{"id":389156,"date":"2023-11-28T21:13:41","date_gmt":"2023-11-29T02:13:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/?post_type=article&#038;p=389156"},"modified":"2023-11-28T21:13:41","modified_gmt":"2023-11-29T02:13:41","slug":"reconnecting-communities-restoring-connectivity-economy-and-vibrancy","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/articles\/reconnecting-communities-restoring-connectivity-economy-and-vibrancy\/","title":{"rendered":"Reconnecting Communities: Restoring Connectivity, Economy and Vibrancy"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"rich-text custom-html\">\n<style>\n#blurb {\n   font-size: 1.5rem !important;\n   line-height: 1.3;\n   color: DimGray;\n   margin-top: -3rem;\n}\n<\/style>\n<\/section><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\" id=\"blurb\">Cities across the United States are transforming urban landscapes once divided by highways, rebuilding communities with innovative revitalization projects and fostering new connections through the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>In the mid-20th century, the building of highways and freeways in many <a href=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/programs\/communities\/\">Knight Foundation communities<\/a> came at a cost\u2013\u2013their construction divided and cut off vibrant urban neighborhoods. Communities lost housing, green spaces, businesses and places of worship. Families moved away and these neighborhoods faced a lack of public and private investment for decades. Yet, in more recent years we have seen local leaders building plans to reimagine, reconnect and revitalize the public spaces and transportation infrastructure adjacent to these highways and freeways in Knight communities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><section class=\"rich-text custom-html\">\n<video autoplay loop muted playsinline width=\"762px\">\n    <source src=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/LeaderVideo_webm_vbr1-3.webm\" type=\"video\/webm\">\n    <source src=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/LeaderVideo_H265_vbr1-3.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\">\n<\/video>\n<p style=\"font-size:0.75em; color:gray; line-height:normal; font-family:courier, courier new, serif;\">The construction of interstates, highways, and freeways in the mid-20th century had profound impacts on commerce.  The social impacts were just as profound, but have been less widely recognized. | <i>Graphic adapted from <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/GiveYour1954\">public domain footage<\/a> available in the Prelinger Archives.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/section><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>As longtime investors in local revitalization and inclusive public spaces, Knight has funded projects like <a href=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/articles\/500-akron-ohio-residents-share-meal-innerbelt-freeway\/\">500 Plates in Akron, Ohio<\/a>, to bring together residents to reimagine the decommissioned Innerbelt, and the establishment of community organizations like <a href=\"https:\/\/reconnectrondo.com\/\">Reconnect Rondo<\/a> in St. Paul, Minnesota, to develop plans to build a land bridge over Interstate 94. In 2022, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law established the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.transportation.gov\/grants\/rcnprogram\/about-rcp\">Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program<\/a>, which recognizes the impact of transportation infrastructure in dividing neighborhoods and identifies opportunities across the country to restore community connectivity, economy and vibrancy.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>Knight Foundation supported Knight cities\u2019 applications to the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program. In the 2022 round of applications, seven Knight communities were awarded nearly $40 million to support planning and construction from the U.S. Department of Transportation, representing 21% of the program\u2019s awarded dollars. In October 2022, Knight also funded the <a href=\"https:\/\/datasmart.hks.harvard.edu\/infrastructure-innovation\">Infrastructure Innovations Summit<\/a> at Harvard Kennedy School to convene community leaders alongside federal officials and infrastructure experts to discuss best practices in planning and implementing infrastructure projects, like Reconnecting Communities.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-transform:capitalize\">Akron, Ohio<\/h2>\n<\/div><section class=\"rich-text custom-html\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin-bottom:0; margin-top:0;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"744\" height=\"595\" src=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/UAkron_Archives_Second-Baptist-Church-Audience.jpeg?w=744\" alt=\"One black and white photographic print showing the congregation at the Second Baptist Church at 188 E. Center Street in Akron, Ohio.  The congregation at Second Baptist Church located on East Center Street in Akron gathers to listen to a sermon.\" class=\"wp-image-389740\"\/><\/figure><p style=\"font-size:0.75em; color:gray; line-height:normal; font-family:courier, courier new, serif;\">The Second Baptist Church was one of several African American institutions that were bought and removed to construct the city&#8217;s Innerbelt. | <i>Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.akronlife.com\/education\/parting-shot-photographer-opie-evans\/\">Opie Evans<\/a>, provided courtesy of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uakron.edu\/libraries\/archives\/\">University of Akron&#8217;s Archives and Special Collections&#8217;<\/a> Opie Evans Papers.