Majora Carter
Why I can't stop loving America
by Julietta Gabriel

The story goes something like this: Once upon a time, a child is born in America. She is curious and travels a lot and when she returns home is chock full of ideas. What she wants is clean air, green trees and a vibrant community. What she does not want is crime, poverty and the proposed expansion of the local dumpster. So she decides to do something about it. She writes a proposal—a winning proposal—and changes the course of her neighbourhood’s history.

What could have been a garbage dump is now a glorious waterfront park. Everybody loved the proposal, and the city agreed that $3 million would be better spent on the public good. That park is in South Bronx, one of New York City’s poorest neighbourhoods, and that woman is Majora Carter. Nobody told her that it could not be done and after hearing her speak at Hart House, I get the sense that she would not have listened anyway.

By 12:00 pm on March 13, 2009, Hart House Great Hall is full of students, faculty and friends of the University to hear Majora Carter speak. The topic is Greening Your Neighbourhood but the spirit is more about following your dreams. In the years since her waterfront revitalization project, Majora has enjoyed amazing success as a community leader, public policy activist and social justice consultant but her current favourite role is president of The Majora Carter Group (MCG).

MCG is a consulting firm that specializes in green economic development. That means talking about stakeholders (not shareholders) and focusing on long-term gains for society as a whole. For example, a municipality might be advised on the benefits of investing in horticultural infrastructure versus old sewage systems, a community group might be advised on where to secure grants available for green development and a business might be advised on how to invest in people in order to maximize returns. And why not?

Why not stop talking about it and just do it? Like Majora Carter, who before all the international tours and radio and television appearances was just one African-American woman who dared to follow her dream. And in the hour that she spent with us at Hart House sharing anecdotes and family photographs, she reminded me of the extra in the ordinary and the reason why I just can’t help but to love America.

___

Speaking of social justice...Hart House has a Social Justice Committee that is committed to providing opportunities for students, staff and members of the wider community to mindfully engage in activities related to social justice issues. Our programming is based around our core values of sustainability, empowerment through education, international and community development, and equity. We facilitate a diverse range of programs, such as The Fair Trade Coffee House series, which bring together great coffee and great ideas, and Community Kitchens, where individuals cook flavorful, ethical meals while interacting with prominent social justice leaders in the community. Other events have focused on issues such as AIDS, hunger and local homelessness.