Spring 2022

Front Feature

Partners in the Park is back IN the park this year

By Jewel Morgan

Over the last two years, like many partnerships, Partners in the Park had to pivot = making shifts in the way we did things to ensure a safe experience for everyone. As you likely know, the result was affectionately called Partners in the Parking Lot. Instead of tabling, partners shared their resources through drive-by events held at various locations in the city. In addition, many people joined us to have community parades to foster some connection with residents in the new paradigm.

The events were beautiful and challenging. It was a lot of work, but so many of you came forward with such enthusiasm and energy that we toyed with recreating some of it. Enlisting partners for committees to help plan the events or having a car show alongside the events one year. We've got our thinking caps on!

For now, we are excited for the familiar in-person events at the parks, with food, music, and a West Valley City park addition.

The event schedule is on the back of this newsletter. We look forward to seeing you IN the park.

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Learning About Our Neighbors and Out Community: The West Valley Resident Committee

By Erick Garcia and Kimberly Schmit

The origins of UNP can be traced to west side residents and their graciousness as they shared their communities with the University of Utah. Two of the early groups were the Community Ambassadors and the Hartland Resident Committee. Both groups were made up of a diverse group of leaders who served as advocates for the community and identified the community strengths, assets and resources. It was the bonds and relationships built and maintained by community residents that served as the foundation for UN P's partnership network.

Now that UNP is looking to widen its impact in West Valley City, local residents have formed a new resident committee to lay the groundwork for potential long term partnerships and give feedback on the new hospital being built in their community, Formed in March, the West Valley Resident Committee has been exploring some of their community assets such as the Hunter Library and Salt Lake Community College's West Valley Campus and how these assets can be made into partnerships with their community. As they learn more about existing resources however they also learn more about their strongest asset, each other.

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Student Reflection

By Else Peterson

I am a University of Utah Master of Social Work Intern at the UNP Hartland Partnership Center. Some of th emost meaningful work I've done while interning at UNP is working closely with Abdirizak Ibrahim, Executive Director of Somali Community Self-Management Agency (SCSMA). His agency works tirelessly to support diverse communities throughout Salt Lake County. SCSMA facilitates safety ESL classes, case management assistance with Utah Department of Workforce Services for unemployment claims, rental assistance, and H.E.A.T. program assistance. They also work with the Utah Food Bank to have weekly food drops-offs. Currently, we are working in increase funding sources that will assist them in delivering more resources having a larger impact, and promoting self-sufficientcy in the growing community that they support. One of our exciting last collaborations is meeting with the Maor of Salt Lake City (pictured above) to talk about the great work SCSMA is implementing. Working with Abdirizak has greatly shaped my lens and experience as a social worker. I have learned so much from him and value UNP for being a vessel for transformative community based partnerships. 

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Thriving in Place

By Connor Mangelson, Student, Department of City & Metropolitan Planning, University of Utah

During this time of unprecedented growth, residents of the west side of Salt Lake have been feeling the brunt of the city's growing pains. Displacement and gentrification have pushed many residents out of their homes, greatly changing the local culture and landscape of areas from Glendale to Sugarhouse. This has overwhelmingly been affecting those in underrepresented communities of color, especially those that are generally poorer. This year, the University of Utah partnered with Salt Lake City to address this growing issue by creating the Thriving in Place Project. As a University of Utah student in the partnership, we have just finished phase 1 of the project, which addressed resident's concerns of growth and gentrification primarily through intercept and online surveys. Additionally, community projects through community liaisons, mural paintings, and other forms of engagement have been in the works. So far, we have reached out to 1,034 different local businesses and organizations as well as reaching over 8,000 different interactions in community engagement.

For those interested in getting involved, please visit the website at thrivinginplaceslc.org. We would love to hear your feedback and grow this cause in the process. The end goal is to find a solution for the community by the community. This project has been in line with UN P's vision of greater civic engagement within our local communities, and we hope that our project can help west side residents thrive in place.

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English Class Partership Starts at Hartland

By Wisam Khudhair

English Skills Learning Center and the English Language Institute are partnering to teach English classes at UNP's Hartland Partnership Center. The classes for beginning and advanced English learners, provide the English skills needed to access meaningful careers and/or educational opportunities.

