A vision for stronger, healthier futures when we bring every sector — and every voice — to the table
By: Makeda Marshall-NeSmith
One thing my work has taught me — from social work to housing, from education reform to planning, from food and farming to birth justice — is that no one sector alone can carry the weight of building thriving communities. We need cross-sector collaboration, intentional partnerships, and a recognition that the issues our communities face are deeply interconnected.
When I began my career in social work, I worked on the Bridges 2 Health program. Our goal was to keep children out of institutions by wrapping them in community-based services. It was more than case management; it was about seeing a child’s life in full context. We looked at school performance, home life, health care, and family supports together — not in isolation. That experience cemented for me that when we meet people where they are, with wraparound support, we create conditions where children and families can thrive.
Later, when I transitioned into education reform and housing, I carried that same lesson with me. At first glance, housing and education may look like separate fields. But a child cannot learn if they don’t have a stable place to sleep. And a family cannot stabilize housing without access to quality schools that support their children’s growth. I’ve had the privilege of working on projects that made those connections visible — bringing together educators, housing providers, and community members to design strategies that reflect the lived reality of families.
In my work as a planner, I’ve also approached housing through a trauma-informed lens. I have written and spoken about the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) — how early trauma reverberates across a lifetime. Housing is not just brick and mortar; it’s the foundation of safety and stability. When we ignore trauma, we design housing that shelters but does not heal. But when we acknowledge trauma and bring that understanding into policy and practice, housing becomes a tool for long-term growth and resilience.
All of these experiences have shown me that any sustainable path forward for our communities requires a multigenerational approach. Children, parents, grandparents — each generation carries both needs and strengths. When we only focus on one group, we miss the wisdom and resilience that exist in the others. Supporting families holistically means creating housing that accommodates elders, schools that are rooted in community history, food systems that connect youth with land, and birthing spaces that honor traditions passed down through generations. Thriving communities are built when every generation has a seat at the table and when we see care as something we carry together.
Each sector carries a piece of the whole. And each generation carries wisdom, resilience, and creativity that can strengthen the whole. When we bring these pieces together — across professions, across ages, across lived experiences — we create something more sustainable than any siloed program ever could.
I carry this belief with me into every room I enter. Because if we want a future where families and communities are truly supported, we cannot afford to work in fragments. We must bring the whole picture into focus — multigenerational, cross-sector, and grounded in the collective strengths of our people.
I carry this belief with me into every room I enter. Because if we want a future where families and communities are truly supported, we cannot afford to work in fragments. We must bring the whole picture into focus — multigenerational, cross-sector, and grounded in the collective strengths of our people.
I’d love to hear your thoughts — how have you seen collaboration strengthen your community? Leave a comment or share your story.
And this is just the beginning. In Part Two, I’ll share how facilitation has been the thread through all of my work — and why creating space for people to learn, grow, and advocate for themselves is key to building healthy communities that last. Come back soon to continue the conversation.
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