and exceptional scholarship to make arguments about what makes a city great and how to improve the quality of life for all city residents.

“And what are our needs for happiness?... We need to walk, just as birds need to fly. We need to be around other people. We need beauty. We need contact with nature. And most of all, we need not to be excluded. We need to feel some sort of equality." (pg. 6)

Montgomery introduces concepts like challenged thriving (pg. 37), the relationship between happiness, economists, and urban design, unintended negative consequences of urban sprawl (beyond the damage to the environment!), and on page 111 Montgomery references a relevant psychological study at the University of Rochester. 

We spend so much time reading about the challenges of the City of Rochester and perhaps you find yourselves talking about those challenges in your networks. Consider reading Happy City to catalyze more creative thought about what urban transformation could look like.

Consider Happy City for your brain food - it's high quality nutrition for healthy thought! 

Source: Montgomery, C. (2013). Happy city: Transforming our lives through urban design. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York.

Federal Home Loan Banks

How’s your banking legislation history? Don’t worry if it’s not worthy of an A+ because Brookings provides a history lesson and accessible description of Federal Home Loan Banks in their August 8th, 2024 commentary: “How to Fix Federal Home Loan Banks.”

Our community has talked a lot about the intended and unintended consequences of the New Deal, and the Federal Home Loan Bank Act of 1932 has a role in that conversation. The good news is that there is a restructuring in progress, Brookings submitted commentary, and we all can get up to speed.

Keep in mind that this is information for policy at the federal level, but we know the effects of federal policy cascades into more local settings like ours!

Curated Blog Post: Central New York Community Foundation

Our friends at the Central New York Community Foundation posted a blog on July 11th titled "Lending Tree Study Ranked Syracuse Second in Economic Disparity."

I know what you're thinking - where does Rochester rank? Fortunately, we did not make the bottom five. Unfortunately, we are bottom six.

I encourage you to read the CNY blog post for their insight, and to look at the lending tree study itself (linked directly here). We have more work to do!

Interview with Robert Putnam

A friend of ACT Rochester passed along this interview with Robert Putnam and the associated article from The New York Times. (Thanks, Barb!) The interview talks about Putnam’s famed book Bowling Alone, rampant loneliness, and the social circumstances of our society. Dr. Putnam is a political scientist and social capital expert.  

Dr. Putnam is no stranger to our community, as he worked with RACF on a social capital survey in the 1990s. He thinks, talks, and writes a lot about “joining” and its opposite, social isolation. This topic is particularly relevant post-COVID and has many correlations to upward mobility. 

Consider this interview and Robert Putnam’s work as our political landscape lights up preparing for November elections.

Curated article: When Neighbors Choose…

Next City published an article on August 6th, 2024 that gives an interesting example of community-led grantmaking. Community members are making decisions about programming, and the money follows. See “When Neighbors Choose How To Spend Philanthropic When Neighbors Choose How To Spend Philanthropic Dollars.”

The story is about the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, a neighborhood hit hard by the opioid epidemic. This case study is a very interesting example of how neighborhoods can drive their own revitalization, and of a new dynamic with philanthropy. 

Food for thought!

“The way we gather matters.”

Priya Parker is a bit of a celebrity for the Rochester Area Community Foundation Community Programs department. In June of 2024, Parker was a featured speaker at the University of Rochester’s Volunteers in Partnership Leadership Conference. Before that, in 2022, RACF Community Programs staff each received the book. Who can argue with more efficient meetings? 

Parker’s book The Art of Gathering is an argument for more intentional, productive gathering. You’ll notice right away that she says “gathering” and not “meetings” - a choice and key part of her philosophy. She defines gathering as “the conscious bringing together of people for a reason” (pg. ix, 2018). Parker published the book in 2018 (pre-COVID), and her points seem even more salient now.

At ACT Rochester, we are constantly having conversations about how we think about things, and how we want people to think about things. The Art of Gathering is similar in that it an argument for how to think about gathering. In the introduction, Parker says “My hope is that this book will help you think differently about your gatherings.” (pg.xiii) 

Also, Parker notes that she has a particular approach when it comes to coming together. Her approach “places people and what happens between them at the center of every coming together… [and I] strive to help people experience a sense of belonging.” (pg.xi) I would remind everyone that the sixth pillar of the RMAPI Unity Agenda is Dignity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Food for thought!

Please consider The Art of Gathering and feel free to bring it up to Community Programs staff, particularly Vice President of Community Programs Erin Budd Barry :-) You’ll make her day. 

Actually, Erin just reminded me that there is a podcast, shorter form offerings, etc. if you’re not in the mood for a full book! Check out her website: www.priyaparker.com

Source: Parker, P. (2018). The Art of Gathering: Create Transformative Meetings, Events and Experiences. Portfolio/Penguin.