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/section><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>Akron, Ohio, was once home to a vibrant Black neighborhood west of downtown filled with hair salons, dry cleaners, cafes and churches. The residents knew one another and children played on the sidewalks. But in the 1960s, plans to build the Innerbelt Freeway through the neighborhood led to its decline. Construction started in 1970, cutting through the center of Black commerce on Wooster Avenue and shuttering over 100 businesses. The community never recovered, and the freeway still divides Akron today.<\/p>\n<\/div><section class=\"rich-text custom-html\">\n<style>\n    @media (min-width: 992px) {\n      .pb-div-responsive-float-left {\n        float: left;\n        width: 35%;\n      }\n    }\n    @media (max-width: 991px) {\n      .pb-div-responsive-float {\n        width: 100%;\n      }\n    }\n<\/style>\n<div style=\"margin-right:1rem; margin-top:1rem;\" class=\"pb-div-responsive-float-left\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"744\" height=\"595\" src=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/UAkron_Archives_Wooster-Avenue-Church.jpg?w=744\" alt=\"One black and white photographic print of the exterior of the Wooster Avenue Christian Church at 298 Wooster Avenue in Akron, Ohio.\" class=\"wp-image-389748\"\/>\n<p style=\"font-size:0.75em; color:gray; line-height:normal; font-family:courier, courier new, serif;\">The Wooster Avenue Christian Church was among several predominantly African American institutions removed to build Akron&#8217;s Innerbelt. | <i>Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.akronlife.com\/education\/parting-shot-photographer-opie-evans\/\">Opie Evans<\/a>, provided courtesy of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uakron.edu\/libraries\/archives\/\">University of Akron&#8217;s Archives and Special Collections&#8217;<\/a> Opie Evans Papers.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>In 2018, the State of Ohio decommissioned a one-mile section of the Innerbelt. This sparked renewed interest in engaging residents in a vision for the area and now empty public space. With support from Knight Foundation, <a href=\"https:\/\/lizogbu.com\">Liz Ogbu<\/a>, urban planner and spatial justice expert, worked with the City of Akron and community stakeholders to conduct a series of resident engagement events in 2022.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>The first event, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beaconjournal.com\/story\/news\/local\/2022\/08\/29\/akron-innerbelt-reunion-recalls-1960s-urban-renewal-failure\/65415671007\/\">Akron Innerbelt Reunion<\/a>, was held at the Akron Urban League and invited families that have been displaced or harmed by the Innerbelt\u2019s construction to come together. The second was an open streets event where people could walk or bike on the decommissioned freeway and share their ideas for what the land should become. Finally, the Rubber City Jazz and Blues Festival used the space as a venue for musicians to perform. These in-person engagement efforts complemented a series of online surveys and powerful recorded interviews with prominent Black leaders, now archived as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitmemory.org\/digital\/custom\/innerbelt\">Innerbelt History Collection<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><section class=\"rich-text custom-html\">\n<pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\" style=\"margin-left:0; font-size:0.75em;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/story\/an-akron-highway-cut-off-a-black-community-the-city-is-trying-to-fix-it-5aaa890a\">WSJ Photo Essay: An Akron Highway Cut Off a Black Community. The City is Trying to Fix It.<\/a>\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/us-news\/black-community-cut-off-by-akrons-road-to-nowhere-seeks-to-reconnect-a58cb054\">WSJ: Black Community Cut Off by Akron\u2019s \u2018Road to Nowhere\u2019 Seeks to Undo Damage<\/a><\/pre>\n<\/section><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>Akron\u2019s future vision for the neighborhood where the Innerbelt now stands puts residents, families and their stories at the center. In 2023, Akron received a $960,000 federal Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program Planning Grant to support the future of this work\u2013\u2013the only city in Ohio awarded such a grant. This grant is matched with $200,000 in support from local Akron funders. Today, the City of Akron is conducting an RFP process to select a consultant to lead future planning that engages residents.<\/p>\n<\/div><section class=\"rich-text custom-html\">\n<style>\n    @media (min-width: 992px) {\n      .pb-insta-responsive-margin {\n        margin-left:2rem;\n      }\n    }\n    @media (max-width: 991px) {\n      .pb-insta-responsive-margin {\n      }\n    }\n<\/style>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignright is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper pb-insta-responsive-margin\">\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CncRwjduHb7\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:500px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CncRwjduHb7\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\"> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> <div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CncRwjduHb7\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by Archive, A Black woman owned culture shop (@archive_clt)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote><script async src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/section><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-transform:capitalize\">Charlotte, North Carolina<\/h2>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>The Historic West End in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a vibrant cultural hub located just a mile outside Uptown. Home to Charlotte&#8217;s only historically Black university, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jcsu.edu\">Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU)<\/a>, and several historic neighborhoods, the area\u2019s homes and churches date back to the first half of the 20th century and represent the rich history of the Black community. For generations, residents built strong ties to their community and to one another in the district, raising families, starting businesses and caring for their neighbors during and after segregation. The Historic West End and Johnson C. Smith University have also served as incubators for Charlotte\u2019s civil rights movement and Black leadership.