So, Exciting! The National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) Annual Service Day selected 90 Windsor Street as their 2010 service day project. Also assisted by the Boston Architectural College (BAC), design students, volunteers, and local youth helped to give a new face to the future community center site. Installments of murals representing neighborhood desires for the use of the space and an information kiosk directly in front to allow for displays of historical neighborhood information as well as neighborhood activities, and project updates. A Banner and color flags were installed along Melnea Cass Blvd. as well to invite folks to share the vision for the future site of the Cultural Agri-Arts Center and an involved and thriving neighborhood.

The project finale will include another window installation on what is currently the front side of the building and a portable kiosk that can be used at local events.

Thanks NOMA and BAC for your continued committment!

Future Community Center Brownsfield’s Hazzardous Assessment Complete

On February 15^th, a contractor came out and conducted a preliminary site assessment for environmental hazards as a part of the building clean-up plan. Phase 1 of the assessment has been completed thanks to EPA and Noblis Engineering and they have identified some hazzars on the site. We are applying for the clean-up grant due October 15^th. 

The grant proposal is available for review. We will have an open discussion at the next UNLR community meeting. All are encouraged to attend to discuss any issues or concerns or to express your support for the project.

NOMA Kiosk Design

On October 6^th, 2010 our partner National Organization for Minority Architects (NOMA) will have its annual day of service. For their service they will be constructing an information Kiosk that will display updates on the neighborhood and the project. Additionally, they will create window displays that will serve as a pleasant visual of the vision of the center until its completion.

2010 Community Warrior Awards
 

This year, we selected five persons for the Community Warrior award in honor of their contribution and commitment to their families and their community. The following individuals were nominated:

• Rori Johnson (Activist, mother)
• Tomiqua Williams (Activist, mother)
• Khalidah Smalls (Activist, mother)
• Elijaquan Manago-Sheffield (youth youth activist)
• Michael Gonzalez (youth activist)

The program focuses on agriculture, leadership and entrepreneurship training as well as health/wellness, and environmental Justice.

Each week, youth learn to grow vegetables, plan neighborhood events, attend workshops on health, wellness and the environment. The Young Leaders help run the weekly marketplace selling books to raise funds for the community center and sell vegetables that they have worked all summer to grow.  Additionally, young leaders engaged in partnership with ACE discussing important topics around Food Justice. 

To involve your young person in our 2010 Summer Youth Achievers Program, call 857-318-1049 or email us at avillageatwork@gmail.com.

We are excited to announce that A Village at Work is hosting a fundraiser for the community cultural arts center on Saturday, May 8 from 5pm-9pm at the Piano Factory (791 Tremont St, Roxbury, MA).   VCR and Ms. Aqarius will team up with our very own Erica Pernell to co-host this entertaining, fun-filled event.  Ashley Rose will perform her spoken word.  Our special guest is author and poet Nakita Bowman.  There will be live music by the International Band and other bands will be performing live!

We will have a Silent Auction featuring the art of Paul Goodknight and Kwest.  There will be historical tours of the Lower Roxbury neighborhood. 

Tickets are $25 and all proceeds go to the successful building of the community cultural arts center at 90 Windsor Street.  Click  here to purchase tickets online.  Feel free to contact us to purchase tickets or make a donation by visiting our Paypal donation center.  If you are interested in volunteering for this event, please contact avillageatwork@gmail.com.  We are still accepting sponsorships.  Contact us at avillageatwork@gmail.com if you or your business would like to sponsor this event.

 The Piano Factory is easily accessible from both the Mass Ave and Ruggles T stop and is along the #43 and #1 bus routes.

90 Windsor Street has a fresh coat of paint as a result of collaborations between A Village at Work, Lower Roxbury residents, UMass-Boston Upward Bound, and Simmons College.   This summer, students in the UMass-Boston Upward Bound program started a charitable T-shirt company and designed T-shirts. The students sold the shirts and donated the profits to A Village at Work. The funds were used to buy paint and supplies to give 90 Windsor Street a brand new look. Thank you to Tara Hollins, Deyon Rutherford, Tierre Parker and UMass-Boston Upward Bound for their creativity and generosity.

The Scott/Ross Center at Simmons College sent over some students from their Americorps Student Leaders in Service Program.  We are grateful to Simmons for the energetic group of volunteers who helped to clean and paint the building. Thank you to the volunteers for your hard work!

Partnership with ACE

United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury and A Village at Work continue to reach out to other organizations in the Boston area. We are truly excited to announce that Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE) has agreed to provide technical and legal assistance in our quest to revitalize 90 Windsor Street. Alternatives for Community and Environment is located in Dudley Square and has been fighting for environmental justice for the past 15 years. We are proud to join with ACE, a member-led organization.

Architecture for Humanity Update – Presentation at BuildBoston

Our partners at Architecture for Humanity Boston held a workshop at the 2009 BuildBoston conference about their work on 90 Windsor Street. The workshop was well-attended and the project was well-received. Click here to see Architecture for Humanity Boston’s webpage for the 90 Windsor Street project.

Permanent exemption status

Collaboration with the folks at City Hall has yielded positive, permanent results! The Assessor’s Office granted the United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury permanent tax exemption status for the property at 90 Windsor Street. This is a huge victory and ensures that we can move forward with this community project. We are currently working with City Hall to resolve the back taxes from prior years and have succeeded in eliminating the back taxes from the past several years.

Advisory Board Invitations

A Village at Work and the United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury are currently developing a Planning and Development Advisory Board. We have invitations out to people who work in development, programming, and community organizing in various capacities. If you or anyone you know is interested in playing a role in the Advisory Board, please contact us!

Members Needed!

The United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury and A Village at Work need more members! We are looking for more people to join us in the community efforts we are undertaking. Our philosophy is that collective effort and action is necessary for positive change.  Our power lies in our ability to gather and organize.  Please contact us if you are interested in being a part of the wonderful, rewarding work we do. Let’s talk about what our neighborhood needs.  Share your story and your passions with us!  Find out how you can bring more jobs and opportunities into Lower Roxbury.  Have dinner with us on the first and third Sundays of the month.  Call 857-318-1049 for more information.

Do you know any Community Warriors?

We are currently accepting nominations for our 2nd annual Community Warrior Awards. These awards honor folks who have made it their mission to improve the quality of life and increase access to opportunities for the people of the Lower Roxbury community. Send an email to erica.pernell@gmail.com with your nominee’s name, contact information, and what makes the nominee a COMMUNITY WARRIOR!

Yours in peace, justice, and community,

Erica Pernell

erica.pernell@gmail.com

In June 2009, UNLR’s future community center located on 90 Windsor was selected as a Brownsfield site. The Environmental Protection Agency E.P.A., established the Brownsfield site Grant in 1994 to provide technical assistance to assess and clean out hazardous material to sustainably reusable sites. The EPA has expressed how exited they are to work with UNLR and AVAW on the community center. First phase of assessment has been approved and UNLR will be notified in late August for the clean out process. This is the first phase toward construction.

Join us on Saturday!

Located at Frederick Douglass Peace Park – 998 Tremont Street.
Easily accessible by T and bus – Ruggles Station is only steps away!
Starts at noon and will continue into the night with a youth party.