Starting at 5pm, there will be a barbeque/live music/movie event in the Frederick Douglass Peace Park. We will have food and music, a short talk about the Lower Roxbury neighborhood, and an outdoor movie showing at sundown.

Interested in volunteering for this event? We need help with set-up and breakdown!! Call 617-271-1966 or email avillageatwork@gmail.com.

We are making serious progress on the  re-development of 90 Windsor Street!  A Village at Work and the United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury held a major fundraiser brunch in February and hosted several open community volunteer events in the months following.  We’ve met with some wonderful folks at City Hall and now have the support of the city.  We have attended many neighborhood and community forums and meetings and  built relationships with some wonderful people and organizations, including Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE) and the South End/Lower Roxbury Youth Worker’s Alliance.

Our coalition continues to grow and it is beautiful to see the revitalization process create a sense of togetherness and mutual interest in the improvement of Lower Roxbury!  The community center will represent the diverse needs, wants, skills, backgrounds, languages, experiences, and ethnicities present in the Lower Roxbury community.  We are working diligently to survey as many people as possible to ensure that we locate and listen to the voice of every community member and neighbor.  In order to take each individual’s thoughts into account, we need to hear your voice and vision for this community.

Please visit this link to fill out a community survey.  You can also call us at 617-271-1966 or 857-318-1049 to share your thoughts or arrange for us to drop a survey off at your home.

We are working hard to involve neighborhood youth in this process.  If you know a young person who is interested in the community center project, please contact us!

On May 30, the Frederick Douglass Square Marketplace will open on the corner of Hammond and Tremont Street, featuring local vendors, a farmer’s market, and an exciting raffle!

As always, thank you for supporting United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury and A Village at Work’s revitalization of the future community center located at 90 Windsor Street in Roxbury.  Please click the Donate Now! button to make a donation.  Every little bit counts.

Yours in peace, justice, and community,

Erica Pernell

erica.pernell@gmail.com

We are raffling off a Nintendo Wii system and a Spa Day for Two!  Tickets are just $5 for one and $20 for 5.  Email us at avillageatwork@gmail.com to purchase tickets.

And don’t forget our friendly PayPal link to make a secure, tax-deductible donation to United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury.

Upcoming Meetings and Events!!

Saturday, April 11, 2009

10am

Dream Day!

Come share your vision and watch BAC’s designBuild studio install canopies around the neighborhood!

Feel free to download and share this flyer with friends, family, and neighbors!

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Weekly Planning Meeting

3:00pm-5:00pm

Saturday, April 18, 2009

11am-3pm

Open Volunteer Event

Assist us in doing some community outreach!  We will canvass, phone, and talk to neighbors about what programs and services the center should provide.  Stop by to say hi, join us for an hour or all four!  Location TBD.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Weekly Planning Meeting

3:00pm-5:00pm

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Boston Shines! Community Clean-up Day

Join your neighbors in the task of beautifying our community!

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Weekly Planning Meeting

3:00pm-5:00pm

Planning Meetings are held at 998 Tremont Street #2, Roxbury, MA 02120

Directions by T: Take the Orange Line to Ruggles Station. Walk straight to Tremont Street and take a left. Take a right after passing Good Eats and cut through the Frederick Douglass Peace Park and take a right on Warwick Street. Follow to end and take a left on Windsor Street. Church is on the left.

This is an update of the effort to create a community center at 90 Windsor Street in Roxbury, Massachusetts.  For more information on our mission and work, check out our first entry.   This update contains information about our upcoming meetings and events.

On February 14, we are hosting a Valentine’s Day Brunch entitled Love Thy Neighborhood.  There will be live performances by Zimbabwe Band and we will honor local community warriors – people who have struggled for justice, equality, and community in the Lower Roxbury neighborhood throughout the past 30 years.  This event will be a celebration of the achievements of the neighborhood and a fundraiser to continue the excellent work of community builiding in Lower Roxbury.  We will also share some information about the newest project – the revitalization of the building at 90 Windsor Street to create a community cultural arts center.   Contact us at avillageatwork@gmail.com or 857-318-1049 for information about how to purchase tickets or make a donation.

Upcoming Events:

Thursday, February 5:  UNLR Monthly Meeting, 7pm, United Emmanuel Holiness Church, 65 Windsor St.

Sunday, February 8:  A Village at Work Weekly Planning Meeting, 3pm, 998 Tremont St. #2

Saturday, February 14:  Love Thy Neighborhood Brunch Celebration!, 11am, 65 Windsor St.

Sunday, February 15: A Village at Work Weekly Planning Meeting, 3pm, 998 Tremont St. #2

Sunday, February 22: A Village at Work Weekly Planning Meeting, 3pm, 998 Tremont St. #2

Sunday, March 1:  A Village at Work Weekly Planning Meeting, 3pm, 998 Tremont St. #2

Thursday, March 5:  UNLR Monthly Meeting, 7pm, United Emmanuel Holiness Church, 65 Windsor St.

