On October 13, students in Dr. Saltsman's UR320 Power and Urban Insecurity course visited the Pleasant Street Neighborhood Network and toured the blocks of Piedmont Street between Pleasant and Chandler Streets to discuss the ways in which the community has mobilized its power over the years to advocate for their residents in a city that often seems ready to leave them behind. The group of students was led by Martha Asefa, President of the Board of Directors for Pleasant Street Neighborhood Network. Martha and the students talked about community strategies to preserve a basketball court on Piedmont and the work of Worcester Common Ground to secure affordable housing in the area. Such efforts, the class observed, contrasted with developments closer to Main Street where new condos only promise to worsen the housing crisis in the city with their above-market prices. Once the students finished their tour of Piedmont Street, they returned to the community organization for mo...
A blog for the activities of the Department of Urban Studies at Worcester State University.