Intentional Community Building: The Development of the Whitneyville Cultural Commons

Abstract

Although historically intolerance was an identifying characteristic of communities, can modern urban communities nurture inclusion and diversity? This paper takes a qualitative case study approach to analyzing the development of a community organization in an urban setting. As a non-profit, the Whitneyville Cultural Commons (WCC) serves as an example of an intentional civil society organization designed to serve the community of the surrounding neighborhood. By interviewing the leaders and members of the WCC community, I address the techniques this organization has used to strengthen itself and support the surrounding community in inclusive ways.