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>However, through the city&#8217;s Thoroughfare Plan in the late 1950s, the construction of three highways led to the displacement of over 240 families; destroyed once-vibrant neighborhoods; claimed public spaces, local schools and businesses; and divided wealthier white neighborhoods from poorer areas in the West and North sides of Charlotte. Redlining, white flight and the highways led to further economic decline and increased crime in the district for over 30 years.<\/p>\n<\/div><section class=\"rich-text custom-html\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin-bottom:0;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"874\" src=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/IvoryLetter.jpg?w=1000\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-389829\" srcset=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/IvoryLetter.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/IvoryLetter.jpg?resize=768,671 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n<p style=\"font-size:0.75em; color:gray; line-height:normal; font-family:courier, courier new, serif;\">The North Carolina State Highway Commission sent Emily Ivory \u2013\u00a0a single mother of three children \u2013 a letter on December 28, 1966 notifying her that the government would be seizing her property with compensation. | <i>Photo courtesy of Darnell Ivory, Emily&#8217;s daughter. See the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westendcharlotte.org\/highway\">full letter<\/a> on the  James B. Duke Memorial Library&#8217;s Historic West End website.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/section><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>Despite these challenges, recent private development and public infrastructure investments have spurred growth in the area, with the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program presenting an exciting new opportunity and funding to support equitable and inclusive development in the Historic West End. Knight Foundation has supported engagement and planning in the West End since 2015, funding projects and ideas rooted in the ideas of local residents and business owners. This includes a resident-led planning effort called the <a href=\"https:\/\/5pointsforward.org\">5 Points Forward Plan<\/a>, which served as the basis of the City Department of Transportation\u2019s Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program Planning Grant.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>The 5 Points Forward Plan envisions mixed-use developments that provide healthy food options, safe pedestrian-friendly experiences, permanent representation of the culture and heritage of the district and affordable options in housing and amenities that include and benefit all residents. By prioritizing resident engagement and supporting equitable development, Charlotte honors the history of the Historic West End and builds a better future for all who call the district home.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-transform:capitalize\">Philadelphia<\/h2>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>Philadelphia\u2019s Chinatown has been a thriving family-oriented community since 1871. However, in 1966, the state and local government announced their plan for the Vine Street Expressway. This plan involved the demolition of the community\u2019s Holy Redeemer Chinese Catholic Church and School, which sparked outrage and opposition among residents, business owners and church leaders.<\/p>\n<\/div><section class=\"rich-text custom-html\">\n<style>\n    @media (min-width: 992px) {\n      .pb-div-responsive-float-right {\n        float: left;\n        width: 35%;\n        margin-right:1rem;\n      }\n    }\n    @media (max-width: 991px) {\n      .pb-div-responsive-float {\n        width: 100%;\n      }\n    }\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"pb-div-responsive-float-right\"><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-thumbnail\" style=\"margin-bottom:0; margin-top:0;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"580\" src=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Philadelphia-Holy-Redeemer-Chinese-Catholic-Church.jpg?w=350&amp;h=350&amp;crop=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-389850\" srcset=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Philadelphia-Holy-Redeemer-Chinese-Catholic-Church.jpg 800w, https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Philadelphia-Holy-Redeemer-Chinese-Catholic-Church.jpg?resize=768,557 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n<p style=\"font-size:0.75em; color:gray; line-height:normal; font-family:courier, courier new, serif;\">The Holy Redeemer Chinese Catholic Church and School, seen here in an image from circa 1933, was slated for demolition to build the Vine Street Expressway, but was spared.  The community around it, however, was severely disrupted by the roadway that divided the community&#8217;s main commercial corridor and residential district with unsafe walking conditions to this day. | <i>Photo from the Historic American Buildings Survey <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/resource\/hhh.pa0816.photos\/?sp=2\">via the Library of Congress<\/a>.