The plan of plans: Reflecting on the collective power of a community

By Darnell Shields, Executive Director, Austin Coming Together

In 2018, over 400 attendees packed Michele Clark High School for the unveiling of Austin’s first ever quality-of-life plan called Austin Forward. Together. (AFT).

Deep systemic barriers and historic disinvestment have, in a multitude of ways, held our community back for decades. In recent years, things have been changing in Austin unlike ever before. The unprecedented levels of collaboration and collective impact throughout the community were calling for something new, something different, something bigger. 

For far too long, many leaders in the community had seen each other more as competitors rather than allies. Powerful people outside of Austin, with control over resources, have pitted us against each other, forcing us to compete with one another for the scarce resources they give us access to. The idea of creating “plans” to address ongoing issues had always been a struggle. Within the community, aspirations of coming together in the hopes of collaborating on major issues always found its obstacles. Resources to follow through on plans were commonly thin or the individuals and groups in power placed their interests elsewhere. It was time to change that.

Back in 2017, ACT’s efforts to create synergy among community members resulted in a steering committee of 20 community leaders. With support from LISC Chicago and ACT, the steering committee gathered over 500 local stakeholders at three Community Summits to listen to what they felt were Austin’s needs and priorities.

In December 2018, our community embarked on a journey. For the first time in the Austin community, a quality-of-life plan was unveiled. By building on Austin’s greatest assets and cultivating new expertise and investment, the Austin Forward. Together. (AFT) plan is a catalyst for change in Austin. 

The plan, which was designed by the community and for the community, is the catalyst for Austin. It addresses 23 strategies with 84 total actions across 7 issue Areas between 2019 and 2024: Community Narrative, Education, Housing, Youth Empowerment, Economic Development, Public Safety, and Civic Engagement. So this project wasn’t just about making a plan. It’s always been about building relationships and establishing the collective power needed to successfully implement the “plans” that already existed in the community. 

In the five years since the AFT plan’s inception, Austin has been at the forefront of significant changes and developments that have brought together thousands of residents with one shared vision. The success of the AFT plan has created a world of opportunity for residents and has garnered a variety of awards. We are proud of the work that has been accomplished by way of the plan and look forward to how the plan will continue to impact our community for years to come.

Keep reading for more information on the exciting work happening in our community: