Calling all community connectors

Eric Ortiz lives in the Wedge with his family. He is executive director of the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation, a nonprofit youth and community development organization based in Minneapolis.

Challenges bring opportunity. So do connections.

The other day, I met a Minneapolis fire inspections field operations manager who told me the city's fire department is understaffed.

"I think it's because people don't want to serve their community the way they used to," said the man, who also served 22 years in the United States military with tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria.

"People are not as interested in giving back to the community or serving their community," he added. "Fire service is a trade. It also takes courage."

"What is a solution?" I asked.

"It starts in the home," he said. "We need to shift our values and priorities."

This conversation took place on Feb. 8 at the Community Connections Conference, an annual free event that connects residents of Minneapolis, community groups, neighborhoods, and local government.

This year's conference featured over 250 booths from the City of Minneapolis and other community groups. It brought together more than 1,000 community members from across the city to celebrate our communities, share ideas, and build connections.

Residents and city leaders interacted, discussed challenges, and celebrated neighborhood achievements. Information was shared in multiple languages.

Hands-on workshops and skill-building sessions allowed people to gain knowledge and resources to continue making a difference. The goal was to empower underserved communities and amplify underrepresented voices.

The Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation had a table with youth from our Youth Community Journalism Institute and created a community newspaper with conference attendees. We met dozens of great people doing great things in the community.

The conference was a huge success because it was grounded in the belief that all communities should feel welcome and everyone should have a chance to influence important decisions.

We need to continue working together to connect our communities with services and opportunities so that everyone feels a sense of belonging and can achieve their highest potential.

Building community is one of the most important things we can do today.

As former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said at this year's Knight Media Forum in Miami:

"America and the world need a new generation of community builders. A generation defined not by age but by spirit. By a fierce unyielding commitment to each other. A generation that is willing to stand up and reject the pessimism and animosity of our time and instead choose courage and hope. We must be that generation. It is up to all of us to build our lives around the time-tested triad of fulfillment grounded in relationships, purpose and service. It is up to us to rebuild community in America. My ask of all of you is to make community the lens through which you look at your life and your work, the compass you use to make decisions about what to prioritize where you invest your time and attention, and what issues, organizations and leaders you choose to support. How can your actions bring people together to help each other and build relationships? How can you use your role in sharing stories and shaping media narratives in designing workplaces and schools and influencing culture to create the experience of community for more people and to make the case that community must be an urgent priority? I know this is easier said than done, but at a time when so many people are feeling divided and despondent, our work to build community could be one of the most important things we do to strengthen our nation."

Murthy, who wrote "Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World," recommends doing one small thing every day to help someone in your sphere of influence. Small steps will lead to the big cultural and policy shifts we need to create a just world that works for everyone.

Working together has never been more important than now. We need more "community connectors" to connect people to resources, support networks, and opportunities. 

Community connectors can build relationships and facilitate communication between different groups within the community, serving as a link between people and services and helping those who need it most.

We must continue standing up for those who need it most and giving back to our communities.

This means promoting empathy and understanding, creating opportunities for people to share interests, creating opportunities for people to feel valued and supported, creating opportunities for people to feel welcome and accepted.

We need to continue standing up for human rights and creating healthy communities for all people in all communities.

This means acting according to our moral principles, even when it's difficult or unpopular.

This requires courage and integrity.

This is how we build community connections

Community connections are how we build stronger communities.

Stronger communities are how we build a better future for everyone.

Eric Ortiz lives in the Wedge with his family. He is executive director of the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation, a national youth and community development nonprofit based in Minneapolis, and associate director of research for The Pivot Fund, a venture philanthropy organization that invests in community newsrooms serving underserved communities.