New Year’s Resolutions with NACEDA Chair Bernie Mazyck

I interviewed Bernie Mazyck on his resolutions and hopes for 2012.  In addition to leading NACEDA, Bernie is President and CEO of the South Carolina Association of Community Development Corporations.

What are your New Year’s resolutions for 2012? I want to work smarter, to collaborate more with other organizations, and to be very optimistic about the future of community economic development in South Carolina and throughout the country. We’re faced with all this news about debt and the deficit and the troubled world market. Sometimes it’s hard to be optimistic about the future. But, at the end of the day, real prosperity -- real success and real change -- happens at the community level. Working collaboratively at the local, regional and national level will enable CDCs to be successful and achieve levels of scale in our work that have phenomenal impact on the economy and on family’s economic security.

Do you have any New Year's traditions? There’s a tradition in my community on New Year’s Eve called “Watch Night.” We go to church and have a worship service that culminates at midnight when we celebrate that we made it to the New Year. It dates back to the late 1800s when there was no certainty that family members would live to see a New Year. For New Year’s Day, our tradition is eating Hoppin’ John, a peas and rice dish that symbolizes coins, and collard greens, which symbolize dollars. It’s all symbolic of prosperity going into the New Year. 

What inspired you in 2011? The confirmation and affirmation of the work of CDCs by a number of non-traditional supporters.  These organizations really inspired me this year. In South Carolina, we’ve begun to collaborate with the conservation sector, agribusiness and tourism. They’ve approached us about collaboration because they recognize the work of community economic development – the work of CDCs – in helping individuals and families grow assets. The greatest inspiration is the fact that our work is being recognized by a variety of different and nontraditional partners. On the national level, I’ve been inspired by the confirmation by national banks and other partners who have shown that they see the value of NACEDA’s work and look forward to supporting us in the new year.

Do you have a favorite memory from 2011? In South Carolina, we held our annual conference at Myrtle Beach for the first time. It was a good place to bring together the CDC  professionals, the partners, the allies throughout the state together in a more relaxing environment. We had a reception on the beach honoring our funders and allies, which reminded us of South Carolina’s natural assets and how we really need to take advantage of this asset.

What do you think was the saddest moment for CDCs in 2011?  It would be the persistence of foreclosure that have continued to prevent the development of new housing. There are still foreclosures and problems with the general economy that continue to put a drain on our work and make it more challenging.

Do you have a New Year's wish for South Carolina Association of CDCs for 2012? I wish for the CDCs of South Carolina to have unprecedented prosperity in 2012 so we can make change happen in communities that are extremely challenged in our state.

How about for NACEDA? I wish for NACEDA to be prosperous and to be able to position ourselves as the voice for a vital, vibrant community economic development industry.

What do you wish for CDCs around the country for 2012? I wish for CDCs to fully understand their values and importance of their work, and to have resources to fully execute their vision. We have a vision of economic equality, and prosperity for the communities we serve. I wish for CDCs throughout the country to have tremendous success in helping members of their communities grow assets, improve the quality of life in their communities, and create a bright future for themselves and their children.

Please post a comment sharing your New Year’s resolutions and hopes for 2012. Best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!