Asked about the class, student Maria Ruiz said, "This has been one of the most useful classes I have ever had. First, we have a great teacher who is always willing to teach us not only vocabulary, idiomatic and native phrases, and cultural context which helps a lot to have a better understanding of the language, but also, we have the opportunity to talk and have our teacher's feedback on the wrong pronunciation. Second, this class has helped me to be more confident and believe I can really speak fluently in English". Student Maria A. Sanchez, said, "For me it has been interesting because at the beginning I was a little afraid to express myself and speak in English, but since I started the course, I have noticed that I'm more confident, I'm learning and use more idiomatic phrases, and other people understand me when I try to speak English."

She praised the class, and concluded, "The classes are entertaining and my classmates, although we are few, I feel that there is a friendly atmosphere. In conclusion, this course has been a great start and support for my goal and make me push myself and give me motivation to continue learning the language." UNP will continue to work with partners to provide resources that increase the community's capacity

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Launching the west Side Community Review Board

A new opportunity for residents to have a voice in research happening in their communities

By Paul Kuttner

When university researchers want to start a project, they must present their plan to the Institutional Review Board, or IRB. The IRB makes sure the research is designed in a way that is ethical, and that does more good than harm.

But the IRB can only do so much. It doesn't address many of the concerns that west side residents have, such as whether researchers will come with respect for the community's culture and strengths, or whether they will return to share what they learn with community members. And the I RB does not ask the communities being researched what they think.

So, the Community Research Collaborative, a partnership supported by UNP, is creating its own research review board. The West Side Community Review Board will be made up of west Shahrazad Market & Restaurant Imagine dipping a piece of warm fresh pita into the best hummus you've ever had. Melting in your mouth, leaving garlic, lemon, and extra virgin olive oil lingering side residents, and is currently being convened by CRC members Laneta Fitisemanu, Lamar Spotted-Elk, and myself. It will review research projects proposed by university researchers or community groups and help them make sure that it lives up to the six principles of community based research that the Collaborative developed in its report In It Together: Community-Based Research Guidelines for Communities and Higher Education.

The group recently had its first meeting, with 11 powerful founding members. Over the next 4 or 5 months they will design what the review board will look like and how it will function, with the goal of launching it by Fall 2022. Over time, there will be opportunities for other residents to get Marke Restaurant involved as reviewers or to go to the group for support launching their own projects.

The Community Research Collaborative is a network of community leaders, scholars, educators, organizers, and artists dedicated to advancing participatory, action-oriented research for social justice. It is a node of the national URBAN Network and receives funding and organizational support from University Neighborhood Partners, the Bennion Center, and the Office of the Vice President for Research at the University of Utah.

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Jasmine Montoya

Staff Spotlight

Jasmine is the Youth Center Coordinator at the UNP Hartland Partnership Center. Born and raised in Salt Lake City she has grown up and attended school in the Glendale neighborhoods. She loves working with youth and became a Leader in Training (LIT) at Mountain View when she was just sixteen. She became a group leader for after school and summer programs and then was a Healthly Living teacher at Mountain View before coming to work for UNP.

Jazzy (as we call her) is passionate about helping the youth succeed in school. She feels great joy seeing their eyes light up when they solve a math problem or read a book by themselves.

Jasmine is Latina, is mom to a baby (almost toddler) boy, loves running, and has recently developed a love for weight training. She completed some schooling at the Salt Lake Community College and plans to go back when her son is a little older. She's considering nursing midwifery, or a related field where she could work with pregnant mothers and babies.

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Community Corner

Shahrazad Market & Restaurant

Imagine dipping a piece of warm fresh pita into the best hummus you've ever had. Melting in your mouth, leaving garlic, lemon, and extra virgin olive oil lingering as you reach for more. Shahrazad Market and Restaurant makes the most luscious food. A locally owned and operated Middle Eastern restaurant, marketplace, and Halal butcher shop, Shahrazad is not to be missed. Located at 1615 W 2100 S, they are open seven days a week for dining and grocery shopping. "The Halal butcher shop offers fresh meat supplied by local farms. Within their Middle Eastern marketplace, you can find exotic cheese as well as goat cheese, yogurt, sandwiches, fruit and vegetable spreads, and exotic spices- whole, crushed, pickled, or ground. In addition, many of our marketplace desserts are Vegan & gluten-free."

And, not only is the food amazing, the people are cool too. Go. It's worth it. shahrazadslc.com

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Upcoming Events

Partners in the Park

June 14 - Jordan Park, 6 - 8 p. m.

June 28 - Poplar Grove Park, 6 - 8 p.m.

July 12 - Parkway Park, 6 - 8 p.m.

July 26 - Riverside Park, 6 - 8 p.m.

August 9 - Northwest Rec Center, 6 - 8 p.m.