The Conscious Connect, Inc. has distributed 53,500 free books, created 110 literary access points (90 are active today) and developed a footprint in Springfield, Cincinnati, Columbus and in various states like Georgia, Texas and Washington, D.C.
The founders of the nonprofit, Marshall and Moses B. Mbeseha, said when they started in 2016 they were focusing on literacy access for children. As they have grown, seen and understood the community needs, they have began to adapt and expand accordingly.
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“For us, we want to create an area or zone where children, adults, elders or people feel like the resources that are being presented to them meet their needs - that they have access and opportunity,” Mbeseha said.
This includes access to education and health opportunities and a peaceful environment.
“When we looked into access to literacy, when you are in a desert like that you realize that there is a desert for quite a few things - food desert, book desert, park desert, and health desert,” Mbeseha said. “All of these different things is why our mission expanded a little bit.”
A project that Mbeseha is personally proud of are the four neighborhood parks and green spaces they have created - located on Linden Avenue, South Limestone Street, West Grand Avenue and Woodward Avenue in Springfield.
The South Limestone Street park is the Auburn J. Tolliver Peace Garden spearheaded by Brian Keith. The Conscious Connect, Inc. added a “House of Knowledge” there.
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“The parks become a big deal because I think of myself as a child,” Mbeseha said. “I grew up in poverty, but the one thing I always had was the freedom to play.”
The Conscious Connect, Inc. has also acquired another property on Oakwood Place that they are currently revitalizing into a park.
“I believe that the continued growth of the inner-core of the city is critical,” Marshall said. “But we must also build capacity to address a lack of equitable resources and inclusive development in the neighborhoods.”
Marshall and Mbeseha said they are looking forward to developing their partnerships in the years to come.
Due to COVID-19 and the closure of libraries and schools, The Conscious Connect, Inc. has created an education challenge to provide free books and guided reading instructions to children.
For more information, visit www.theconsciousconnect.org.
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