New City Builders is a six-month, hands-on group learning course offered by BLDG Memphis` CDC Capacity Building Program.

The goal is to strengthen the abilities of new leaders in the local community development industry by equipping them with the knowledge and connections necessary to stabilize and revitalize Memphis neighborhoods through:

🏠Field work with CDC industry partners: Touring, sightseeing, and a capstone project in the local community development industry.

🏠Courses in Community Development: Several relevant workshops in the industry led by practitioners

🏠Making the Connection: Supplemental social and professional events, including a one-year free Individual Membership to BLDG Memphis.

🏠Culminating Project

For more information and to apply, click the link in our bio!

https://shorturl.at/oxCQX

In April, the nationwide and local community development industry recognizes this month as Fair Housing Month to emphasize the momentousness of the Fair Housing Act.

At BLDG Memphis, we strive to heighten Member and public awareness of fair housing rights, responsibilities, and enforcement efforts while highlighting the significance of cultivating diverse and inclusive communities. #BLDGMemphis #Memphis #FairHousingMonth #BLDGbetterneighborhoods #fairhousing

Meet Deveney Perry, BLDG Memphis` Executive Director.

Deveney is a proud Memphian who loves to travel throughout Memphis and to other cities to experience community development efforts as well as community histories and assets. The greatest strength she uses in her role at BLDG Memphis is visioning for organizational leadership, success, and advocacy. Deveney`s greatest interest at this time is in the March Madness women`s tournament (South Carolina is winning it all!) and exploring home improvements.

Inspirational Quote: “For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end.” -Michelle Obama, Becoming

Meet Markuitta Washington, BLDG Memphis` Communications & Development Specialist.

While born and raised in Rockford, Illinois, Markuitta has been a transplant Memphian for a little over 10 years. Though a newcomer to the community development sector, she has quickly become immersed in the work, utilizing her strengths of creativity, resourcefulness, and being a connector. She previously served as one of our Small Business Outreach Navigators, supporting the work of the Community Navigator Pilot Program (CNPP), where she assisted Community Development Corporations (CDCs) in connecting small businesses in Memphis` underserved communities to technical assistance that provided direct guidance and skills to scale and sustain their businesses. In her new role, she supports the organization with communications/marketing and development. In her free time, you can find Markuitta cooking, eating good food, and watching a good sci-fi or mystery TV series.

Inspirational Quote: “Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
#Memphis #BLDGMemphis #WomensHistoryMonth

Meet Christina Crutchfield, BLDG Memphis` Director of Neighborhood Planning.

Christina was born in Atlanta but has deep roots in Memphis. She has called Memphis her home for the past seven years. She believes that neighborhoods are the heart of the city and has dedicated her work to supporting access to resources in neighborhoods. At BLDG Memphis, she has engaged neighborhood and community leaders in various aspects of the planning process, hoping they can best activate on-the-ground change in their communities. In her free time, Christina enjoys singing in a community choir, attending shows at local theaters, and listening to live music throughout the city.

Inspirational Quote: "There is no logic that can be superimposed on the city; people make it, and it is to them, not buildings, that we must fit our plans." – Jane Jacobs #memphis #BLDGbetterneighborhoods #BLDGMemphis