Mapping What Endures: Lessons in Resilience from Hurricane Helene

When communities face complex challenges, it's easy to focus on what's missing. But what happens when we start by identifying what's already strong? That question guided Teaching Asset Mapping through Community-Engaged Projects, a recent workshop hosted by Duke Service-Learning and led by Andrew Nurkin, Hart Associate Professor of the Practice and Director of the Hart Leadership Program and students Jeffrey Broms (Class of 2027) and Erin Gotlieb (Class of 2026).

Through Nurkin’s service-learning course, PUBPOL 213: Arts Policy, Leadership, and Engagement, Broms and Gotlieb partnered with the North Carolina Music Office to apply asset mapping to Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. Instead of producing another damage assessment, they focused on identifying what was already working within western North Carolina’s creative sector.

The resulting map became more than a planning tool for the North Carolina Music Office—it revealed where cultural and economic vitality persisted, where creative infrastructure remained intact, and where new connections could catalyze renewal. By highlighting existing assets rather than only documenting losses, the project reframed recovery not only as repair, but as an opportunity to build on community strengths.

Jumping In: Students Map What They've Never Seen

When Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina, Broms and Gotlieb found themselves mapping music infrastructure across 12 counties they'd never visited.

"We were jumping in and seeing what worked, what didn't," Gotlieb admitted. Neither had heard the term "asset mapping" before working on a community-engaged research project crafted by the North Carolina Music Office.

What they discovered was the power of connection. When Broms cold-emailed musician Kim Hill in rural Yancey County, she responded within 24 hours with detailed information and an invitation: "If you get over this way, let us know."

"That connection, building that bridge over time was absolutely essential," Broms reflected. "It meant we found someone who cared about the community and also cared about our mission."

From Problems to Possibilities

Their project exemplifies asset mapping, an approach within Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), which emerged in Chicago in the late 1980s. When researchers Jody Kretzmann and John McKnight worked alongside organizers there, they noticed narratives about the neighborhood differed dramatically from narratives residents told about themselves.

"The narratives about North Lawndale were largely narratives of deficit, of need, of lack," Nurkin explained. "But residents were saying, 'We love this place. Our community is great. It has problems, but we want to be in charge of making it better.'"

"We are not blind to the real challenges that our communities face," Nurkin emphasized, "but we don't start there. We start with thinking about what's already working, what already exists."

This represents a fundamental shift: acknowledging real challenges while starting with what's already working.

The Six Categories: What Every Community Has

Every community possesses six types of assets:

• Individuals — People with talent, creativity, and knowledge
• Associations — Informal connections: student groups, book clubs, sports leagues
• Institutions — Structured organizations: universities, libraries, city hall
• Physical Space — Built and natural environments
• Exchange — Economic systems: small businesses, markets, mutual aid
• Culture, Stories, and History — Narratives that bind communities together

What the Students Learned

Broms and Gotlieb divided the 12 counties among their three-person team and learned the importance of identifying "community champions"—people deeply embedded in local networks.

Their methodology evolved to include internet searches, review of local chamber of commerce directories, direct outreach, spreadsheet organization, interactive mapping, and exploratory data analysis techniques, like assets per capita comparisons. 

"We were definitely learning what music meant to them and how we can get information without overstepping," Gotlieb reflected.

They discovered huge variations: Buncombe County, where Asheville is located, had 269,452 residents and 53 indexed music assets, while the more rural Avery County had 17,806 residents and 17 indexed assets. Different counties had different combinations of assets, ranging from music education hubs to mixed-use performance venues, revealing distinct community characteristics.

Navigating Privacy and Trust

Workshop participants raised concerns about data privacy, particularly regarding contact tracing and immigration status in the current political climate. These questions reflect real tensions communities face about surveillance and trust—especially in rural areas where there may be distrust of outside groups.

Chastan Swain, Director of the North Carolina Music Office, explained how they handled privacy concerns: many musicians repair instruments or teach lessons from home but prefer not to share their addresses publicly. “We only listed those assets by zip code,” said Swain. “That way, we could show how many existed in each area without revealing anyone’s exact location.”

Nurkin emphasized transparency as essential: "Know your why. Be really explicit with the folks you're working with. Why are we doing this? And what's going to happen with the information you collect?" He added: "It's not an extractive exercise, it's an empowering exercise."

Key Takeaways 

Several principles emerged that can apply to community-engaged teaching:

• Start with Assets, Not Deficits — Change begins by asking what's already strong and functional.
• Community Partners Drive the Project — Partners identify research questions, ensuring work serves community needs.
• Participation Is the Data — Relationships are the heart. "We don't want to dictate what we want to hear. We want people to tell us what they think is important in the landscape," Broms explained.
• Visualization Builds Understanding — Mapping turns connections into something concrete and shareable.
• Leadership Means Connecting What Exists — Asset-based thinking changes our role—not to fix, but to facilitate.
• Culture Is Powered by People — Relationships become the true measure of wealth.

How Nurkin Integrates Asset-Mapping into Coursework

• Leadership courses using ABCD as a core skill
• Campus exercises where students map Duke itself
• Service-learning partnerships like Iglesia Emanuel Food Pantry
• Summer preparation for SOL students
• Durham walking tours with asset-based perspectives

For Students: Theory Into Practice

For Gotlieb, a public policy major, the project stood out: "I've taken so many classes writing memos that won't be used. This was a cool opportunity to put theory into practice and really help communities."

Broms, a physics major, appreciated bridging academic work with real impact. Both students are musicians, which grounded their understanding. Their key takeaways: culture is powered by people, building rapport is important, and policy solutions hinge on community understanding.

"From the beginning, Professor Nurkin helped us frame this project as centered around the people," Gotlieb recalled. "He kept emphasizing, 'It's about the people—you need to reach out, build those connections.' That was the lens we were looking through."

Nurkin hopes workshop participants left thinking differently: "What communities do you currently engage? What communities would you like to engage with that you don't?"

The answers—and the maps that might follow—could change how Duke understands communities around it, and how those communities understand and mobilize their own power.