Community Corner

Why Are There So Many Ex-Brooklynites in SOMA?

The Community Coalition on Race explains this and other phenomena.

A few weeks ago a friend from South Orange asked me, "What exactly does the Community Coalition on Race do?" She noted that her tax dollars were going to support this local non-profit while basic services and personnel in South Orange and Maplewood were being cut. (The Coalition received 31 percent of its 2008 income of $121,033 from Maplewood Township and 28 percent from the Village of South Orange; 37 percent from gifts; 3 percent from grants; and 1 percent from other sources.)

Attending Wednesday night's "Report to the Community" would have answered her questions. 

Incorporated in 1996, the South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race was formed to fight falling property values, white flight and incidents of racial intolerance, according to Chair Marlon Brownlee.

Find out what's happening in South Orangewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Coalition embarked on an aggressive marketing campaign to attract new residents to the two towns. The campaign included advertising in various metropolitan media and organizing tours for realtors and potential residents. These efforts continue to this day.

Marketing Committee Chair Ellen Greenfield remarked, "I think we can say we played a part in the communities' resurgence." Later, Adrienne Bolden added, "Midtown Direct [which began service in 1997] doesn't hurt."

Find out what's happening in South Orangewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

And what about those Brooklynites?

Greenfield reported that the Coalition is currently advertising in 14—yes, 14!—Brooklyn newspapers. The organization also advertises in Art Times magazine, which is distributed to artists throughout the metropolitan area—again, explaining the proliferation of residents who work or participate in the arts. 

Greenfield held up a copy of an Oct. 3 Newsweek article that featured Maplewood, South Orange and Millburn. The story touted the towns as communities at the forefront of 21st century media coverage and usage. The article features The Local, Maplewood Online and Patch. "We now know the value of social online media and we are looking for people to write for us and contribute to those media," said Greenfield.

But back to Brooklyn. Once those Brooklynites and artists have their interest piqued and contact the Coalition, they are mailed marketing materials and offered jitney tours of the towns. A second mortgage loan program is also available to help.

The Coalition also offers a twice-yearly tour of the towns for realtors. Greenfield said the Coalition fills two buses for each tour (or at least one and a half, said Program Director Audrey Rowe).

Other work performed by the Coalition and that will be covered by Patch more extensively in upcoming articles are:

  • A new initiative to help integrate PTAs. Ian Grodman has already presented to one school PTA and said the reception he received was overwhelmingly positive.
  • The annual Preschool Open House event at Columbia High School. This year the event will take place on Nov. 16 and include 25 preschool providers.
  • Evaluation on a trending basis of home values, including historical comparisons and comparisons to other communities. Updated information is not available at this time but should be finalized by 2010.
  • Events. Wine tastings, musical events, social events, silent auctions are all geared to bring people of diverse backgrounds in the two towns together and start a dialogue—or maybe just some friendships.
  • Interfaith initiatives. Each year the Coalition holds an MLK Jr. Day Observation. The event always takes place at a local house of worship. The Coalition rotates the event from town to town and through Christian churches and Jewish synagogues. In 2007, an imam made an address at the event.
  • The Achievement Gap. The Coalition has been working with the South Orange Maplewood School District, parents and others to help bridge the achievement gap for African-American students at Columbia High School. The Coalition also has programs to promote more parental engagement in children's education.
Each Coalition committee reportly briefly on their progress last night and then the audience was broken out into working groups to brainstorm new areas  and issues for the Coalition to address. Standout comments included:
  • Don't just focus on school and families with children. Do more outreach to people without children and the elderly.
  • More outreach to the Muslim community.
  • Deal with the taxation issue. This is an important issue that is affecting people's choices to move in or out of South Orange and Maplewood.
  • Actively recruit teachers from historically black colleges.
These and many more thoughts and ideas were submitted to the Coalition. Executive Director Nancy Gagnier said the feedback would be extremely important in informing the Coalition's agenda as it plans for 2010.


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