The Renaissance Project Announces 4th Annual Gardening Convening at the Lower Ninth Ward Village – October 27-30, 2011

The Renaissance Project and Lower Ninth Ward Village present Regrowing Community 2011. This year’s programming includes volunteer assistance with community gardening projects, site-based workshops, racial healing presentations, dialogues and performances.

We welcome john powell of the Kirwan Institute, Ohio State and Peggy McIntosh of Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College who, respectively, will present on Unconscious Bias and White Privilege during the Convening. Kimberley Richards of New Orleans-based People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond will present the Power Analysis, from the Institute’s Undoing Racism Workshop. This year we acknowledge the 200th anniversary of Louisiana’s 1811 Slave Revolt.

ArtSpot Productions remounts the play Rumours of War based on incidents leading to and during the revolt at the African American Museum in Treme. Optional tours include a French Quarter walking tour of strategic locations during the Revolt and a bus tour along the route of the Revolt led by Louisiana native Leon Waters.

Ashe Cultural Center, People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond and the Renaissance Project are Racial Healing grantees of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Local partners include: Students at the Center, People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond, Ashe Cultural Arts Center, ArtSpot Productions, Backyard Gardeners Network, Women and Agriculture, Our School at Blair Grocery, Holy Angels Convent, Tekrema Center for Art and Culture. Whole Foods, Mobile Loaves and Fishes, United Teachers of New Orleans, Open Society Foundations, and the W.K Kellogg Foundation are sponsors of the event.

Space is limited. Register at this link.

Volunteers Needed for Community Event to Build for 2010 Census

A coalition of activists is calling for volunteers to join them tomorrow, February 27, for census canvassing in the Lower 9th Ward.

Activists say $400 Billion in funding is at stake in this census, and communities of color are the most at risk at being undercounted. The organizers invite concerned residents to "Come and learn how our community can protect its voting rights and get its fair share of Census dollars!"

Sponsored by Moving Forward Gulf Coast in partnership with the Lower 9th Ward Village Community Center, Lower 9th Ward Complete Count Committee, Semeaj Consulting, Urban League, VOTE, Neighborhood Partnership Network, and Puentes of New Orleans, organizers promise a day of "community action to make sure our communities are included in the upcoming 2010 Census. So community by community lets join together to do ALL WE can to be in that number and ensure we get the resources and funding for a just recovery for our communities!"

Volunteers are needed to canvas the Lower Ninth Ward from 11am to 1pm. If you are interested, meet at the Lower 9th Ward Village Community Center. From there, volunteers will canvass the neighborhood with Census Surveys and assist community members in completing ten short questions.

Organizers are especially seeking any Lower 9th Ward community members available to walk with student volunteers.

Orientation and canvassing begins at 11:00am at Village Community Center, 1001 Charbonnet St, in the Lower Ninth Ward.

From 1:00pm to 3:00pm, there will be a community event and entertainment, featuring speakers, live entertainment, secondline, a DJ, and free food.

See also this video by Moving Forward Gulf Coast.

For more information, contact Trap Bonner at 504.382.9772, or trap@movingforwardgc.org. Please RSVP to lekedra@movingforwardgc.org.