NC A&T Program Breathes Life into Durham Housing Community 

April 22, 1998 

Greensboro, NC: "The transformation has been amazing," James Miller says of Brenda Goldston. "Community Voices brought out the leader in Brenda, and both she and the community have benefitted immensely."

A self-described shy person, Brenda Goldston came out of her shell after Miller, a Durham County Extension agent with the North Carolina A&T State University Cooperative Extension Program, recommended the Community Voices program to her.

"Community Voices taught me a lot about myself," says Goldston, who went on to serve as president of the Cornwallis Community Improvement Association. "I learned that I had something to offer, and, that if I used my talents in the right way, I could help myself and others grow."

Community Voices is a leadership development program coordinated by the North Carolina A&T State University Cooperative Extension Program. Through a 15-segment program, Community Voices aims to nurture grassroot leadership, and empower people with the knowledge and skills they need to become part of community affairs.

To do this, Cooperative Extension staff train a core group of individuals in leadership skills and identifying community problems. The core group then recruits and trains other community members.

"The program operates under the belief that people have the potential to solve the problems of their communities, and that a little assistance will help them do that," said Dr. Claudette Smith, a family resource management specialist with the NC A&T Cooperative Extension Program who provides leadership to the Community Voices program.

Goldston says that she almost always kept to herself before Community Voices, but now regrets not getting involved in her community earlier.

"I believe that misunderstanding and frustration keeps people from becoming involved in their communities," says Goldston. "You have to be able to understand the root of a problem before you know enough to fix it, and then you must understand the proper way of creating change before you can fix the problem. If you can't do those things, you spend your life feeling powerless and sorry for yourself."

One of the problems Goldston noticed in her community, the Cornwallis Public Housing Community in Durham, was the absence of a nearby bus shelter to provide refuge from the weather. Through problem-solving and organizational skills learned in Community Voices, Goldston organized other community members, and they approached city management with their request. After a series of meetings and presentations, the city agreed to construct new bus shelters for the Cornwallis community.

Organizing community members to address issues is one of the focuses of the Community Voices program, and, it's one that the Cornwallis community routinely uses to reach its goals.

"A lot has come out of the Cornwallis Community Improvement Association," said Ernest Mangum, assistant director of special programs for the Durham Housing Authority. "They continue to work together, and have been successful in securing funds for their projects and goals. The residents have gained a tremendous amount of confidence, and feel that they can collaborate with other organizations."

Collaboration has resulted in the Kings Park Life Center, a facility which houses a state-approved day care program and after-school programs for Cornwallis youth. According to Mangum, the Center is a source of pride for the Cornwallis residents, and creates a positive atmosphere, which lessens crime and other problems.

Goldston acknowledges that great successes in a community aren't possible without active leaders, and she says that the visible success of the community has drawn the interest of other community members who might not otherwise become involved.

One of those who became interested in the success spawned by the Community Voices program was Goldston's husband, Clinton.

"You see all of this good stuff happening around you, and you want to be a part of it," said Clinton Goldston. "By teaching you leadership and communication skills, Community Voices gives you a way to become involved."

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For more information, please contact your local Cooperative Extension Center.