Notes from Community Advisory Meetings: A dialogue about the assets and issues of Monterey County
Throughout this project, I relied on collaboration between myself and my community advisory committee in order to identify and articulate community goals, assets, and shortcomings (and plans to address and remedy them). The creation of a community advisory committee has been a valuable aspect of this project, in that it has allowed different voices and perspectives to come together in an effort to achieve collective goals. This cultural advisory committee is comprised of three individuals including Thom Diggins, Nancy Selfridge, and Tish Sammon.
Thom Diggins is the owner/operator of Historic Monterey Walking Tours (http://www.walkmonterey.com/), and has been a Monterey area resident for over fifty years. In creating a walking tour here, he has conducted countless hours of local historic research in an effort to create his business, and is consistently educating himself further to improve the cultural experience and accuracy of information that he provides to people on his tours. He is passionate about the history of the area, and I was able to feel his enthusiasm when I went on one of his tours with my family. He has daily contact with personnel working throughout the community in different cultural preservation organizations, and is familiar with the connections and working relationships between these entities.
Nancy Selfridge is a city council member for Monterey. Mrs. Selfridge has been a great resource, as she is an integral part of the local community and has been heavily involved in events and historic site promotion here in the area. She has worked with various organizations in the area, including the Cultural Arts Commission, Colton Hall Museum, and Monterey Vista Neighborhoods (an organization dedicated to preserving and cleaning up local neighborhoods through community funds), and has actively stood up for cultural awareness and action through her position as a city council member. As a Monterey council woman, Nancy Selfridge has been heavily involved in community debates, city council meetings with community stakeholders, and personal meetings with Monterey County community members. Her public position is why I asked her to work with me, as I knew she would have the unique perspective that comes only with listening to and having frequent conversations with people from the community.
Tish Sammon, who works for Historic Monterey. Historic Monterey is a collaboration between public and non-profit organizations within the city of Monterey, whose mission is to “promote and interpret Monterey’s rich history to its visitors and citizens, as well as to safeguard Monterey’s cultural heritage by preserving and protecting Monterey’s its historic buildings and collections for the betterment of generations to come”. Due to her position as a liaison between multiple cultural organizations and non-profits that specialize in heritage preservation and management around the region, she is consistently meeting with members of these organizations in order to evaluate their individual and collective goals as well as methods of conducting successful community outreach. She is familiar with general community heritage preservation issues, and has been heavily involved in community cultural events and preservation projects in the past.
Please see the below notes for further information on the data gathered during our meetings, and the methodology used to address it.
After creating a community cultural advisory committee, we collectively identified community values (based on the input we have received through our own personal community connections). They are listed as follows:
Collective History and Identity:
There is shared community interest in preserving the structures and buildings which have played an important part of Monterey’s history as the locations of major historical events (both for the state of California and the United States). Many locals feel strongly connected to these structures, and desire to not only preserve them for generations to come, but also share their importance with outsiders (and even locals who are not aware of them).
There is also a strong shared community interest in preserving the stories and cultural influences which have strengthened the area’s diversity. This community prides itself on having a strong background and identity rooted in various industries such as fishing, canning, whaling, military operations, academia, and tourism. Many immigrants have come to the area to make a living in these industries since European explorers first arrived here, and this has resulted in the community being a place where many voices have come together to tell a unique story which is not often seen in other communities.
Cultural Richness:
The Monterey area has a strong love of culture that has been celebrated through the public art displays and cultural events (theater performances, history reenactments, musical and dance performances, community festivals, etc.). Monterey County residents are passionate about their talents and artistic backgrounds, and host many events in order to showcase their skills throughout the year for locals and visitors alike.
Local Trade and Community Sustainability:
The Monterey Peninsula’s commitment to buying local is especially notable, as there are many resources for supporting local farmers and merchants. The region hosts many fresh produce stands, and there are strict laws which prohibit the building of national chain stores in areas around the county. Residents are passionate about keeping their money within the local community, as well as sustaining local small business ventures.
