Doña  Ana Communities United
September  2017 Newsletter

We've had an exciting September so far here at DACU! Kari's radio show is thriving, and our participation in the city's Neighborhood Leadership Academy is off to a great start. We've also kicked off a project in the Nevada neighborhood with our two public health student interns, Ashley and Danyale. 

We have several events coming up, including a DACU team meeting, timebank potluck, and two timebank orientations. Read on to learn more about what we've been up to and what's up next!

Warmly, 
Kari and Meredith

DACU Director 
Kari Bachman 
575-496-4330

DACU Outreach Coordinator 
Meredith Severtson
575-323-0730

Upcoming DACU Events

DACU Team Meeting 
September 21 | 11am - 1pm 
DACU office


Timebank Potluck
September 23 |12 - 2pm
DACU office

Timebank Orientation 
September 24| 12:30 - 2pm
Center for Spiritual Living
575 N. Main Street

Timebank Orientation
October 16 | 5:30 - 7:30pm
DACU office

Our office is located at 151 S Walnut Street, Unit B13. You'll find directions at the  bottom of this newsletter.
Just Community radio shows are now available! 

Kari continues to broadcast live from KTAL-LP 101.5 FM each  Thursday from  8 to 9 AM. If you missed a show, recordings of past shows are now available via this link!
 
Recent guests have included Border Servant Corps volunteers and our DACU community mappers. On the 21st, Kari will visit with Marisol Diaz about cultural identity on the border. On the 28th, Kay Lilley will discuss her work with The Beloved Community. Let us know your suggestions of underrepresented voices who could be featured on future shows!
 
Community mappers Michael Seamster, Stanley Smith, Kevin Moose, and Aiaim Diaz with Kari at the radio station

Meg Brauckmann  and Meredith Severtson, Border Servant Corps members, after appearing on Kari's show. 

DACU participates in the City's Neighborhood Leadership Academy 
This fall, Kari and four of our community mappers were accepted as participants in the City's inaugural Neighborhood Leadership Academy (NLA). Every  Wednesday  night for 15 weeks, we are joining 30 others to learn about the work conducted by the City's different departments. Beyond acquiring this knowledge, we also seek to forge relationships with City staff and help the City develop effective participatory methods of community engagement. The last two September meetings will focus on public safety and the City's budget process. Please contact us if you would like to learn more.


Nevada Neighborhood Project 
The City Sustainability Office has kicked off a project in a portion of the Bellamah neighborhood located west of Lynn Middle School, where fifty percent of residents feel they can't cool down their houses sufficiently. The City's goal is to develop a shaded corridor on Nevada Avenue as well as help residents make their homes more resistant to high temperatures. 
 
What is the DACU connection? Timebanking is one way to build social cohesion, which has been shown to enhance a community's ability to respond to extreme weather events. Nearly 80% of residents in this neighborhood say they know fewer than three neighbors whom they could call for help. Our DACC public health interns this semester, Ashley Amador and Danyale Avallone, will conduct timebank outreach activities in the neighborhood in collaboration with Lynn Middle School students. Let us know if you'd like to be involved: most activities will take place on Thursdays and weekends.

Interns Danyale and Ashley, with Ashley's son Caleb and DACU mapper Michael, prepare materials for community outreach. 

Directions to Our Office: 
151 South Walnut Street, Unit B13  map
We are located at the corner of Walnut and Griggs in the Walnut Business Park. Our  office is w alking distance from Roadrunner bus routes 6 and 7. Please give us a call before you come by, as we are often out and about in the community!
 
Doña Ana Communities United (DACU) builds the capacity of communities to develop and implement policies and community-based solutions that improve social, economic, and environmental conditions that shape health and life opportunities. We work to advance health equity in Doña Ana County by addressing institutional inequities related to geography, class, gender, and race. 

We are conducting two main projects. Through the social equity mapping project, undervalued community members explore their neighborhoods and work with local decision makers to develop policies that advance health equity. Participants in the hOurTime timebank build social cohesion and practice an equitable form of alternative economics as they exchange services with each other.