For Immediate Release – 8/30/2012(Cherryland, CA) The Ashland Cherryland Garden & Arts Network hosted a week-long grassroots community impact project August 18-24th, 2012. The “VibeUp on A Street” project served to transform a well-known trouble-spot: the AAs and N&M Liquor Stores on Hayward’s A Street, at the southern gateway to Cherryland.


The cornerstone of the project was a full-wall Garden District-themed mural on the building, by the Community Rejuvenation Project (crpbayarea.org). This mural was the first of an 8-mural series The Network and CRP hope to bring to the neighborhood as a part of their Garden District Mural Project in Ashland Cherryland. “Our organization integrates cultural symbolism existing in the neighborhood with the community-identified theme, in this case, The Farm & Garden District. It’s a community development approach that encourages participation with the people in the neighborhood instead of promoting gentrification,” explained CRP Executive Director, Desi W.O.M.E, whose organization partners with Richmond, Oakland, and other urban centers to leverage abatement dollars to go beyond painting over graffiti by installing destination-creating murals.
The Network hosted community gardening activities to plant a sunflower border around the parking lot and arts activities such as breaking (b-boying) workshops and sidewalk chalking. An “Attitude Adjustment Station” provided a place for shoppers to turn their frowns upside down by contributing to the community gratitude list, clearing their mind with Tibetan singing bowls, or soothing their soul with a sip of appreciation-infused water.

The project launched on Saturday, August 18th. The Network will “Set the Vibe” with a community yoga class at 8am. After a day of garden activities, a Neighborhood Transformation Open Mic at 4pm offered neighbors a chance to step up to share their vision for a better community.

“This is our largest and most ambitious transformation project yet,” said Susi Beck, Co-Founder of the Network, which implements a community impact project upon culmination of each of its educational workshops.

“As we enter into a major project to create a Garden District Master Plan for Ashland Cherryland,” Beck added, “it seemed appropriate to celebrate how far we’ve come, and envision together what’s possible.”

For more information:
www.crpbayarea.org

www.AshlandCherrylandGardenNetwork.org

Media Contact:

Desi WOME, CRP, 510-269-7840
Susi Beck, ACGAN, 510-772-0800