The Story of Ubuntu Village

A Revolution in Community Development

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Civic Park was once the embodiment of the American Dream

Built specifically for middle-class workers from local General Motors plants, the neighborhood long stood as a beacon of urban stability and community well-being.

 

However, as America's economy changed, so too did Civic Park 

As GM’s presence in Flint dwindled, Civic Park was faced with massive disinvestment and decline. Urban Renaissance Center launched in 2014 as a response to the neighborhood’s plight and spent years working hand-in-hand with residents of the neighborhood and Flint leaders to develop solutions that align with the needs expressed by the community. Over this time we launched a variety of demonstration and pilot programs to explore solutions to various community needs. Now, we are organizing all our community development programs under one overarching concept...

​The Ubuntu Village.

 

So, what is Ubuntu?

From a Zulu term for "humanity towards others," Ubuntu is a philosophy of human development that recognizes the innate humanity of all members of a community. Ubuntu is grounded in the understanding that all people are connected in a common network or mutuality and that the thriving of one member of that community depends on the thriving of all other members.​

 

What is Ubuntu Village?

Ubuntu Village is a community transformation project of Urban Renaissance Center (URC). Building upon the African philosophy of Ubuntu, URC is building a community that recognizes the intrinsic value of interconnectedness and that believes in the universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity.

​The project operates at the intersection of people and place to create equitable and holistic strategies for community revitalization using a two-pronged approach:

• Provide critical supports to help community meet basic needs
• Foster neighborhood conditions that encourage residents to realize their individual and collective potential and create new economic opportunities for themselves and their community.

 

In 2019, Civic Park celebrated its centennial

With Ubuntu Village, we inaugurate the next 100 years with a renewed community spirit and integrity, as we work collectively to build a neighborhood in which social well-being, spiritual harmony, and physical environment work collectively to allow all members of the community to flourish and thrive.

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