On Syracuse’s Southside, neighbors, educators and local organizations are working together to build a stronger, more connected community – one rooted in mutual support and opportunity. At the center of this effort is Southside Connections, a growing network of community-based organizations helping youth develop skills through hands-on engagement and collaboration. Led by the Engaged Humanities Network (EHN – an initiative of Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences) – Southside Connections strengthens relationships, shares resources and creates sustainable systems of support across neighborhoods.
Since its launch in 2020, EHN has supported participatory action research; co-created humanities, arts, STEM and civic programs with community partners; and responded to pressing local needs through collaborative programming. Brice Nordquist, EHN’s founding director and a professor of writing and rhetoric at Syracuse University, has long advocated for institutions to invest in the communities they serve – not only with resources, but through long-term partnerships built on trust.
Through ethnographic and participatory research, Nordquist collaborates with local organizations to connect underrepresented youth to existing, sustainable opportunities. Southside Connections is an extension of that work – intentionally weaving together people, programs and services to foster lasting change and building a neighborhood where young people are supported, seen and engaged.
“There’s a critical need to address racial and socioeconomic inequities through community connection, engagement and restoration,” said Nordquist. “As a university, we have a responsibility to share the resources we already have with members of the community who may not otherwise have access to them.”
According to CNY vitals, the Syracuse metro area was recently ranked 13th most segregated by race among public school districts nationwide. This segregation contributes to deep disparities in educational opportunity, particularly for students in low-income neighborhoods. Decades of discriminatory housing policies and urban planning decisions have reinforced barriers to access, limiting mobility and resources for families working hard to overcome systemic challenges.
“While SU works with partners across the city to address these inequities through extracurricular enrichment, the university’s efforts – frequently tied to short-term projects – are often fragmented and inconsistent,” said Nordquist. “Southside Connections aims to level the playing field for the children from economically disadvantaged neighborhoods by providing them with sustainable resources including transportation, programming and other support.”
To help scale this work, we provided EHN with a grant to expand Southside Connections. The support is helping the network reach more young people and deepen its impact through programming that connects youth with peer mentors, enrichment opportunities and a consistent support system.
Through ongoing, interconnected programming, EHN acts as a resource hub – ensuring that the flow of people, materials and opportunities remains strong and sustainable across the Southside neighborhoods.
“I am grateful to be a part of a community that wants to create and support meaningful change,” said Olutoyin Grace Green, a research assistant with EHN. “We’re not here to take over programming but to ensure there’s lasting support coming from a hub of resources that already exist – and aren’t always accessed or coordinated effectively.”
With that vision in mind, EHN has spent the past 10 months facilitating discussions with center and program directors across the Southside to co-design an infrastructure of mutual support. Together, they’ve identified opportunities to streamline access to enrichment and track impact over time.
One result is a printed Asset Map, which highlights resources and organizations across the neighborhood. The map helps residents navigate local programming based on their interests –from creative arts and digital literacy to sustainable food systems and youth leadership.
“As members of larger communities, universities should help integrate and extend local infrastructures that increase access and opportunity,” said Nordquist. “The EHN exists to do just that – by listening, collaborating and building together.”
With active partnerships involving more than 30 local organizations – including the Dunbar Center, Women Overcoming Obstacles Together, Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance and more – Nordquist and his team at the EHN remain committed to helping youth and families on the Southside thrive, not just in the classroom, but in every facet of life.
