“The rewarding part of this job are the people that we serve,” says Niyata ‘Nott’ Brown, the Family Liaison at Roosevelt Apartments. “In this field, you have to be relatable. It comes naturally to me, and it’s essential for working with people.” Brown supports residents day-to-day as an onsite social work staff, and knows that she has an important role to play in the lives of residents. “I feel like a go-to person, doing asset-based community development work without even knowing it. That comes from knowing people on a personal level.”  

With her BS in Nonprofit Administration, Brown cares about this theoretical framework of community development as much as anyone or more. But she adds, “Asset-based community development only goes so far if you don’t know the people you’re supporting, if you can’t relate to people and build trust with them.” With three years under her belt at Roosevelt Apartments, Brown feels well-positioned to apply theory into practice. “When something comes up, I know which resident can help because I know their strengths. I know Coco is crafty like me — she can sew — so if I need help with an event she can help. Then there’s Jamal, who likes to help with passing out newsletters or moving furniture around. That’s the whole neighboring thing, to me. Just paying attention, learning about people and what they can offer.”