Projects

Teams of students from CT State Community College Capital and Trinity College have completed over thirty projects with community partners in the Liberal Arts Action Lab.

Fall 2024 Projects

• Student Loan Equity Project, with Student Loan Fund:  In 2023, the federal government ended the pause on student loan repayment that was in place during the pandemic.  Collectively, Americans owe $1.77 trillion in student loan debt, borne disproportionately by people of color who often lack generational wealth.  Partner with SLF to collect written and visual narratives from student borrowers to inform public policy regarding student debt.

• Neighborhood Development Project, with Frog Hollow NRZ:  How can neighborhood residents use their social and political resources to address declining and vacant properties in the area? Work with residents from the neighborhood surrounding Trinity to explore existing urban planning and community development efforts and create a roadmap to effect change.  

• Talcott Street Church Commemoration Project with Hartford Heritage Project: Talcott Street Church, the first Black Congregational Church in Hartford, was the site of history-defining Black community organizing, education, and civil rights activism in Connecticut; however, today this important site in Hartford remains unmarked and unrecognized.  Research the rich history of the church and its members, and investigate ways to commemorate its contribution to the Hartford community through political and civic action.

Upcoming Spring 2025 Projects:

• Affordable Senior Housing Project with The Maple Avenue Revitalization Group (MARG): The Maple Avenue Revitalization Group (MARG) has observed a shortage of subsidized housing options for older adults in Hartford, forcing seniors to relocate outside of their longtime community to find housing they can afford.  This project aims to assess the current landscape of affordable senior housing in Hartford, and gather insights from seniors on their housing needs. Research the need and make policy recommendations to advocate for increased senior or multigenerational housing, ensuring seniors can remain connected to their community.
• Hartford Environmental Justice Advocacy Project with Center for Leadership and Justice (CLJ): For 40 years prior to 2023, a large incinerator plant burned the trash of over seventy Connecticut towns in the South End neighborhood of Hartford.  The incineration emitted toxic pollutants associated with asthma, cancer, and other health issues in the neighborhood, and residents successfully advocated for the closure of the plant in 2023.  Unfortunately, a plan to reopen the plant is being considered.  Work with the Center for Leadership and Justice to research residents’ experiences with the former MIRA plant and its environmental impact, and advocate for the centering of community voices in the future of the site.