Mika’s History

In 2003, Mark Orphan, Laura Johnson, Lindsy Harris (Pike), and Crissy Brooks came together from  local churches and community organizations to consider what could be done to address social issues in a way that truly transformed the city of Costa Mesa. In looking at community development models around the U.S. and the world, Mika Community Development Corporation’s founding team began to form a vision for change based on the belief that the neighbors from within low-income communities have ideas, assets, and resources that can be leveraged to make a positive impact.

In January 2004, a small team was launched in the Shalimar neighborhood with two main areas of focus: youth development and neighborhood organizing. Building on the founding verse, Micah 6:8, we connected neighbors and churches to opportunities to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.

Mika uses an Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) approach to facilitate organic and meaningful social change. ABCD focuses on the assets and resources already located within a community that can be used for positive change. It is based on the belief that neighborhoods have a diverse mix of talented, passionate, and driven residents, capable of creating vibrant communities. ABCD is an alternative to a more traditional needs-based approach, and brings to light the possibilities instead of the deficiencies typically focused on in low-income communities.

Over the last few decades, shifts in the demographics of Costa Mesa have generated challenging social issues such as lack of adequate housing, economic poverty, pressure on the education system, and other social concerns.  Mika has been working with both youth and adults to address issues of employment, lack of role models, drugs, and community cohesion.

Mika works in four neighborhoods, Shalimar, Center Street, Maple Avenue, and Baker Avenue, which are mostly inhabited by low-income Latino families. We work with both youth and adults to address issues of unemployment, lack of positive role models, and lack of community cohesion. Our programs include leadership development, after school tutoring, youth leadership training, ESL courses, creative arts development, and health seminars.

Mika reaches out to community members and facilitates a dialogue centered on strengthening the social networks within the community, as well as develops group and individual problem-solving and leadership skills. Mika organizes neighbors with leadership potential and interest into Neighborhood Action Committees (NAC), and provides a platform for these committees to articulate a shared vision for their community, identify potential stumbling blocks to reaching that vision, brainstorm solutions, and implement results-driven strategies.

Mika developed a unique Community Building process as a six-step framework to use in each of our target communities. These six steps are Selecting a Neighborhood, Developing Partnerships, Connecting, Organizing, Capacity Building, and Linking, and are explored in further details later in the application.

Mika’s Community Building process ensures that the residents have ownership of the progress achieved in their communities. Mika also serves as a bridge between the neighbors and resources outside their communities. As neighbors grow in their understanding of the resources available to them in the larger community, they are able to link with partners who will help them reach their shared vision. Mika serves as a motivating force that challenges and works alongside residents to create a healthy community. Our goal is to develop neighborhood leaders, enhancing their capacity to effectively identify, design, fund, manage, and evaluate projects and initiatives that support the shared goals of their communities.