Liana: Hi Trever, thank you for taking the time to meet with me. So as you know, I’m conducting a project for my Just Sustainability class about Hartford’s approach to sustainability. I chose iQuilt because of the focus on sustainability, and art. I can’t wait to hear your input, so to begin, how did you get involved with this work?
Trever: No problem. I started working with iQuilt through my internship for my bachelors degree at UCONN. I majored in Urban Planning and design. After the internship was complete, iQuilt offered me a job and I’ve been here since. I got into this work because it was in my field and related to my major, and close to my school at the time.
L: So what is your official role?
T: I’m currently an Administrative Assistant, but I take part in many of the active projects. It’s funny actually, during my internship I had to do something just like this. I interviewed my current boss, and did a few reports like this. Anyway, on a daily basis, I oversee one of our outreach projects . We pay Hartford residents to conduct interviews with five or more members of the greater Hartford community. We have interview prompts, but we want people to express goals for Hartford to achieve by 2035, 100 years of Hartford. I’m in charge of gathering information from those interviews. As administrative assistant, I do all the usual everyday tasks. But I also track funds for Winterfest, Hartford 400, and our general funds. I’m also taking part in planning and purchasing things for Winterfest this year.
L: What do you enjoy about this work?
T: I really enjoy the people I work with. I find it very cool that a lot of the things I do at iQuilt applies to the work I do for my school, in my bachelors and a bit for my masters. I enjoy my field, and I’m happy with my current job.
L: What is difficult and/or stressful about this work?
T: A lot of the time I’m asked to do vague things, with little direction. I’m just the type that prefers information. When I said I’m purchasing things for Winterfest, that’s basically it. One of those things are penguin ice skating trainers for children to brace themselves with on the ice. That’s just one thing, I’m expecting others I have yet to find out.
L: What do you find stressful about the field?
T: There’s a big divide about people who work for themselves, and people in the area who’d like to see real progress. We went to a meeting about rebuilding the highway…but one plan would disrupt the current layout, just to expand the downtown area. The people who live there should be in control, not the meeting coordinators. No matter how the highway is redone, it would have a major effect on the residents. There’s a big division about his working for who, and it’s discouraging to see some for-profit organizations prioritize profit over doing the right thing for their own community.
L: What are some lessons that you have learned from this work?
T:It’s better to ask questions if need be. Not to trust everyone, and always look deeper. There’s some plans that appear good, but they turn out not to be the right thing. Sometimes we have partnerships that are only motivated by money. They don’t do bad, but they don’t do good, they’re a business and we should expect them to seek profit, but sometimes it’s so blatant.
L: Since walkability is a major goal, that implies that Hartford had not been pedestrian friendly for a time. Could you describe the process of planning, and enacting how to make the city more walkable?
T: Personally, I don’t feel that Greater Hartford is pedestrian friendly, only downtown is. By overseeing Hartford 400 this year, we’re expanding our jurisdiction a bit to the greater Hartford area. In my mind, this should mean taking on a lot more projects, but I think we will continue to focus on the downtown. That’s an issue I’ve seen too, we only focus on a small section of downtown where businesses and partners are, because that’s where people travel to, it’s very limited. In terms of the planning process, mainly, streets have been moved to expand sidewalks.
L: How exactly do the plans iQuilt develops get approved and enacted? Could you describe the process through which the city adopts and begins working on the plans?
T:This is complicated. We contract out Sussman urban design in Santa Barbara, CA for design and architecture plans. The owner lived in Hartford, and he created the Hartford 400 and the iQuilt plan with input from the community. This was after iQuilt conducted outreach.
L: I was thinking more about how plans get approved, and actually built and displayed?
T: Oh ok. So after the plans are drawn up and we all agree, it goes to the city. We have close relationships with the city government. In terms of stamps of approval, the mayor’s wife is the head of planning and zoning, so anything to make the city look good, the mayor will sign off on. The director, Jackie has been in the city for a long time, was a state commissioner so she’s very well connected, she’s a very big part of the iQuilt plan. It’s my personal belief that without Jackie, iQuilt would not be as successful as it is today.
L: In general, how are the residents reacting to local sustainability efforts? Do you think residents are becoming more interested?
T: I think people enjoy being able to walk around the city. And from the people that stop by the office to give us compliments, I think the residents approve of our work.
L: How is this work addressing equity issues? Are there any specific initiatives? If yes, can you tell me about them?
T: I’m glad you asked that question because that’s been a topic of recent meetings. The outreach program I’m overseeing is doing the most of that. Even though it’s in the early stages of just gathering information and opinions, it’s giving residents a chance to advocate for themselves. Young people get paid, and also learn how to conduct interviews, that will maybe help them in school or in their careers-and even hopefully encourage them to take up similar work. We also get valuable information from the residents and how they’d like to see their city improve. In terms of plans we’ve done so far, any equity created has been more of a side effect. This outreach program is specifically for the community, to give them voice and power over their city.
L: So on that note, what would you say has been the most successful plan iQuilt has developed? Why?
T: Oh, that’s a really hard question. Winterfest is always successful in terms of a large social gathering, but not necessarily beneficial. We’ve done a lot with the city to extend sidewalks, and placemaking on small scales. So those have been successful and beneficial. We modified Gold street for Bushnell Gardens, and around it we extended the sidewalks for a promenade. The wayfinding signs have been helpful as well for creating a walkable city. In terms of publicity and attention, Winterfest is always a big hit.
L: What is the least successful project?
T: That’s another hard question. Bushnell gardens was successful in the fact we moved the street for land, but it’s been land for years because we can secure the funds or a plan to make anything of that land We would take almost anything at this point. Also, it’s been 4-5 years since we put the signs up, but they’re falling apart and need to be redone. Last week someone knocked on our door to tell us about a broken sign. These plans were successful in the moment, but so much has yet to be done before we can call them an overall success.
L: The US Census estimates that 37% of Hartford is Black/African American alone, and 31% white alone. How is iQuilt or the city working to enrich minority cultures that make up such a large portion of the city?
T: In terms of projects directed at these groups, not so much. Were trying to increase and boost participation of minority artists, and include them in projects. And that’s about it. It’s been a topic of discussion lately, because that needs to change. A lot of the culture we represent is mark twain and the historic culture that’s very whitewashed, it doest necessarily represent the residents. I think we need to do more than just include artists, the residents need to be involved in the planning since it will affect them the most. That’s why I take the outreach project very seriously, because I want it to succeed in giving the residents a voice.
L:Why has the city tuned to private organizations like iQuilt instead of local boards, committees, and groups to develop plans?
T:Truthfully, the government cant take private money the same way iQuilt can as a nonprofit. The city can’t accept money from Travellers, like a nonprofit like iQuilt can. We can accept money from private entities very easily, since we’re a nonprofit. This gives us the chance to secure funds the city wouldn’t be able to, so we can invest them in projects for the local residents.
L: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
T: Uh, no that’s all.
L: Thank you so much for your time…