Buckeye Summer Soul Series

After organizing two similar events in 2017, I recognized the ripple effect and intend to build off of 2017's successes to create a better functioning/performing event with an even stronger ripple effect.

The proposed resource fairs/block parties will not only promote creative/productive land re-use and the reduction of blight, but create a meeting ground for community partners/neighbors/stakeholders/resources to spark resident-led tranfosmation, support community organizing goals and improve the quality of life for our Greater Buckeye neighborhood overall.

We are aiming to tear down barriers, run action clinics, familiarize neighbors with resources and stakeholders as well as foster relationships between them, address undercurrents of frustration, etc... This is all about resident engagement, community organizing and fostering good relationships! 

We will reach out to the most popular vendors from our events last year and begin coordinating.

The goal is to work in cooperation with the Inner City Hues mural installations throughout Buckeye Rd. and properly celebrate the arts district.

In addtion to the canvassing (being done now), there will be coordination with (but, not limited to) Buckeye-Shaker Square Area Development/Burten Bell Carr/SHAD/City of Cleveland in identifying existing street/block clubs, point people on each street and assisting in effective dissemination throuout the neighborhood.

Last year, specific resident-led efforts began towards building a "greater" Buckeye. This initiaitive bore much fruit in its infancy, like neighborhood-wide safety and security initivatives and multiple block parties, to say the least. The goal is to leverage that momentum and work toward the ultimate goal of an organized neighborhood.

Sadly,Buckeye has been plagued with a great deal of crime, including many high profile tragedies.. At the root of all of our communal issues, is organization, which is one of the larger voids this project intends to fill. Meeting your neighbors, knowing who your allies are, etc are all invaluable in building a better functioning Buckeye. 

One of the inadvertent contributors to what feels like a spike in crime, is vacant homes/lots, this event will also challenege the perspcetive of attendees/residents.. What looked like blight earlier, is now a breeding ground for opporunity.