Regional Coordinator

Power of Possibilities – A Letter to Partners

Dear Health Partners, 

I’ve been thinking a lot about the stories we tell ourselves about the places we call home. 

It’s so easy to focus only on our flaws or limitations and to think the grass is greener on the other side of that fence. 

In his book, Community: A Structure of Belonging, Peter Block writes, “The interest we have in problems is so intense that at some point we take our identity from those problems. Without them, it seems like we would not know who we are as a community. Many of the strongest advocates for change would lose their sense of identity if the change they desired ever occurred.”

Wow.  That really stepped on my toes several years ago when I first read it. Twenty years ago, most conversations in the region seemed focused on all that we lacked and all that was wrong. We missed a lot of good opportunities by assuming we could never be successful. 

Block explains, “Community-as-problems-to-be-solved has some benefits. It values the ability to implement, is big on doing, has a certain honesty about it, and worships tangible results as the ultimate blessing. You might say that this is what has gotten us this far. It is not that this (or any other) context is wrong; it just does not have the power to bring something new into the world.”

He also asserts that, “We are a community of possibilities, not a community of problems. Community exists for the sake of belonging and takes its identity from the gifts, generosity, and accountability of its citizens. It is not defined by its fears, its isolation, or its penchant for retribution. We currently have all the capacity, expertise, programs, leaders, regulations, and wealth required to end unnecessary suffering and create an alternative future.”

The Health Collaborative has spent the past ten years working with others across the Dan River Region to convene people around possibilities – how might we work together and leverage our existing resources to create a healthier community where we all thrive? 

This is often referred to as Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), a community-driven approach that focuses on identifying and utilizing the existing strengths and resources within a community to foster positive change and sustainable development. Instead of focusing on deficits or needs, ABCD emphasizes the capacities, skills, and assets of community members, associations, and institutions to drive their own development. 

I’ve spent the last few months in quiet observation – lots of long drives exploring the City of Danville and Pittsylvania County, paying attention to where and when people are gathering, and getting to know some of the folks who are “in the know” – and I have to tell you, just like Caswell, folks in Danville and Pittsylvania County are shortchanging themselves!

Oh sure, there’s always plenty of room for improvement, but this is not the same Dan River Region of 20 years ago and I’m not sure that those of us who live here fully appreciate that. 

There are plenty of visible changes like the ongoing redevelopment of the River District and significant improvements to recreational spaces such as Parks and Recreation facilities, trails, and other green spaces. But there’s also been a very palpable shift in spirit. 

Twenty years ago, conversations centered around all the reasons a thing might not work. People were constantly complaining that there was nothing to do, that there was no transparency in government, and that they had little hope in being able to make positive changes in their community. 

Today, the Dan River Region is alive with possibility! Oh sure, there’s still plenty of “problems” but they no longer seem insurmountable in the face of so many possibilities. Everywhere you look in the Dan River Region you will find people working together, optimistic about the future. Any given week’s calendar is FULL of community events, shared learning opportunities, professional development, public input sessions, and opportunities for community members to serve as decision-makers. 

It can be easy for us to focus on the problems, or to think they are somehow greater than our possibilities. But we’ve been watering our own grass here in the Dan River Region for quite a while now and it’s looking awfully green right here at home. 

As shifting policy and funding priorities continue to impact local programs and services, it will be important for us to remember that Peter Block is right. We are not a community of problems to be solved. We are a community of possibilities, and we must continue to ask ourselves, how will we work together and leverage our existing resources to create a Dan River Region where we all thrive? 

How do you view your work? Are you addressing problems or are you making the most of possibilities? What is the narrative that you tell yourself and others about the Dan River Region? Is it a story of problems, or one of possibilities? How does that perception affect how you show up or impact your work?

Two excellent sources for tools and resources related to asset-based approaches are: 

I invite you to explore these resources and consider how some of these strategies are already incorporated into your work and which approaches might prove most beneficial in the coming months.  

I also encourage you to check out this piece on Five Questions for a Simplified Health in All Policies Approach and explore the opportunities to build community below. 

-Shannon

Upcoming Chapter Meetings

  • Caswell County Chapter, July 15th at 12:30pm – Contact Kyle Warren-Love at Caswell@TheHealthCollab.com
  • Pittsylvania County Chapter, July 22nd at 11:30am – RSVP HERE or Contact Jolandria Graves at Pittsyvlania@TheHealthCollab.com 
  • Danville Chapter, August 14th at 12 noon – Contact Kitt Mayo at Danville@TheHealthCollab.com

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