Our Southwest quadrant is one of the most dynamic locations in DC right now, if not on the entire Eastern Seaboard. Demographic, physical environment, and cultural changes are underway, presenting exciting opportunities and new challenges for our diverse community. In an effort to be responsive to the rapid changes in Southwest, the Board of Directors of the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly decided that it needed to take a step back and consider the organization’s role in the community and how to best move forward on behalf of all of our residents. With an all-volunteer board, the organization has increasingly been asked to become involved with, or take the lead on, myriad worthwhile and resource-intensive initiatives.
President Bruce Levine facilitated a half-day-long strategic planning session on Saturday, Jan. 24, which has resulted in some important decisions, re-calibration of the organizational mission, and the establishment of new task forces to address important issues. Among the most important decisions made by the board was the determination that SWNA should focus on being an effective “convener” of the numerous interest and community groups for purposes of facilitating more cohesion and collaboration in pursuing Southwest’s needs and interests, and as being the information “hub” for the community. The Southwester will remain at the core of this information function, but a variety of multimedia channels will now be used. During the upcoming SWNA elections and beyond, the board will be working hard to better engage its members, and all of Southwest’s residents, in the work of this unique civic organization. Further details of SWNA’s plans will be provided to the community in the near future.