Wunmi Okupe of the GEMZ speaks at the Center for Dynamic Community Government.
The Center for Dynamic Community Governance (CDCG) is going strong in their “year-long project focused on bringing awareness of free and low-cost Greenbelt services and programs to the residents of Greenbriar condos and Oak Ridge apartments and to promote the concept of Greenbelt One,” among several other endeavors, said CDCG board member Aileen Kroll. According to CDCG cofounder John Buck, the concept of Greenbelt One is to “help mend the divide that exists between Greenbelt East and Old Greenbelt.”
The fourth official Greenbriar community meeting took place on Saturday, January 27 at the Greenbriar Community Center, “under the auspices of CDCG and supported by a city project grant,” said Kroll. There were presentations by community group leaders, Cathy Jones, president of the Friends of the Old Greenbelt Theatre and volunteer coordinator; Carolyn LambrightDavis and Maggie Cahalan of CHEARS; Wunmi Okupe of GEMZ; and Liz Park, executive director of CARES/GAIL. Each representative elaborated on the developments and mission of their organizations. For more information, consult the websites of each organization: greenbelttheatre.org, chears.org, makemeagem.org, and greenbeltmd.gov for CARES and GAIL. CDCG has been working with all of these groups, using their approach to maximize their effectiveness and enhance communication within and with other Greenbelt groups.
Said Kroll, the Greenbriar Residents Outreach Group offered presentations on several subjects including free and lowcost transportation, free food and clothing venues, legal/financial options, language and cultural issues and AARP/pending legislation. Also discussed were low-cost and free UMD bus, tuition-free state university classes for those 60+, and the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program at the New Deal Café. For more information about the Greenbriar Community Outreach Group, contact Angeline Butler at mollytops1@gmail.com.
Kroll said “new groups were formed to explore the possibility of having a part-time CARES/ GAIL satellite office on-site, to create resident tours of Greenbelt and to create a document” with information on all available services.
Angeline Butler, president of Greenbriar Phase Three, has CDCG Works with Greenbriar To Promote Greenbelt One by Matthew Arbach worked closely with CDCG on this project. She was “very impressed” by the fact that CDCG “gets results.” She felt that the approach “involves and respects people,” that the process works and participants are enthusiastic. She saw an encouraging pattern of consistent goal-setting and completion. Butler echoed the observation that many Greenbriar residents have “no clue what’s available” and sees CDCG as a vehicle to change that.
Other Greenbelt groups that CDCG is currently assisting are the Old Greenbelt Theatre, Beloved Community Interfaith Network, Peace Action Group and the Greenbelt Time Bank.
Said Kroll, “We have offered basic and advanced training workshops, follow-up and consultation services” to all of these groups. CDCG works to empower Greenbelt community members and groups by teaching and sharing an enlightened governance approach called Dynamic Community Governance (DCG). DCG focuses on transparent and consent-based interactions, resulting in energized meetings, the valuing of different perspectives and a streamlined decision-making process. Because people feel heard and valued and because matters get addressed and resolved, participation and productivity increases.”
DCG was first introduced to Greenbelt in 2013. For more information, contact Aileen Kroll at aileen@dynamic-governance.org.
Note: Article is on page 7 of the following original source file.