Curated Article: Women and Labor Market Recovery

On July 26, Brookings published a research study on the role of “prime-age women” in labor market recovery. Prime-age is defined as women within the age of 25 and 54, and the idea is that women in this age range have increasingly participated in the labor force. Fair warning that the study is very data-heavy, with several charts and interactive graphics, but the overall point is that women are participating in the labor force at high rates.

The study also highlights that female participation in the labor force varies by racial/ethnic group, educational attainment, marital status, and disability status. The study also highlights variation in labor force participation for mothers of school-age children - there was an uptick immediately after the COVID lockdown, and that trend has leveled out. 

We know that COVID had a profound influence on labor force participation patterns, so it is important to pay attention to how patterns continue. Keep in mind that the article is about national trends, but still relevant to the conversations we are having in our community about the need for child care and potential impacts of employment policies on families. 

Consider these national trends when we think about employment opportunities in our region, target audiences for career pipelines, and our ongoing upward mobility efforts. 

Curated Podcast: Working together to create affordable housing that lasts

On July 11th, the Next City Podcast shared a case study from Richmond, Virginia that offers a possible permanent affordable housing solution that is worth considering for our community. The Maggie Walker Community Land Trust (MWCLT) is a unique non-profit that is both a land bank and a community land trust. This means that, as a land bank, MWCLT can acquire land for little to no cost from the city, and as a community land trust, the organization can develop that land and sell the home at a low cost, while keeping the land itself in their name. This creates affordable housing in Richmond that is permanent; homeowners who buy from MWCLT can keep the home for generations, or sell it, but they must sell it at a capped price to an income-eligible buyer.  

The dual role of MWCLT is especially beneficial as it limits competition between the public and private sectors. This case study emphasizes the power that collaboration can have in generating solutions, a lesson that is close to my heart. I have the privilege of working with three initiatives at the Community Foundation, one being Rochester ENergy Efficiency and Weatherization (RENEW). RENEW is another example of a unique effort to address access to housing; we work with numerous community partners in our region to braid resources to administer home repair and weatherization grants, with the mission of making homes more energy efficient, healthier, and safer. (If you’re interested in learning more about RENEW, there is a case study about the initiative in our Inclusive Recovery dashboard that I’d recommend checking out).  

What working with RENEW has emphasized to me, and what this example from Richmond only further demonstrates, is that collaboration between various partners across the community sparks creative solutions to important issues, including in the field of housing. This podcast is a quick, interesting episode, and I invite you to give it a listen, to learn more about the history of the MWCLT and to revel in their recent successes! 

Contributed by Madison Esposito, Program Administrator for RACF Initiatives and University of Rochester graduate. 

Curated article: Brookings takes a holistic look at SNAP benefits

On June 20th, Brookings published an article discussing the many benefits of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), beyond alleviating hunger for families in the United States. With helpful, interactive graphics and concise data, these authors offer an overview of what SNAP is and who might be eligible for the program, while also exploring the layered benefits of a program that is largely independent of household makeup and demographics.

SNAP makes it possible for households to free up other funds for basic needs beyond hunger. Though the funds from SNAP can only be spent on specific items, not having to spend personal funds on those items creates space for families to handle other large, often unexpected expenses, like car repairs or urgent care visits. It provides room to practice balancing a budget and avoid future debts, which is critically important to maintaining financial stability. 

At its core, this article reminds us to look at the holistic picture of economic mobility and stability, and the branching effects that stem from the allowance of flexibility. It is an interesting, short read that communicates data around SNAP in clear context to offer an expanded perspective about the importance of the program. I’d encourage you to give it a read, then explore our indicator about SNAP under “Demographics.” Take note what trends you find interesting across time and see how they may—or may not!—connect with the ideas presented by the team at Brookings. 

Contributed by Madison Esposito, Program Administrator for RACF Initiatives and University of Rochester graduate. 

Curated Article: Promoting a Culture of Caring in Education

In the summer 2024 edition of the Stanford Social Innovation Review, there is an article that uses many of the buzz words and phrases that our community has oft discussed lately: systems change, mental health crisis, change organization, and social connectedness. The article, found here, is a comprehensive look at efforts to improve mental health for school-age youth. 

With the 2024 Olympics in Paris coming up and athletes like Simone Biles and Michael Phelps working to reduce the stigma around mental health, there is momentum toward positive change. What can you learn? What role can you play?

Funding POC Arts

Today, July 9th, 2024, Next City and Hester Street published a podcast about the consequences of not funding arts programs, particularly arts programs operated by people of color and in non-white communities. The podcast (included if you scroll down to the end of the short introductory article) is an important conversation - I encourage you to pay attention particular from 10 minutes to 12 minutes and then a conversation about data and metrics around the arts at the 21st minute.

The importance of funding the arts is well-known and recognized here at Rochester Area Community Foundation - see the work RACF does in Arts and Culture here. 

Additionally, the Center for an Urban Future published a report about how the arts catalyze economic vitality - find information and the report here.