Defining 'Community' through a 6 Lens Framework
A deeper dive into a key framework we will use during the upcoming Fall Community-Centered Engagement Intensive
Hey Changemakers,
In so much of the work I do with museums and nonprofits around community engagement, we start with defining what an organization and its staff mean when they say ‘community.’ That’s not as simple and straightforward conversation as it would seem, but it is a really important one!
Today, I wanted to share a bit more about a framework that will form the basis for our initial discussions in the upcoming “Community-Centered Engagement” Fall workshop intensive that I’m offering (starting October 30).
I call this my 6 Lens Framework since it offers six different entry points for thinking about how we define ‘community’ in our practice.
As I have written about in my book Museums as Agents of Change and here on this Substack (see this post), the practice of defining community is an essential first step to building meaningful community partnerships and effective engagement strategies.
If this is something you’re needing more support with, considering signing up for the fall workshop, which is designed to help you build a stronger community-centered practice and advocate for more meaningful community involvement at your organization.
The workshop is already filling up fast, and there’s a really incredible group of people coming together for this.
The 6 Lens Framework
OK, first of all, it’s important to establish that there is no single definition of ‘community.’ And since this word gets thrown around a lot, especially in museums and nonprofits, it is foundational that each of us develop a clearer sense of what we mean when we say ‘community.’
We all have personal associations with what this word means to us, including what communities we might feel we belong to or identify with. So it can be good to begin this process by asking ourselves some basic questions:
What does community mean to me?
What communities do I belong to?
The whole process of defining ‘community’ begins here, with us. And if things are already feeling complex and you have have questions, that’s good. The whole concept of ‘community’ is complex. And while there might not be a single definition we can use, we do need to have a fuller understanding of what we mean when we talk about community and communities.
Communities are complex. Communities are like ecosystems; they grow, evolve, intersect, and change.
Perhaps one of my favorite quotes about community comes from filmmaker and writer Nora Bateson, who says:
“Community is a consequence of many contextual relationships intertwining over time, more like a meadow than legos.”
Given all this complexity, I have worked for years to develop some structure that can productively guide our thinking as we work to map out a more complex picture of the community or communities we intend to build connections with through our organization.
This all started when I was working at the Portland Art Museum, and my team worked together to define what we meant by ‘community’ through the lenses of place and equity. Since then, through writing my book and leading dozens of workshops on community engagement both here in the US and across Europe, I have added four additional lenses to flesh this out even more: belonging, representation, assets, and action.
Using the Framework
Before we dive into each lens of the framework, I always invite people to think of one specific community they are working to build stronger relationships and connections with (in a deeper, sustained way, not through a one-off project or single event).
Then we go through each element of the 6 Lens Framework to help gain a much fuller, complex, and human-centered understanding of this community—and hopefully gain a sense of what you still need to learn and the questions you need to ask.
Here is a brief description of each of the 6 lenses, and some of the key questions to ask as you go through this process:
PLACE: I always begin with the basic element of place. Consider the geography and place of this community. Where do people in this community live, work, gather, go to school, etc.? How does this sense of place intersect with your organization and its location/place? I am always surprised how seldomly museums and cultural organization think about their role within their place, and how this affects the ways they interact and work with various local communities. So this is such an important place to start.
BELONGING: Since the idea of ‘belonging’ can play such a key role in determining and shaping many communities, this is important to consider. What are the shared identities, interests, or values that might bring this community together? What might people care about most in this community? What types of organizations, institutions, or groups might already support these shared interests?
EQUITY: Next, consider the ways in which this group has been excluded from your organization and its decision-making. What structures and barriers have existed that prevent this community from fully participating in your organization? How have institutional legacies and history played a role? As you go through this process, be sure to examine how factors of race, gender, age, disability, religion, income, and geography might play a role here—and be aware of how these intersect within communities.
REPRESENTATION: After you examine equity, I find it really important to consider the ways in which members of this community are a part of your organization (or aren’t). How is this community represented in your staff, volunteers, or board? Do members of this community see themselves when they visit or engage with your organization? Are there members of this community on your staff that you aren’t connecting with? Be sure to use this opportunity to look inward, critically reflect on your organization’s representation, and chart out some way to address any lack of representation.
ASSETS: Rather than focus on the needs of a particular community, we should be focused on their assets—the strengths, expertise, skills, and values of this community. What are the unique assets that members of this community can bring to working with your organization? How can you celebrate, honor, and amplify the stories, experiences, and expertise of this community? To dive deeper into this part of the process, you can engage in some basis “asset mapping” to learn more about a community’s expertise.
ACTION: Finally, let’s consider how members of this community might be working to take action & change the future. Are there ways that members of this community are working as agents of change? How might this community be taking action to bring about positive changes in their neighborhood? What would it look like to take action together with this community? And support their existing work? This lens has fueled so much of the community engagement work I have led in my own practice, and so important to consider as you grow deeper relationships with your own local communities.
Join the Fall Community Engagement Workshop
If this sounds like a process you’d like to bring into your work or your organization, then join the Fall Community-Centered Engagement Intensive and be part of collaborative cohort as we walk through this 6 Lens Framework together during our first session.
This provides a great foundation for then thinking about how to expand community engagement at your organization, and work on ways to center community in co-creative practices and partnerships.
Learn more about the workshop through this post I wrote that looks at each session, week by week, and shares more details.
And since this will be the last time I am offering this workshop, I would love to fill this final session with an amazing group of professionals ranging across all types of nonprofits and museums!
Whether you’re already working in community engagement or just starting to explore this area, this workshop is designed for you. It’s a welcoming space where you can learn new strategies and connect with others committed to making a meaningful impact in their communities.
Throughout the 3-week intensive, you’ll work alongside professionals, gaining insights, sharing experiences, and building a network of support that extends far beyond the workshop.
If you’ve ever thought about deepening your community-centered practice, now is the time!
Let’s make this final workshop an unforgettable experience.
I hope you’ll join me for this final opportunity!
Quick Reminder of Workshop Dates and Times:
Wednesday, 10/30, 2-4 pm Eastern (11 am-1 pm Pacific)
Wednesday, 11/6, 2-4 pm Eastern (11 am-1 pm Pacific)
Wednesday, 11/13, 2-4 pm Eastern (11 am-1 pm Pacific)
You'll receive a Zoom link and follow up details after you sign up.
And if you are worried about time conflicts please reach out to me! I am happy to discuss additional support with a check-in meeting for those who might not be able to every workshop. Or you have any other questions at all, my email address is murawski27@gmail.com!
Thank you for sharing this. The “assets” element was especially interesting to me. I often see orgs forget to consider what elements of their audience can be a useful/exciting/unique offering to them.