<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n<\/section><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>Despite the community&#8217;s opposition, the six-lane below-grade interstate was completed in 1991, cutting across the central part of Philadelphia and creating a physical barrier. Its construction destroyed homes, businesses, sidewalks and amenities such as the local community garden. Although <a href=\"https:\/\/nyti.ms\/3FLmn6E\">the community was able to save the Holy Redeemer Chinese Catholic Church and School<\/a>, the expressway still divides the area from the main commercial corridor and neighborhood, with unsafe walking conditions.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>While Vine Street Expressway continues to negatively impact Chinatown, the community has been working tirelessly to reconnect with its northern counterpart. In the last three decades, the <a href=\"https:\/\/equityis.exposure.co\/chinatown-future-historiesnbsppublic-space-and-equitable-development\">Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation (PCDC)<\/a> has commissioned, planned and implemented projects to repair the damage done by the expressway.<\/p>\n<\/div><section class=\"rich-text custom-html\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\" style=\"margin-bottom:0;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"563\" src=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Catholic_Historical_Research_Center.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-390212\" srcset=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Catholic_Historical_Research_Center.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Catholic_Historical_Research_Center.jpg?resize=768,360 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n<p style=\"font-size:0.75em; color:gray; line-height:normal; font-family:courier, courier new, serif;\">Members of the community lobbied and protested to save The Holy Redeemer Catholic Church and were ultimately successful. A <a href=\"https:\/\/hsp.org\/sites\/default\/files\/attachments\/save_chinatown_movement.pdf\">smaller version of the expressway was constructed<\/a> sparing the church. | <I>Photo courtesy of <a href=\"https:\/\/chrc-phila.org\/collections\/graphics\/photographs\/\">The Robert and Teresa Harvey Photograph Collection<\/a> via the <a href=\"https:\/\/chrc-phila.org\">Catholic Historical Research Center of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/section><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>In 2008, PCDC implemented the 10th Street Commercial Corridor Revitalization project, and in 2010, they renovated the pedestrian bridge over the expressway to create the 10th Street Plaza. This small plaza has become a go-to place for PCDC\u2019s public programming and community events including a vigil for anti-Asian hate victims and play space for hundreds of neighborhood children. PCDC played an active role in hosting the 2016 Every Place Counts Design Challenge led by the U.S. Department of Transportation, which provided a valuable opportunity for the Chinatown community to reimagine the expressway.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>Furthermore, community-driven studies such as PCDC\u2019s 2017 Chinatown Neighborhood Plan and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission\u2019s (DVRPC) Reviving Vine report helped to inform the plans. The capping strategy, which has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.phila.gov\/documents\/chinatown-stitch-project-materials\/\">three proposed concepts<\/a> covering two to three blocks based on community input to restore connectivity, is further supported by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.phila2035.org\/\">Phila2035<\/a>, the City\u2019s Comprehensive Plan. Finally, Knight supported PCDC\u2019s equity lab, which built up community capacity and language of residents to talk about planning and build an understanding of what it means to achieve equity.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>The decades of engagement ultimately laid the groundwork for the $1.8 million Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program funding, in addition to $2.2 million matched from local funders, which builds on these ideas and recommends developing strategies for a cap or partial cap. Although the Vine Street Expressway has caused long-term harm to Chinatown, the community&#8217;s advocacy and resiliency positions the neighborhood to capitalize on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to transform the public realm and ultimately reconnect Philadelphia\u2019s historic Chinatown.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-transform:capitalize\">St. Paul<\/h2>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>The story of the Rondo neighborhood in St. Paul, Minnesota, is one that is all too familiar. A thriving Black community, Rondo was once a close-knit neighborhood with a vibrant social, cultural, economic, civic and spiritual fabric, filled with families who knew and supported one another. However, in the 1950s, plans for the construction of Interstate 94 were implemented as an urban renewal project, and the proposed route ran right through the heart of Rondo\u2019s business district and neighborhood.<\/p>\n<\/div><section class=\"rich-text custom-html\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\" style=\"margin-bottom:0;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"433\" src=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/10395240.640x640-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-391398\"\/><\/figure>\n<p style=\"font-size:0.75em; color:gray; line-height:normal; font-family:courier, courier new, serif;\">I-94 was constructed, in part, at the former intersection of Rondo and Fairview Avenues, as seen in this photo from September 1967. | Courtesy of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mnopedia.org\/multimedia\/construction-i-94-site-rondo-avenue\">Minnesota Historical Society<\/a>, used with permission.