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Your Neighborhood: A Living Portrait

It's rare to find a neighborhood in America that hasn't been touched by major social and economic changes in the last few years. As new buildings go up, memories can fade, so it's more important than ever to record the changes in your neighborhood and what makes it special. So gather your family and friends and find out what makes your neighborhood YOUR community. Print out this checklist (.PDF) before you begin. (Get Adobe Acrobat)

Step 1: Decide on the format.
How will you record information about your neighborhood? Will it be in a sketchpad or notebook? on posterboard? Or will you put it online?

Step 2: Decide what comprises your neighborhood.
Make sure you clearly note what area you're talking about -- find a map of your town and mark off the area that you will be documenting. Once you've decided on the boundaries of "your neighborhood," record the information in your chosen format.

Step 3: What kind of portrait are you making?
Are you more interested in creating a historical portrait of your community as it has changed through time, or a snapshot of what your neighborhood is like today, or is it a little bit of both? You may also choose to focus on just one aspect of your neighborhood -- like its special architecture, or perhaps the kind of people that make up your neighborhood. How old are your neighbors? Are they from different ethnic groups? What makes them special?

If you are concentrating on recording your neighborhood's history, you can also go to local museums, visit your local newspaper and talk to city officials (like policemen, librarians and people in the city government) about how your neighborhood has changed and grown.

Step 4: Smile for the Camera!
Get your video recorder or camera out and start taking photos. Keep a record of what pictures you take and when. As soon as you get them developed, enter the photos into your chosen format and write down what's important to you about each: Did something special happen there? Is it a favorite spot for neighborhood kids? It doesn't have to be historical -- this is a personal portrait of what makes your neighborhood special, so whatever events are important to you and your family should be recorded.

Step 5: Neighborhood Watch
Talk to people in your neighborhood -- older residents, someone who just moved in, a teacher, the owner of a long-standing business. You can ask them these questions and any otheres you might think of in order to learn about your neighborhood:
  • How long have you lived there?
  • What do you remember about the neighborhood?
  • What are your favorite spots?
  • How has the neighborhood changed?
  • What do you think is special about the neighborhood?
  • Has anything controversial happened in the neighborhood?
  • What kind of changes have you seen?
  • What do you like best about your neighborhood? What do you like the least?
  • How would you change/improve your neighborhood?

    • Step 6: Review
    Go over the material you've collected. Are there blank spots? Does more information need to be recorded? Ask your friends and family if there's anything they can fill in.

    Next Steps
    Did you have fun doing this? If you did, get involved with volunteering in your community. Check with your teachers or local library and newspapers for more information.

    After you've finished your neighborhood portrait, share it with your friends, family, school, and those you interviewed.

         		 





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