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Sustainability Project: City of Tolleson

At the end of my college year experience, I made an impact with friends! We had a small group of folks that would meetup everyday after our Inclusive Community Development class and just chat away inside the study rooms at the Arizona State University Downtown library. That was our little, underground hangout for a time.

We talked about school, relationships, work, and just anything that came to mind. For the most part, it was just a place to be ourselves. All of us studied either Parks and Recreation, Tourism, or Nonprofit majors. One of the dudes in this squad was named Milo Neild. He and I were both hard working, smart, and innovative leaders in our community. He was majoring in Parks and Recreation Management while I was majoring in Nonprofit Leadership and Management. In our course, we were assigned to create one inclusive community development project that would positive impact the lives of others. It was pretty open-ended, but also very exciting! We both ran with this idea and created some amazing projects.

In my work, I created a sustainability project to improve the use of landscapes in the City of Tolleson. The main goals of the project were:

I. To develop green spaces and beautify current parks II. To build awareness of environmental sustainability practices III. To build greater harmony and a sense of community with Tolleson’s residents

Within 4 months time, I researched the City of Tolleson's transportation, land usage, surveys from city residents, and even their plans for future development. I worked on this project for 4 months to develop a holistic sustainability plan that would both build social connections with residents, increase safety, and educate citizens on how to improve and maintain their own land spaces.

Many people do not know that the City of Tolleson was once the Vegetable Capital of the World. In the 1970s, Tolleson was the land for farming. This great land produced and mobilized the vegetables that powered the entire world! It has now become a major site for corporations to establish their warehouses.

Nevertheless, the great culture and pride in this small town has never left. One of the things I discovered in my research was the positive feedback on the culture and overall vibe of the Tolleson people. The festivals, the small businesses, the city's high school, the farms, and all that history is felt by the people. If you visit this city, you may know this feeling as well.

The value of this project was incredibly well received! I submitted my project in a professional portfolio PDF format to the Executive Assistant at the City of Tolleson government to be included in their future development plans. Also, at this same time, I applied for (and was accepted) into the Clinton Global Initiative University program!

In this program, I was selected to meet with global leaders, innovators, and college students from around the world to discuss my ideas for improving the City of Tolleson. At this global event, former President Bill Clinton and his family, Hilary and Chelsea attended and headed this entire event. Also, a few notable participants were: Bill Drayton, Chief Executive Officer at Ashoka Deogratias Niyizonkiza, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Village Health Works , and Rosario Pérez, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pro Mujer.

It's important to know yourself, be who you are, and believe in the work that you do. In my wildest dreams, I could not imagine that my project would have made it to such a large scale of global proportions! A small own girl from the farm lands Tolleson, Arizona. It is a great honor to be named an alum of the Clinton Global Initiative University 2014 class.

Thanks for reading. Can't wait to share more of my story.

All the best,

Ty

The Creative Rebel

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