Pulchritudinous Innovation

Analyzing the effects of neighborhood revitalization on the Beltline’s residents and its activity and how we can implement it.

For a while, many communities throughout the country have struggled to combat several different urban threats including waste-disposal problems, insufficient water availability, and crime. These threats have had an extreme negative influence on the development of neighborhoods as well as its residents. To solve these issues, neighborhood revitalization has become a key solution. While some individuals would argue that neighborhood revitalization furthers an area’s broken sociological state, it actually improve’s a neighborhood’s functioning of human society. Neighborhood revitalization beautifies and amplifies the neighborhood itself thus having a positive impact on the residents’ holistic health.

Holistic health refers to the physical, mental, emotional, and social aspects of an individual’s health, so instead of “focusing on illness or specific parts of the body, this ancient approach to health considers the whole person and how he or she interacts with his or her environment. It emphasizes the connection of the mind, body and spirit.” (“What is Holistic Health”). Without a strong holistic health, individuals can suffer from a variety of chronic illnesses and disorders affecting those four particular aspects. To keep these issues from occurring or resurfacing, neighborhood revitalization is put into place. With neighborhood revitalization, the holistic health is able to improve

Neighborhood revitalization is an important aspect in the amelioration of many communities across the country. These efforts generate a great deal of progression and change, allowing the neighborhood and its inhabitants to thrive off their new and improved quality of life. Most of the new and improved neighborhoods consist of better amenities such as parks, convenience stores, and schools. These types of things can be beneficial and give people who are living in the area something to look forward to.

Besides the physical deterioration that the neighborhood suffered from, there was also evidence that the neighborhood had been plagued by many underlying negative factors including drug use, prostitution, and gang violence. The Beltline neighborhood was in a physically severe state of despair, however, as mentioned before, its poorly constrained state also affected the holistic health of the neighborhood’s residents causing it to decline significantly. However, more efforts to improve the Beltline’s physical appearance as well as what it has to offer, can have a more positive impact on the residents’ holistic health.

The way a neighborhood is constructed has a major impact on the way the foundation for an individual’s life is paved. Having a place for residents to walk their dogs or take the kids to play significantly increases their chances of living a healthier and happier life due to the fact that residents would be able to be more active and more social. However, because of the fact that the Beltline community lacked these types of amenities and opportunities, it became encapsulated by disadvantageous circumstances such as crime, and as a result, many of its inhabitants developed such learned behaviors and started to engage in more of this violent activity. Furthermore, in a metaphorical sense, these individuals have had a wall constructed around them. This “wall” has confined these individuals to what they have been subjected to thus allowing little room for them to roam away from the negative activity they take part in and escape their confinement. Unconsciously, a demarcation has been created between them and the rest of the outside world.

From these instances, I was able to conclude that the reason many of these individuals are unable to escape this type of confinement is because they have not yet encountered the progress needed to make their communities a better place. In order for a large change to occur, you have to be inspired. This inspiration can come from just a small change. In regards to neighborhood revitalization, small change can simply be just adding a community garden. Once residents see the start of this progression, they’re going to continue to want more change to happen and eventually they will make it happen. Residents will become more innovative. Neighborhood Revitalization requires the people’s help, otherwise, nothing will get done. The adding of amenities such as kid-friendly activities, job opportunities, and education will eventually re-route the minds of the residents causing them to stop taking part in violent activity thus getting rid of urban threats like crime. Building a new community or renovating an old one can help improve all of these issues. Creativity, efficiency, and innovation is important for change.

All in all, my experience allowed me to truly get a glimpse of what issues communities in my city were dealing with. I realized that neighborhood revitalization wasn’t implemented in Memphis as much as it should’ve been and the Beltline was just one of many smaller communities that was dealing with this issue firsthand. However, I quickly learned that the greatest amount of change can only occur if individuals work hard enough to achieve it. With the help of everyone in the area, cities can have more vivacious neighborhoods and residents. People need motivation and inspiration to push them along the spectrum of wanting better for their current and future situations. The smallest efforts can produce a larger result. Remember that whatever type of environment you set out to create, you’ll get exactly what you’re hoping for if you just put your mind to it.

Sources

Jacobs, Jane. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. Vintage Digital, 2016.

“What Is Holistic Health.” Guiding Wellness, guidingwellness.com/wellness-and-holism/what-is-holistic-health/.

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