WPLP

The discussion about the importance of place is especially interesting to me especially in the Mill Creek project where the landscape itself was the main focus for the project and the education of it. I liked reading about the struggle to get this program off the ground, and how things evolve from trying to incur change at the top level, but then switching to a knowledge capacity type approach by educating the local children and giving them the tools to propose change. The involvement of the garden and existing programs were also important in the “place” of Mill Creek. The history also became very significant in the planning and the natural landscape of the neighborhood. It’s amazing how the upper levels can ignore the conditions of the landscape in exchange to maximize profits, when in the future, it will only cost more because of sunken land and ruined property. The ecology and landscape is such a determining factor for whether property are developable and in predicting the future of this area. The trend is apparently which makes it frustrating to read that the city officials are ignoring it.
Fatima’s Story was a great suppliment to the readings. The benefit she gained from the project was not one that I would’ve expected as an outcome. I think that reflect the beauty of helping others and exposing communities to opportunities because you can never guess how people respond to it, positive or negative, but there’s always something unexpectedly beneficial to someone. To hear that she’s been able to extend this into her profession is inspiring.When Learning is Real is also a good supplement because of the perspective of another organizer. It was a great connection between both sides of the program, and the reaches the program has such as parent programs.