Frogtown Neighborhood Association
Report date
October 2017
What has been most instrumental to your progress?
Development of relationships with young local/Frogtown, Rondo artists was a key marker of success for the project. FNA implemented the original strategy outlined in their proposal of Project Leadership Cohorts (PLC) and in one case a PLC that reached the level of Leaders Transforming Community (LTC) through several efforts, to make the progress. Local artists then activated their networks to expand project ideas. That artist led work has been a key element in FNA's work in the past year; truly embedding arts-infused organizing into the DNA of FNA. The development of Frogtown's Small Area Plan, a 10 year planning document required of all St. Paul District Councils, has become a hallmark of this new leadership development process. Frogtown artists Tou Saike Lee and Myc Batson teamed up to co-create Frogtown's 'SMAPL process that began with Unity Healing Meals throughout the neighborhood and other outreach strategies, gathered Frogtowner's voice on our most critical issues which resulted in an a graphic novel and coloring book that has garnered interest from planners from St. paul to the Met Council. A small area plan like no other that will become a living document in the next year.
A second PLC was developed through Preserve Frogtown, an established partnership with Historic Saint Paul, to save and redevelop Frogtown's culturally significant structures. One of Preserve Frogtown's core values is to provide support to all homes on a given block where their main property is fully rehabbed. The 500 block of Charles Avenue is where that value became real and resulted in an active PLC that has enlivened the entire block and promises to become a replicative community development strategy for FNA. Charles Avenue residents came together to and implemented small but significant improvement contracts; boulevard gardens, painting, tree removal, supported with funds from Habitat for Humanity the block began to cohese around the projects. Long time residents, for the first time, were on a first name basis with their neighbors, new neighbors hosted dinner parties for the block. In August a horrific bus accident left a man dying on the block, further solidifying residents. A memorial to Mr. Foster, the man that died, was built and Charles neighbors set up a week long vigil. The residents are convinced the block project made them ready to handle the trauma.
The Victoria Theater Performing Arts Center (VTAC) represents the third PLC and the one that has moved into Leaders Transforming Community (LTC). A core group of determined and passionate Frogtowners have used deep community outreach and community ownership to bring the VTAC to life; ensuring that a long held dream moves into reality. An artist driven endeavor, VTAC now stands on the precipice of success; its first Director will be hired in the next month, a team of professional fundraisers have been hired and the city has committed a total of $612,000 to the project. This summer the vacant lot next to the Theater will be hosting events to further showcase the site and build more momentum for the redevelopment. FNA's second Arts Festival will culminate a year of work for VTAC and draw dozens of local artists to the Festival while raising Frogtown's public persona as an artist's community. These leaders are transforming community.
Key lessons learned
Lessons FNA believed were true around the use of art and artistry to spark creative organizing and activism were proven true. Everything from Improvisation to collective mural to creating essential oils for community healing sessions have been used this year to inspire new leadership, it has been powerful. Ultimately, the Project had envisioned partnering with the Science Museum and its youth crews to participate in the leadership development strategies. That became impossible when the Crews were dismantled. Not exactly a failure but certainly the cause of a different strategy that employed local artists in the youth's place. These artists, although known to FNA had not been instrumental in its programming and had not been drawn to the organization's work prior to this point. New points of entry developed by the three projects highlighted and others in the early stages of formation drew them to the work and supported their movement into leadership roles in the neighborhood.
Reflections on inclusive, collaborative or resourceful problem-solving
Nothing truly transformative can occur without inclusivity; that is a necessary element for the work. FNA is committed to deep inclusion of all voices that make up Frogtown. Collaboration is also very important and is what makes this Project possible. Collaboration between artists and community, between long time leadership and new leaders, between the Frogtown community and the broader community; all those critical collaborations have helped develop this Project to its present point of evolution. More work to be done, deeper collaborations across cultural and racial differences, strengthening each other and thereby the community.
Other key elements of Community Innovation
The key element that has ben crucial to our innovation is arts infused organizing, outreach and program development and implementation. Building arts into the DNA of the organization opens up many potential avenues of neighborhood leadership development.
Understanding the problem
Yes, without question the experimentation allowed through the Innovation grant, has clarified for the organization that developing inventive and originative avenues of participation allows for new leadership. Using arts-infused strategies to inspire participation in community based programming across cultural and racial differences is revolutionary for the most culturally diverse neighborhood in the metro area. It allows FNA to feel it is doing what it can to elevate the voice of new immigrants and communities of color that call Frogtown home.
If you could do it all over again...
Trust your instincts and listen to young leaders. It is easy for organizations and the people that create them to do things as they've been doing them for years. It is more difficult to do things very differently and to listen to the instincts that suggest innovation. However listening to those instincts can lead to break through ideas that transform the organization.
One last thought
Keep on offering large grants with few requirements that allow for innovation at the community level; noone else is doing it!!!!!!!!!!!!!