NEU students with organizers from A Village at Work after a day of spreading the word about community building efforts.

On Monday, January 19, ten students from Northeastern University trudged through the snowy streets of Lower Roxbury to spread the word and collect donations for our efforts to revitalize 90 Windsor Street as part of MLK Service Day.  Special thanks to Slade’s Bar and Restaurant for graciously allowing us to use their space to organize this event.  The volunteer event began with a brief conversation about how the mission of the center coincides with Dr. King’s beliefs about the power of community.  The volunteers quickly jumped to action and we were able to assemble a large mailing and hand out over 300 flyers to area neighbors and businesses.  A large thank you goes to Good Eats for providing pizza for all the volunteers.  From Slade’s to Good Eats to Northeastern University, together we are A Village at Work.  It’s amazing what our neighborhood can accomplish when we all work together.

Yours in peace, justice, and community,

Erica Pernell

erica.pernell@gmail.com

Are you  new to this page?  Check out our first entry to get a background on our mission and work.  This is an update of the effort to create a community center at 90 Windsor Street in Roxbury, Massachusetts.

Are you  new to this page?  Check out our first entry to get a background on our mission and work.  This is an update of the effort to create a community center at 90 Windsor Street in Roxbury, Massachusetts.  This update begins with a list of upcoming events, then contains a detailed review of the happenings between the United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury and A Village at Work.  Finally, find a list of actions you can take to help our cause!

Thanks and enjoy reading!

Upcoming Events:

January 4, 2009 – A Village at Work Weekly Planning Meeting, 3pm, 998 Tremont St #2

January 8, 2009 – UNLR Monthly Meeting, 7pm, Location TBA

January 10, 2009 – Neighborhood Canvassing Drive

January 17, 2009 – Neighborhood Canvassing Drive

Center Updates:

The Latest Vote

The members of the United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury and A Village at Work have officially agreed to accept the proposal to turn the building at 90 Windsor Street into a community center. On December 4, 2008, the members of UNLR gathered for their monthly meeting. The membership agreed to give exclusive development rights to A Village at Work’s proposal and UNLR has the next 18 months to develop a community center at 90 Windsor Street. There will be presentations of the progress every 3 months. This vote gives us time to devote all our energies to the successful revitalization of the center without constantly fighting for our rights to develop the space. Now is the time to join this effort and we need all the positive energy and assistance we can get!

The New UNLR Board of Directors:

The December 4 meeting also allowed us an opportunity to vote on a new Board of Directors for UNLR. The new Board met on December 15 and picked officers. Here is a list of your new UNLR Board of Directors:

1. Michael Catino
2. Nataka Crayton – President
3. Bill Dellea
4. Beth Doriean – Vice-President/Clerk
5. Ian Doriean – Treasurer
6. Erica Pernell – Assistant Clerk
7. Kyle Robidoux
8. Bill Singleton
9. Bonita Walker

The UNLR Board can contain up to 13 members. As you can see above, we currently have 9 members. Between now and February 5, UNLR will accept nominations for the 4 empty seats on the Board. If you have a stake in our community and would like to serve a leadership position, please email avillageatwork@gmail.com or call 857-318-1049. Experience serving on a Board is not necessary at all. Everyone can bring something positive to the table, so please let us know if you are interested.

The first UNLR meeting of 2009 will take place on Thursday, January 8. This meeting will be the first under the new leadership of Nataka Crayton. The main agenda item for this month’s meeting is to discuss how UNLR relates to our lives, needs, wants, and visions for this community. Please join us and share your voice. We want to know what our community needs. We want to hear about your struggle and what keeps you going. Next month’s UNLR meeting will be a space for open discussion for all community members.

How Can I Help?

Help us get the word out. Talk about what we are doing to anyone who will listen! Talk to your co-workers, supervisors, friends, neighbors, and family members.
• Attend weekly AVAW meetings to help us plan, raise funds, and do outreach to the community. AVAW meetings take place every Sunday at 3pm.
• Join UNLR and attend monthly meetings. To be a member, you must be 18 years of age or older and reside or work in the Lower Roxbury neighborhood (defined by UNLR by-laws). Email avillageatwork@gmail.com for information or to get a membership form. OR show up to this month’s UNLR meeting on Thursday, January 8.
• Help us canvass the neighborhood. Join us for two canvassing drives on January 10 and January 17. We will pass out informational flyers and brochures and knock on doors to speak to people about the community center.