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/section><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>Despite significant opposition from residents and community leaders who feared displacement and destruction of their homes and businesses, the freeway was built, and the neighborhood was divided. Due to redlining and discriminatory banking practices, there were virtually no options for relocation within the neighborhood for most residents. Therefore, many were forced to move out of the neighborhood and community.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>However, in recent years, there has been a renewed effort to further engage the community and address the lasting impact of interstate construction. The community has come together formally through the establishment of a nonprofit organization, <a href=\"https:\/\/reconnectrondo.com\/\">ReConnect Rondo<\/a>, focused on reviving the once economically vibrant community and creating Minnesota\u2019s first <a href=\"https:\/\/reconnectrondo.com\/the-district\/\">African American cultural enterprise district<\/a> connected by a community land bridge. This effort is intended to establish a collective plan working hand in hand with the community&nbsp; to revitalize the neighborhood, including initiatives to support small businesses, improve transportation and create affordable housing.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>Thanks to Knight Foundation&#8217;s funding, the community has been engaged in developing a vision that includes the creation of the Rondo Commemorative Plaza and establishing a land bridge to reconnect the divided neighborhood and to establish an African American cultural enterprise district. But there is still much work to be done to fully address the negative repercussions of the interstate and support the revitalization of this important community.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>The recent $2 million in federal planning grants toward funding ReConnect Rondo\u2019s vision of restorative development will help accelerate efforts to bring this vision to fruition. An additional $500,000 will be matched by local funders.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>Rebuilding and reconnecting a community and healing from the wounds of the past is a long process. It requires a commitment to listening to elders, descendants, existing residents, community members, organizing community members and organizations and leaders to envision a brighter future for Rondo and St. Paul.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-transform:capitalize\">Long Beach, California<\/h2>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>Shoreline Drive was once a part of California&#8217;s interstate freeway network as Interstate-710, built as an &#8220;urban renewal&#8221; project after World War II. Unfortunately, this project had devastating consequences for the working-class Magnolia and West Beach neighborhoods. Homes and businesses were demolished to make way for the divided road that operates at highway speeds. The result was the separation of residents from the waterfront and green space.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>The current landscape of West Shoreline Drive is a park sandwiched between the northbound and southbound lanes. The park, Cesar Chavez Park, is a great asset to the neighborhood. However, its proximity to a fast-paced roadway and the on and off ramps of Shoemaker Bridge makes it dangerous for pedestrians, while creating poor air quality. This transformative&nbsp; project will convert the urban freeway into a landscaped, lower-speed roadway.<\/p>\n<\/div><section class=\"rich-text custom-html\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\" style=\"margin-bottom:0\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/CesarChavezPark_GoogleEarth_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-390592\" srcset=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/CesarChavezPark_GoogleEarth_4.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/CesarChavezPark_GoogleEarth_4.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/CesarChavezPark_GoogleEarth_4.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n<p style=\"font-size:0.75em; color:gray; line-height:normal; font-family:courier, courier new, serif;\">Cesar Chavez Park is separated from the nearby community by roadways. West Shoreline Drive runs through it, creating dangerous pedestrian conditions. | <I>Imagery copyright Google Earth, with data from CSUMB SFML, CA OPC, LDEO-Columbia, NSF, NOAA, SIO, NOAA, US Navy, NGA, GEBCO.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/section><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>The West Shoreline Drive project is expected to combine the southbound and northbound traffic lanes, opening up 5.5 acres of park space and expanding Cesar Chavez Park. This will serve as a gateway to better connect residents, visitors and workers to the Pacific Ocean, local destinations and downtown Long Beach. The project received a capital construction grant of $30 million in federal funding through the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>The project evolved as part of Long Beach&#8217;s application for Knight Foundation&#8217;s<a href=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/press\/releases\/knight-cities-join-national-effort-to-reimagine-public-spaces-for-stronger-communities\/\"> Reimagine the Civic Commons<\/a>. This initiative aims to revitalize public spaces in cities across the United States, creating more vibrant and equitable communities. Knight Foundation has been an early partner in this work, committing $50,000 in funding toward programming in Cesar Chavez Park to engage residents in the neighborhood and downtown in arts and connectivity that are authentic to the diverse communities.