WORD FROM YOUR NEIGHBOR!

A real, live message board for the neighborhood, facilitated by a real, live human.

Our neighborhood here in Lancaster, PA has a very lively neighborhood facebook page. And while that liveliness can bring helpful posts (about school fundraisers, free items, construction), it also comes the inevitable downside: the Chestnut Hill Neighbor rant and comment duels.

After a couple months of particularly vitriolic backs and forths, I wondered: what if people had a little more time to contemplate what they wanted to say? And what if before posting anything, they had to have an artist write their comment on a big chalkboard that would be on display in a neighborhood window? Would it change what they said to each other?

I decided to give it a try. I found a good spot outside to make a small messaging station (an unused mailbox outside of Modern Art.) I gathered up notecards, pens and envelopes. Came up with a quick logo, some signage and instructions. Then I invited neighbors on the actual facebook page (and anyone who walked by) to write a message to a specific neighbor, or to the neighborhood in general.

Once they thoughtfully composed their missive, they could slip their thoghts through the mail slot. Everyday, I’d write one of the messages on the chalkboard in our front window.

I didn’t always remember to snap photos of the messages, but the messages kept me busy for months. And turns out that, yep! people are much nicer when they slow down and have a human involved in their public opinions!