Reflecting on the Past and Looking Forward to the Future

Now that I work for UNP, I reflect on what brought me to this position. I remember my first visit to UNP/Hartland Center in November 2005. I saw these magnificent people mingling as if they all had grown together playing in the same back yard and I felt part of it. Little was I aware of my future involvement with UNP. As a U of U PhD student, I assisted a strengths and needs’ assessment for UNP/Hartland Center in 2008, and conducted an impact and empowerment evaluation for the Westside Leadership Institute in 2010. I also did my practicum internship at UNP/Hartland. UNP is part of my recent story as I am part of UNP’s story. I brought my country of origin strengths with me, and I kept growing as a social worker here in Utah through these experiences.

However, my story is not different from the stories of other Salt Lake City west side residents, who grow up in poverty in America or come here as immigrants. We just hope, work, and keep trying to improve our lives. Through education, we find some opportunities, we embrace who we are, we learn to speak English and for ourselves in a different voice as we become part of the larger society, to receive and contribute, to build stronger neighborhoods. UNP has contributed to do so in a purposeful manner, implementing its mission of … a community coming together. Everybody at UNP is first a human being and then anything else.

As an individual intersecting a handful of minority statuses, I embody the dreams and hopes of many in the Westside Salt Lake City. I hope to further strengthen UNP’s contributions to the community with my voice and my work. I look forward to expanding our visions and contributions to our beautiful and colorful community.

UNP’s 10th Anniversary calls for reflection and inquiry, and mostly for action. Where do we come from, where are we standing, and where do we want to be in five, ten more years, as individuals, and as a community? We need to continue developing our Youth Education and Success, Community Leadership and Capacity Building Partnerships. In our neighborhoods, UNP is committed to increase resident empowerment and participation of community organizations; build the capacity of school-based partnerships and partners, departments and community organizations to support residents on a longterm basis, and community organizations and schools to become active in university-community partnerships.

In the near future, UNP will strive to strengthen its relationships with colleges and departments; and strengthen the quality and visibility of community-based teaching and research. UNP’s organizational goals include work with staff, board and stakeholders to use UNP’s strategic plan as an active tool that guides the organization; strengthen marketing and communication to increase visibility and understanding of UNP in the community and on campus; increase staff and partners development and training opportunities; increase roles and opportunities for active involvement of UNP advisory board; and strengthen organizational structure and management.

We need to continue paying attention to all the voices in our community coming from residents, university and college faculty, school district teachers and staff, nonprofit organizations, corporate and individual donors, in all their roles as professionals, parents, volunteers, workers, or students, for a better present and a better future as a local and global community, one partnership at a time. We are not alone in these tasks, and certainly any successful outcome is the result of many efforts. It takes a village … and it takes many brains, hands, and hearts working together.