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>The West Shoreline Drive project is an excellent example of how cities can reimagine their public spaces and transportation infrastructure to better serve the needs of their communities. By creating more pedestrian-friendly, accessible spaces, we can build stronger connections between residents, visitors and workers. This is an essential step toward creating a more connected, equitable and engaged Long Beach.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-transform:capitalize\">Wichita, Kansas<\/h2>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>In the 1920s, Wichita&#8217;s North End neighborhood, located north of 21st Street, was a thriving hub of local businesses and a vibrant community. At that time, it boasted a growing Latino population, with the population increasing from 135 people in 1915 to 934 in 1925. The neighborhood&#8217;s vibrancy and connection suffered when multiple railroad lines were constructed that cut through 21st Street. These tracks brought about two significant challenges that led to the decline of this once-thriving community. The Latino population had soared to nearly 50,000 community members of Mexican heritage.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><section class=\"rich-text custom-html\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\" style=\"margin-bottom:0\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2370\" height=\"1443\" src=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1939-central-intermediate-school.jpg?w=2370\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-392427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1939-central-intermediate-school.jpg 2370w, https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1939-central-intermediate-school.jpg?resize=768,468 768w, https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1939-central-intermediate-school.jpg?resize=1536,935 1536w, https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1939-central-intermediate-school.jpg?resize=2048,1247 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2370px) 100vw, 2370px\" \/><\/figure>\n<p style=\"font-size:0.75em; color:gray; line-height:normal; font-family:courier, courier new, serif;\">In Wichita &#8211; unlike other cities \u2013\u00a0Latino children were not restricted to segregated schools, but did face pressure to fit in by not speaking Spanish, according to the University of Wichita. | <I>Image courtesy of Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum via <a href=\"https:\/\/somos.wichita.edu\/en\/school-children\/\">&#8216;Somos de Wichita&#8217; at the University of Wichita.<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<\/section><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>First, the railway lines created a disconnect between two historically and culturally rich neighborhoods\u2014the North End and North Wichita, which is situated east of the North End and is home to some of Wichita&#8217;s predominantly Black communities. This separation had a profound impact on the sense of unity and cohesion between these neighborhoods.<\/p>\n<\/div><section class=\"rich-text custom-html\">\n<div class=\"pb-div-responsive-float-right\"><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\" style=\"margin-bottom:0\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1253\" height=\"1727\" src=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Mexican-beauty-Pageant-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-392431\" srcset=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Mexican-beauty-Pageant-1.jpg 1253w, https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Mexican-beauty-Pageant-1.jpg?resize=768,1059 768w, https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Mexican-beauty-Pageant-1.jpg?resize=1114,1536 1114w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1253px) 100vw, 1253px\" \/><\/figure><p style=\"font-size:0.75em; color:gray; line-height:normal; font-family:courier, courier new, serif;\">Mexican American youth in Wichita participated in traditions like beauty pageants, feeling that their Hispanic cultural traditions were, &#8220;embarrassing holdovers from their parents and grandparents,&#8221; according to the University of Wichita. | <I>Image courtesy of Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum via <a href=\"https:\/\/somos.wichita.edu\/en\/school-children\/\">&#8216;Somos de Wichita&#8217; at the University of Wichita.<\/a><\/i><\/p><\/div>\n<\/section><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>Additionally, the tracks saw approximately 75 train movements per day, often traveling at low speeds and crossing 21st Street in unpredictable intervals. As a result, motorists, pedestrians and bikers were forced to endure waiting times ranging from 5 to 90 minutes. This inconvenience discouraged many Wichitans and businesses from venturing into the area surrounding 21st Street, leading to a decline in economic development.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>Recognizing community-led efforts to reconnect the North End, Knight Foundation awarded a $150,000 grant to <a href=\"https:\/\/empowernorthend.org\/\">Empower Evergreen (EE)<\/a> in 2021. EE is an organization dedicated to serving the North End of Wichita, focusing on connecting the Hispanic community to educational, workforce readiness and small business development opportunities. This grant was intended to foster community engagement, identify strategies to enhance community impact, inform redevelopment plans and establish a neighborhood catalyst strategy, a participatory process that engaged residents and other key stakeholders to activate and pilot ideas in the North End. This effort garnered support from the the City of Wichita and propelled the initiative forward as a Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program application. In 2023, they were awarded a $1 million Planning Grant, which will allow for a&nbsp; comprehensive plan to reintroduce connectivity to the North End via the east-west transit line, the construction of sidewalks and bike and pedestrian pathways, and the development of solutions catering to the needs of individuals with disabilities.