ACAC is made up of low-income residents, organizations and groups, and relationships that contribute directly to change within low-income communities. The isolation of poor neighborhoods can undermine resident’s emotional, psychological, and social supports and sap the energy and the will they need to produce changes. ACAC is representative of the residents of such neighborhoods/communities revived as individual learners, active participants in the process of change, and linked to supportive individuals, groups, and organizations. Community change is not so much what is done to improve neighborhoods but rather how the work is done. We emphasize neighborhood/community input and self-determination, attention to justice and equity, development of skills and knowledge, and connections among people and organizations. At the organizational level, residents serve as staff, officers, committee members, and board directors. At the community level, the initiative’s structure emphasizes broad-based planning and collaboration among groups and organizations involved in the change process. Strong communities are built on the strengths of their residents and the relationships among them. The inclusion of residents as active participants and owners rather than passive recipients of service make our efforts legitimate, trustworthy, and responsive to community concerns. Resident involvement also gives us access to information about the community needs, strengths, and internal dynamics - “real lived experience”. This information, which otherwise would not be available to outsiders, is invaluable for strategic planning and program development.