Yours in peace, justice, & community,

Erica Pernell

erica.pernell@gmail.com

Planning Meeting: Sunday, November 23, 2008 @ 3:00pm 998 Tremont Street #2

Community Meeting: Monday, December 1, 2008 @ 6:00pm 998 Tremont Street #2

UNLR Monthly Meeting: Thursday, December 4, 2008 @ 7:00pm

LAST MEETING UPDATE

On November 6, 2008, local residents and concerned members gathered together to attend the United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury (UNLR) meeting of members. The main item on the agenda was to determine the fate of the building on 90 Windsor Street, Roxbury, MA.  The Building Committee stood firm on the same decision it made last month and over the summer which was to recommend further conversations with the Commonwealth Land Trust, the entity who wanted to purchase the building for office space.  Neighbors, most of whom were new members to UNLR gathered for the purpose of opposing the sale of the building and voted to move forward on A Village at Work’s proposal to turn this long abandoned building into UNLR’s Community Cultural Center.

This vote assures that the land and building will remain a valuable asset of the neighborhood and collectively we can realize a vision for what is possible in this neighborhood. The vote was majority in favor of not selling and moving forward with the center project proposed by AVAW. In addition, a call for new elections for the UNLR Board of Directors was made by the Treasurer. Nominations for the Board will be accepted until November 28. A vote on the new Board will occur by ballot at the December 4 UNLR meeting.

Since the November UNLR meeting, members of the UNLR Building Committee have challenged the vote to move forward with AVAW’s proposal. In addition, there seems to be a genuine attitude that there is no need for a community center and that the community is not capable of maintaining a center over time.  Only you can decide what our community needs and what our community can achieve.  As a neighborhood, we must be firm in insisting that we have a voice and stake in what happens in this community and that we can achieve what we declare for ourselves.

MAKING A COMMITMENT

• Sign the Petition if you have not already done so at http://www.petitiononline.com/fdcc/petition.html.
• Become a member and get others involved in the United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury. Your participation is important as we come together and discuss issues of importance such as the future of the neighborhood. The annual membership fee is $10. If you would like a membership form, please email a villageatwork@gmail.com.
• Come to the regular meetings on Sundays at 3pm at 998 Tremont St, #2, share your ideas and help us design, plan, and implement our vision for the UNLR Community Cultural Center.
• Invest your time, experience, and money to making this a reality.

For some time now, it has not been used. It has been an eyesore to most, and a haven for unwanted activity. Despite this fact, this building, is the only community owned asset that our neighborhood has full ownership of. Preserving and investing in it is the most viable and sustainable option that we have.

In the midst of new development happening right in this neighborhood, this is a major opportunity for us to design and create what we want our neighborhood to look like.

As the neighborhood and city change, it becomes essential that we not only respond to that change , but are positioned with both the means and capacity to evolve and prosper.

Let us not debate about what we do not have. Because what we do have is a remarkable abundance of individual and collective capacity. This community is excellent at manifesting it vision. Within 2 years we have generated on going cultural events and rejuvenated 2 open lots into beautiful gardens. Just last week, the BAC unveiled an outdoor stage, seating and movie theater. In 2009, we are planning to open the neighborhoods first farmers market along with the community center. WE ARE A VILLAGE AT WORK, lets continue with building the neighborhood that we dream of.

Earlier this month, we submitted the final Request for Proposal issued by the United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury. They will make a final determination on November 6, 2008 as to whether they will sell it or allow the community to build a center.

“What lies before us, is a tremendous opportunity to not only create a center in our own neighborhood, but to be active in shaping our destiny.”

]]> http://avillageatwork.org/?feed=rss2&p=87 0 http://avillageatwork.org/?p=31 http://avillageatwork.org/?p=31#comments Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:55:30 +0000 Bonita http://avillageatwork.wordpress.com/?p=31

No one person can succeed alone. Our success is intrinsically connected by a lifelong mutuality. If one person fails, together we have failed. A systemic village structure is needed to sustain the quality of life. It takes A Village at Work (AVAW) to shape the positive destiny of any community. AVAW is a cohort of community organizers working in the Lower Roxbury area of Boston, Massachusetts. The mission of this initiative is to create avenues for people to manifest change for themselves, their communities, and the world.  Currently, A Village at Work is dedicated to forming a partnership with the United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury and subsequently giving community members hope for sustainable change.

In the 1970s, a group of people in the Lower Roxbury neighborhood formed a community organization called the United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury (UNLR).  The group was formed to provide social, educational, and recreational programs and facilities for the residents of the Lower Roxbury community. In 1978, the UNLR purchased a building located at 90 Windsor Street. This building served as a community center and a meeting hall. The building hosted a variety of events and programs, including youth and educational programs, neighborhood meetings and social events, weddings and political forums. Since the mid-90s, the building has been vacant and is currently in disrepair.

A Village at Work (AVAW), in partnership with the UNLR, is committed to help facilitate the creation of a brand new center that honors the hopes and visions of the current diverse community while recognizing the original mission of the UNLR to create a space that will always be preserved as a community space. We need your voice, opinion, energy, and input to make this project happen. Join us and find out about the efforts to bring this community together to do something positive. Prove that we as a neighborhood have a need for common space AND have the drive to make this center a reality.