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><section class=\"rich-text custom-html\">\n<style>\n    @media (min-width: 992px) {\n      .pb-div-responsive-full {\n        width: 100%;\n      }\n    }\n    @media (max-width: 991px) {\n      .pb-div-responsive-full {\n        width: 100%;\n      }\n    }\n<\/style>\n<div style=\"margin-right:1rem; margin-top:1rem;\" class=\"pb-div-responsive-full\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\" style=\"margin-bottom:0px;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2688\" height=\"1536\" src=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firefly-vibrant-dense-urban-community-with-multicultural-people-thriving-75622-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-393441\" srcset=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firefly-vibrant-dense-urban-community-with-multicultural-people-thriving-75622-1.jpg 2688w, https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firefly-vibrant-dense-urban-community-with-multicultural-people-thriving-75622-1.jpg?resize=768,439 768w, https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firefly-vibrant-dense-urban-community-with-multicultural-people-thriving-75622-1.jpg?resize=1536,878 1536w, https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Firefly-vibrant-dense-urban-community-with-multicultural-people-thriving-75622-1.jpg?resize=2048,1170 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2688px) 100vw, 2688px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-transform:capitalize\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p>The steps each of these communities have taken\u00a0are significant, but this is just the beginning. Reconnecting communities will cost\u00a0tens of millions\u00a0of dollars and\u00a0many years of work to complete. Engagement of community cannot be static and will need to be embedded throughout the lifecycle of these\u00a0ambitious\u00a0projects to maximize impact\u00a0for all\u2014built <em>with<\/em> community, not just <em>for<\/em> community.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"rich-text\">\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/employee\/rebecca-dinar\/\">Rebecca Dinar<\/a> and <\/em><span><a style=\"font-style: italic;\" href=\"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/employee\/director-marketing-and-communications\/\">Paul Blake<\/a><i> in Miami contributed to this story.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><section class=\"rich-text custom-html\">\n<script>\n    document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {\n        var targetDiv = document.querySelector('#post-389156 > header > div.page-hero__meta > div > div.entry-meta');\n        if (targetDiv) {\n            targetDiv.style.maxWidth = '762px';\n        }\n    });\n<\/script>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cities across the United States are transforming urban landscapes once divided by highways, rebuilding communities with innovative revitalization projects and fostering new connections through the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program. In the mid-20th century, the building of highways and freeways in many Knight Foundation communities came at a cost\u2013\u2013their construction divided and cut off vibrant urban [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":72,"featured_media":393440,"template":"","meta":{"knight_foundation_app_header_links":[],"knight_foundation_app_newsletter_config":"","knight_foundation_app_open_graph_description":"Cities across the United States are transforming urban landscapes once divided by highways, rebuilding communities with innovative revitalization projects.","knight_foundation_app_open_graph_image":393441,"knight_foundation_app_open_graph_title":"Reconnecting Communities: Restoring Connectivity, Economy and Vibrancy","knight_foundation_app_subnav_title":"","knight_foundation_app_subnav_hide":false,"knight_foundation_app_table_of_contents":[],"kfa_extensions_suppress_hero_gradient":false,"_cr_original_post":"389149","_cr_replace_post_id":"","_cr_replacing_post_id":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"knight_foundation_app_article_intro":"Cities across the United States are transforming urban landscapes once divided by highways, rebuilding communities with innovative revitalization projects and fostering new connections through the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program."},"tags":[],"communities":[5143,5135,5134,5145,5122,5139],"challenges":[],"topics":[],"program-areas":[12889],"coauthors":[12977,4276,4335,5246,4468,13987],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/389156"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/72"}],"version-history":[{"count":218,"href":"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/389156\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":393490,"href":"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/389156\/revisions\/393490"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/393440"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=389156"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=389156"},{"taxonomy":"communities","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/communities?post=389156"},{"taxonomy":"challenges","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/challenges?post=389156"},{"taxonomy":"topics","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topics?post=389156"},{"taxonomy":"program-areas","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/program-areas?post=389156"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knightfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=389156"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}