Practicing community cultural development is as much about taking away obstacles to human expression as it is about creating new places or programs. Community cultural development embraces the ethic that it is good for people to participate in the cultural life of their communities. This ethic informs how we work at all times. It is how you work that makes you a cultural worker. Cultural workers, central to the life of a community, include librarians, teachers, historians, artists, workers in media, and community activists.
Art is a central form of cultural expression.
There is no stronger force to draw attention to issues, bring people together, bring joy to people's lives, and build both physical and human community. Here are four Oregon examples. Eva spends many hours with these kids, not only teaching, but listening. Through this relationship and the stories and skills they offer one another, the kids are building self-esteem and gaining hope. In Baker City, a group of concerned citizens decided to bring life back to the Powder River, a small river running adjacent to the downtown.