Thomas Yu hadn't planned on a career in community development. But as an immigrant growing up in lower Manhattan, there was something about it that felt right.
 
"My family lived in affordable housing, so that theme runs throughout my life," says Yu, who serves as co-executive director of Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) with Jennifer Sun. "There's a strong belief in my family that the pathway to security and economic mobility starts with a safe and affordable place to live."
 

Creative placemaking, or placekeeping, is essentially a resiliency tool. Normally in discussions of placemaking or placekeeping, the stress or disturbance communities face have to do with economic factors, like displacement due to shifting development, or sometimes even environmental factors. In 2020, placekeeping projects designed by organizations in the NeighborWorks cohort faced an unanticipated outlier: the COVID-19 pandemic. 

For a learning cohort process supported by NeighborWorks America, community development organizations worked hand in hand with arts organizations as they re-imagined the future of their neighborhoods. What they found was often unexpected and revealed ways that the milestones found on the journey are just as important as the final destination. 

During the COVID-19 outbreak, for many families served by the Orlando Neighborhood Improvement Corporation, days are spent hunkered at home. Activities stopped. Classes stopped or went virtual. Sometimes, it was hard to tell a Monday from a Saturday.
 

In the laundry room of White River Estates in Hesperia, Michigan, the colors are in the baskets that sit on top of the washing machines. They're also on the wall, thanks to a new mural project meant to bring people together. The project, painted by local artist Renae Wallace, draws on in the rural community's river and surroundings. 

San Francisco’s Chinatown faces a number of challenges, stemming back to its origins: Chinese immigrants to the city were often limited to living in the neighborhood due to discriminatory policies and practices, reinforced by a natural desire to seek out supportive environments. Over time, a strong sense of community developed. Today, however, residents face a constant threat of eviction and displacement due to San Francisco’s hot real estate market.