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So8th: A Community Vision

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Part of the So8th vision builds on three key, physical neighborhood assets: the Jewel Theatre, Booker T. Washington Park, and the proposed Legacy Trail. Residents expressed a desire to restore the historic Jewel Theatre as a cultural hub featuring gathering spaces, public art, and programming that celebrates NEOKC’s creative heritage. Community members also shared priorities of enhancements to Booker T. Washington Park, including recreational amenities, wellness spaces, and event facilities that support intergenerational connections and Black cultural traditions. The proposed Legacy rail-to-trail concept was designed in response to resident needs shared related to walkability, health, and physically reconnecting the area.

We translated feedback from over 400 Eastside community members into these conceptual renderings to reimagine how the neighborhood could be revived when centered on the people, legacies, and spaces that make it meaningful. 💡🏙️.

Download the So8th plan at the link in our bio 🔗

📸: Open Design

#communitydriven #oklahomacity #blackculture #urbanplanning #neokc

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September TEA is HOT, Eastside ☕️

Our September Eastside Agenda highlights some of the events, meetings, programs, and opportunities to keep on your radar—from the South of 8th RFP meeting and new business openings to neighborhood events, social events, job fairs, youth programming, and the Eastside Rotary Pancake Breakfast.

Save the dates, bring somebody with you, and tap into what’s happening in the community. Check out our tagged partners or our Community Calendar linked in our bio for additional information including event times, registration links, and other relevant details.

See something we missed? Send us your Eastside events and we may feature them in next month’s agenda. Check out our Community Marketing Request Form. Link in bio.

#EastsideAgenda #NEOKC #NortheastOKC #EastsideOKC

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Change starts with dialogue. 🗣️ We joined over 10 neighborhood association and coalition meetings to listen to community ideas, concerns, and goals as part of the So8th project.

Read the South of 8th Report for a community-centered framework that’s informing
the equitable development of the So8th focus area that honors cultural, history, experiences, and goals.

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80th Grazing Table

#Foodstylist
#Grazes

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"Urban Renewal" has resulted in the displacement and near erasure of some of the most successful and vibrant communities in the US. Check out my most recent video to find out what one community is doing to push back against the status quo and to define a clear vision for the future of their neighborhood. Link in bio!

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ULI Oklahoma Coffee & Conversation: South of 8th Plan

@open_designco, a local non-profit focused on community-led design in underrepresented communities, recently completed an intensive engagement and planning process in partnership with the Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority, managed by the Alliance for Economic Development.

Open Design Collective engaged with more than 400 OKC community members. This included a tactical committee of So8th and Northeast OKC residents and leaders, as well as broader open events and sessions focusing on the past, present, and future of the focus area. The study area includes existing residential areas, historic Black landmarks like the Jewel Theatre and Douglass High School, new developments like the Page Woodson redevelopment, Washington Park, and acres of vacant land remaining from urban renewal programs.

For more info, visit @so8thokc! Thanks again to Tori & @culturecoffeeokc for the fantastic coffee ☕️ bar.

Ideas for events or further conversation? Message us!

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Big S/O to @ulioklahoma , @so8thokc & @open_designco for having us this morning as they presented research they’ve collected over the last several months on reimagining the community south of 8th.
#fortheculture

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@open_designco in the lab working on the final touches of the @so8thokc master site plan and visioning report. It has been a beautiful experience unpacking the complex history of NE OKC, witnessing the exchange of intimate stories and experiences, and learning from residents and community members on what must be considered for the equitable redevelopment of this neighborhood area.

It has also been a challenge to disrupt normative planning, design, and engagement practices with no blueprint, and a lot of time leaning straight on intuition, empathy, and creativity when everything in this profession has taught us the opposite. When I reflect on this process I’m deeply aware of what an honor it is to be entrusted enough to listen and learn from the wisdom and brilliance of our elders, the community-building agility of our experienced and younger millenials, and from the Gen Z’s who said what they said, period. To help bring visibility to the history, ideas, and priorities of the So8th community through this unprecedented, equity-focused engagement process was a gift that I will always be grateful for.

Filled with a lot of gratitude for all of the generous contributions made by community members throughout this process and for the opportunity to work together on this culturally-centered vision for the So8th area.

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Last weekend was the First ULI Oklahoma and PlaceKeepers Cultural Exchange. We spent the weekend honoring and celebrating Minority Developers and Community Builders in Minority communities across Oklahoma City.
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Thank you to all of our presenters who are injecting OKC with culture! Featured developments:
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-301 Building - @pivotokc @gardner.studio
-Cain’s Coffee Building - HGL Construction
-SW 29th street - @sw29okc
-Calle Dos Cinco - @calledoscinco
-Yale Theatre - @yaleokc
-Wheeler District - @wheelerdistrict
-Asian Cultural District - @asiandistrictok
-McKinley Row and New Saigon - @nathanpcao @scarlet_lecao
-Bún Box - @bunboxokc
-Pink Building - @pink.building
-Freedom Center OKC - @freedom_center_okc
-Page Woodson - @newpagewest
-South of 8th - @open_designco @so8thokc
-Innovation District - @okcinnovation
-Convergence - @convergenceok
-Eastpoint - @eastpointokc
-Naija neighborhood development - @naija_okc
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Also thank you to our Sponsors - @okcchamber, @kansascityfed, Phillipp Architecture (@klaasreimannphilipp), @monarchpropertiesokc, @alorichanel

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Day 2 of the Cultural Exchange courtesy of Advil & good walking shoes.🚶🏽‍♀️🤣 @neokcr #ULIOKtravels

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After 6+ months , tomorrow is the final engagement session for @so8thokc visioning project.

NE OKC has showed UP and worked diligently throughout this entire process to help ensure a better future for the So8th area, NE OKC, and the OKC community at-large. Despite past harms, broken promises, and the inequities this community has sustained, community members still courageously committed their time, expertise, and wisdom to this effort.

Working alongside the @open_designco team and community members to learn, grow, and ideate together has been such a gift. The stories, laughs, pain and joy shared, and the relationships cultivated will be experiences that I will cherish forever. Our team has learned, made mistakes, and has grown throughout this uncharted engagement process, and we were able to do that through the grace, support, and love from this community.

Equity is not a box that can be checked nor a prescription that can be prescribed. An 8-month visioning process isn’t going to fix all of the intergenerational, multifaceted and systemic challenges in their entirety that still impact NE OKC today. However, I am proud to say that so many neighbors, institutions, organizations, and more are coming together and are committed to advancing OKC towards a future where your ZIP code, race, and identity aren’t determining factors in your ability to thrive in your neighborhood.

Thank you to everyone who contributed, supported, and prayed over this process. Hope to see you tomorrow for the final session.

4.16.22 | 9:30 AM

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Happy #InternationalWomensDay! In an effort to be an organization that supports & empowers women in our community, our COO Angel Eakers started our #LeadingLady scholarship to empower young women graduating from @OKCPS and surrounding districts.

Our first Leading Lady, Erin Thompson is an accomplished student and actress who’s electric personality, noteworthy academic record, and impressive list of extracurriculars caught our attention last spring. Erin is currently attending UCO and studying drama. We are proud of you, Erin!

We will continue this journey of support and encouragement for young women finding their power. We want all young women of color graduating from OKC Public schools to apply! The scholarship is for $1,000, a custom tailored business suit, and more!

Visit GrandGentlemen.com/scholarship to apply!

#GrandGents 👑👔 #LeadingLady 👑👠

📸: @kingeakers

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