After discussing community values (based on my informants’ experiences and input), the next logical step was to talk about issues the community is currently facing. These issues are seen as a hindrance to the values identified, and serve as the foundation for this project. They followed some very specific themes, and provided insight as to how exactly we could orient this project so that it was filling some of the objectives and goals of the community. The shortcomings we identified are listed below:
There is a strong perceived lack of cohesion and collaboration throughout the many local cultural organizations, and a general lack of history and cultural education resources available (while there are many festivals throughout the summer time, the city’s cultural resources-existing historic structures, places- are not well advertised or organized). This was reflected in voiced concerns that people are often not able to access the historic structures and buildings which locals feel a strong connection to. This is mainly due to a lack of resources and funding within the community, as well as these culturally significant locations being managed and operated by different organizations not affiliated with one another (state parks, federal government, etc.).
Resources available to visitors and residents were lacking in either content or difficult to use. Maps and brochures are hard to follow, and websites dedicated to the Monterey area’s cultural assets are limited, and often not telling the “same story” as others.
With the large number of tourists and incoming international residents this area experiences yearly, it has been unfortunate that most resources are only printed in English (with very few exceptions). This sentiment has been expressed extensively by my committee members, and is based on their discussions with members of the public.
There is a significant lack of representation of many cultural groups in the area, although some of these groups have been important in developing and strengthening the community into what it is today.
In creating a plan to address these issues, we came up with the following list of desired project outcomes:
* Increased recognition of culturally significant places within the community
* Increased awareness in the community about where are cultural assets (buildings, landmarks) are- and the stories, people, and events which define them
* Increased participation in cultural events by locals and non-locals
* Increased awareness and education about the diversity of the area
* Increased patronage at community family-owned small businesses
* Increased ease of finding resources by newcomers to the area
* Increased public input in heritage preservation efforts and organizations that would be able to utilize these lists in the future.
My Personal Field Notes (Questions asked and answered)
What sorts of resources do you feel would most likely benefit newcomers/visitors/the community?
Better maps, signage, more collaboration between community organizations, more of a centralized online website/portal where people can obtain information
Who is my audience?
Newcomers to the area, long-time locals, visitors, people with stories to tell
How can this project be meaningful in that content will best flow from- and benefit the community? How can I best help the people who live here sustain the cultures they care about?
Engage multiple voices- solicit multiple opinions and expertise, do not exclude any groups, ask the right kinds of questions- engage people; encourage them to open up about their passions and frustrations, participate in various community organizations and events- take notes, observe
What would collaboration look like between me and those who I am working with?
Everyone is interested and involved, everyone has expressed their personal and professional objectives and expectations, everyone has the same vision and is actively working towards that vision
How can I make this project self-sustaining?
By engaging the public through awareness about this project, and creating the framework for future interest and collaboration between cultural organizations.
Thom Diggins is the owner/operator of Historic Monterey Walking Tours (http://www.walkmonterey.com/), and has been a Monterey area resident for over fifty years. In creating a walking tour here, he has conducted countless hours of local historic research in an effort to create his business, and is consistently educating himself further to improve the cultural experience and accuracy of information that he provides to people on his tours. He is passionate about the history of the area, and I was able to feel his enthusiasm when I went on one of his tours with my family. He has daily contact with personnel working throughout the community in different cultural preservation organizations, and is familiar with the connections and working relationships between these entities.
Nancy Selfridge is a city council member for Monterey. Mrs. Selfridge has been a great resource, as she is an integral part of the local community and has been heavily involved in events and historic site promotion here in the area. She has worked with various organizations in the area, including the Cultural Arts Commission, Colton Hall Museum, and Monterey Vista Neighborhoods (an organization dedicated to preserving and cleaning up local neighborhoods through community funds), and has actively stood up for cultural awareness and action through her position as a city council member. As a Monterey council woman, Nancy Selfridge has been heavily involved in community debates, city council meetings with community stakeholders, and personal meetings with Monterey County community members. Her public position is why I asked her to work with me, as I knew she would have the unique perspective that comes only with listening to and having frequent conversations with people from the community.
Tish Sammon, who works for Historic Monterey. Historic Monterey is a collaboration between public and non-profit organizations within the city of Monterey, whose mission is to “promote and interpret Monterey’s rich history to its visitors and citizens, as well as to safeguard Monterey’s cultural heritage by preserving and protecting Monterey’s its historic buildings and collections for the betterment of generations to come”. Due to her position as a liaison between multiple cultural organizations and non-profits that specialize in heritage preservation and management around the region, she is consistently meeting with members of these organizations in order to evaluate their individual and collective goals as well as methods of conducting successful community outreach. She is familiar with general community heritage preservation issues, and has been heavily involved in community cultural events and preservation projects in the past.
