By Atasha Pinnell-Travis
Packer Community Learning Center
My name is Atasha Pinnell-Travis. I am the program coordinator for Packer Community Learning Center. I have worked here for seven years, and throughout my time, two questions have always remained for me: How can I help build the community back up? How do I get residents to be more engaged?
I first started with my girls’ group, Tea with Atasha, and Parent Cafes. Tea with Atasha was a group of teenage girls who I taught to love and value themselves. Parent Cafes were to uplift parents and talk problems out. Due to COVID-19, those programs were stopped.
In the summer of 2023, the questions remained. How can I help build the community back up? How do I get residents to be more engaged?
I decided to have a community barbeque. Residents young and old, MPD officers, family and friends came out and enjoyed a meal, games, music and conversations. I saw right there that a community meal will bring out the best in people.
So, in November, partnering with the Northside Wellness Partnership, I was given the opportunity to have another community dinner. We all enjoyed a meal, music with Devin from Jam with Cuba, arts, crafts, and games with YWAM helpers, and volunteer support from MPD. We raffled off gift baskets and had a lot of fun.
In December Jenny and Andy Czkeras from Extended Hands Pantry had our annual Christmas dinner. All in all, I realized how important having a meal and conversation is within our community. There is nothing like good food and communication.
I will be planning another community dinner in mid-February, partnering with Felicia Butler and Phil Watters of Building up Black Boys.
In these ways I am excited to continue to build community and strengthen and support engagement and connections among our neighbors.
