RE: Cut Crime in Half

New Haven, Connecticut has cut its crime in half. It also struggles with about 10% of its population being illegal immigrants. But instead of just wanting the problem to go away, ignoring the problem or expressing hatred, this community embraced their illegal immigrants. I know, it might sound absurd = but you know, Albert Einstein said, "If at first an idea is not absurd, it is not worth pursuing." This community has stepped out into unknown territory and has made great strides - which includes cutting crime in half.

I often talk in my seminars about stepping out in the unknown. I used to be afraid of the unknown - I stayed in a job way longer than I wanted to simply because of fear of the unknown - fear of not knowing what I would do without the job, fear of not making enough money somewhere else, fear, fear, fear. Fear does not serve us. It didn't serve me - and if we can start taking steps in the unknown, and take calculated risks, we have a great chance for a renewed spirit in Lake Worth. I began my personal venture into the unknown by doing something different every day. Try it - just one thing different per day for say one or two weeks.

Is our community bound by fear? Fear of change? Fear of the unknown? Perhaps. Feelings of apathy and helplessness often come from giving up. Many people I've met during this campaign, and I mean MANY, have said, they are tired of fighting, and have given up. Or they are moving away. Sad. It doesn't have to be this way. Hope inspires hope. We can rekindle our hope and restore our sense of community. We can inspire each other. We can change.

There is a saying that we are either, "Stepping forward in growth, or stepping backwards into safety." We, as a community, have an opportunity to step forward in growth - yes, change is filled with uncertainty and the unknown. But as the saying goes, if we do what we always did, we will get what we always got. Let's change and grow together.

Here are a few links - to what New Haven is doing to change and grow, reduce crime, etc.

http://www.bos.frb.org/commdev/necd/2008/issue1/elmcitycard.pdf

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/16/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/16peoplect.html

Have a nice day.

Sincerely,
Suzanne