Please see the below notes for further information on the data gathered during our meetings, and the methodology used to address it.
After creating a community cultural advisory committee, we collectively identified community values (based on the input we have received through our own personal community connections). They are listed as follows:
Collective History and Identity:
There is shared community interest in preserving the structures and buildings which have played an important part of Monterey’s history as the locations of major historical events (both for the state of California and the United States). Many locals feel strongly connected to these structures, and desire to not only preserve them for generations to come, but also share their importance with outsiders (and even locals who are not aware of them).
There is also a strong shared community interest in preserving the stories and cultural influences which have strengthened the area’s diversity. This community prides itself on having a strong background and identity rooted in various industries such as fishing, canning, whaling, military operations, academia, and tourism. Many immigrants have come to the area to make a living in these industries since European explorers first arrived here, and this has resulted in the community being a place where many voices have come together to tell a unique story which is not often seen in other communities.
Cultural Richness:
The Monterey area has a strong love of culture that has been celebrated through the public art displays and cultural events (theater performances, history reenactments, musical and dance performances, community festivals, etc.). Monterey County residents are passionate about their talents and artistic backgrounds, and host many events in order to showcase their skills throughout the year for locals and visitors alike.
Local Trade and Community Sustainability:
The Monterey Peninsula’s commitment to buying local is especially notable, as there are many resources for supporting local farmers and merchants. The region hosts many fresh produce stands, and there are strict laws which prohibit the building of national chain stores in areas around the county. Residents are passionate about keeping their money within the local community, as well as sustaining local small business ventures.
After discussing community values (based on my informants’ experiences and input), the next logical step was to talk about issues the community is currently facing. These issues are seen as a hindrance to the values identified, and serve as the foundation for this project. They followed some very specific themes, and provided insight as to how exactly we could orient this project so that it was filling some of the objectives and goals of the community. The shortcomings we identified are listed below:
There is a strong perceived lack of cohesion and collaboration throughout the many local cultural organizations, and a general lack of history and cultural education resources available (while there are many festivals throughout the summer time, the city’s cultural resources-existing historic structures, places- are not well advertised or organized). This was reflected in voiced concerns that people are often not able to access the historic structures and buildings which locals feel a strong connection to. This is mainly due to a lack of resources and funding within the community, as well as these culturally significant locations being managed and operated by different organizations not affiliated with one another (state parks, federal government, etc.).
Resources available to visitors and residents were lacking in either content or difficult to use. Maps and brochures are hard to follow, and websites dedicated to the Monterey area’s cultural assets are limited, and often not telling the “same story” as others.
With the large number of tourists and incoming international residents this area experiences yearly, it has been unfortunate that most resources are only printed in English (with very few exceptions). This sentiment has been expressed extensively by my committee members, and is based on their discussions with members of the public.
There is a significant lack of representation of many cultural groups in the area, although some of these groups have been important in developing and strengthening the community into what it is today.
In creating a plan to address these issues, we came up with the following list of desired project outcomes:
* Increased recognition of culturally significant places within the community
* Increased awareness in the community about where are cultural assets (buildings, landmarks) are- and the stories, people, and events which define them
* Increased participation in cultural events by locals and non-locals
* Increased awareness and education about the diversity of the area
* Increased patronage at community family-owned small businesses
* Increased ease of finding resources by newcomers to the area
* Increased public input in heritage preservation efforts and organizations that would be able to utilize these lists in the future.
My Personal Field Notes (Questions asked and answered)
What sorts of resources do you feel would most likely benefit newcomers/visitors/the community?
Better maps, signage, more collaboration between community organizations, more of a centralized online website/portal where people can obtain information
Who is my audience?
Newcomers to the area, long-time locals, visitors, people with stories to tell
How can this project be meaningful in that content will best flow from- and benefit the community? How can I best help the people who live here sustain the cultures they care about?
Engage multiple voices- solicit multiple opinions and expertise, do not exclude any groups, ask the right kinds of questions- engage people; encourage them to open up about their passions and frustrations, participate in various community organizations and events- take notes, observe
What would collaboration look like between me and those who I am working with?
Everyone is interested and involved, everyone has expressed their personal and professional objectives and expectations, everyone has the same vision and is actively working towards that vision
How can I make this project self-sustaining?
By engaging the public through awareness about this project, and creating the framework for future interest and collaboration between cultural organizations.