'Too many walls and not enough bridges"

I just read a fascinating article about how bridges enhanced the growth of major cities around the world. In it's conclusion the author wrote "We build too many walls and not enough bridges".

I created the graphic at the left in 2008 for this blog article which is one of many that focus on mentoring as a form of "bridging social capital". The divides I seek to bridge are social, economic, age and racial, not rivers and canyons.

I've used it often, along with other graphics, such as this one, to show how people can take on intermediary roles of connecting people and places where help is needed, with people, ideas and resources in places where help is available.

Volunteers who serve as mentors to young people who live in concentrated, segregated, high poverty neighborhoods, are filling that role, even if they don't recognize that they do it.

As we head into 2017 and a new Presidential administration I feel it's more important than ever to find ways to build bridges instead of walls.

Let me know how you're doing that.  Dig into past articles on this blog to find more ideas that you can apply in your own community.