Democracy Talk 

Imagine this familiar scene from an American city: three young people, aged 15 to 24, get caught vandalizing downtown buildings with graffiti. The police department takes charge of removing the graffiti and fines the perpetrators. Nothing else is done until it happens again, which it almost certainly will. Many times.

Now, instead, imagine this: A team of local volunteers removes the graffiti, and those responsible meet with a panel of other volunteers. Together, they decide how to address the harm crime does to their community.

As a result, the youth involved end up working with an AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteer to create a “Community Art Space.” There they can legally display graffiti art, engage other youth in restorative practices and community development such as tree planting or block clean-ups, and at the same time build neighborhood pride and beautify the city. A property owner agrees to donate her fence, which has continually been ‘tagged’ by unwanted graffiti, to the project. Several youth agencies, churches, businesses and community members contributed labor and materials to execute the project.

This is a true story from Burlington, Vermont. It’s one outcome of the city’s Center for Community and Neighborhoods (CCAN), which is quietly co-revolutionizing the way government, businesses and citizens work together. CCAN is a comprehensive city program whose unique spectrum of initiatives inspire and support community participation, citizen action, and responsive municipal government.

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