Gailen & Cathy Reevers Center For Community Empowerment Inc

OVER THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS, GCRC WORKED COLLABORATIVELY WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO BRING CULTURAL AWARENESS AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGH THE SUGAR HILL ARTS REVIVAL PROJECT (SHARP). SHARP IS A COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVE THAT ALLOWS US TO HONOR THE LEGACY OF OUR CREATIVE ANCESTORS WHILE SPARKING A MODERN-DAY RENAISSANCE THROUGH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, PERFORMANCE, AND VISUAL ARTS. THE HISTORY OF ART AND CULTURE IS OFTEN USED SUCCESSFULLY AS A CATALYST TO CREATE THE KIND OF CHANGE THAT REBUILDS AND SUSTAINS INTERGENERATIONAL URBAN COMMUNITIES. THE SHARP PROJECT ALLOWED US TO REVITALIZE AND RE-IMAGINE THE WEST ADAMS' SUGAR HILL ARTS DISTRICT NOT ONLY AS A HISTORIC PRESERVATION SITE AND LANDMARK DESTINATION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY, ARTS, ACTIVISM, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, LEADERSHIP, AND STRATEGIC VISION BUT ALSO AS A SITE OF COMMUNITY BUILDING AND URBAN RENEWAL. OUR PURPOSE IS TO HONOR THE LEGACY OF OUR ANCESTORS WHILE SPARKING A RENAISSANCE IN URBAN LOS ANGELES - A REBIRTH OR REVIVAL OF ART, ARCHITECTURE, LITERATURE, CULTURE, STYLE, AND HISTORY. WE DEVELOPED CRITERIA AND MEASURES FOR SHARP'S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. WE DOCUMENTED THE CURRENT STATE OF INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF SUGAR HILL. PROVIDE PRE-AND POST-SURVEYS (EMAIL, HARDCOPY, SURVEY MONKEY) WITH OPEN-ENDED AND DIRECT MULTIPLE-CHOICE RESPONSES TO KNOWLEDGE LEVELS. WE CREATED TIMELINES FOR IDENTIFYING THE HOMES AND ARTISTS. WE REQUESTED VOLUNTEERS TO BUILD CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND ITS HISTORY. WE DOCUMENTED THE ETHNICITY, AGE (IF DISCLOSED), LENGTH OF TIME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WILLINGNESS TO ATTEND THE DISTRICT'S UPCOMING ARTS/CULTURAL/CIVIC EVENTS. DATA IS ANALYZED QUARTERLY AND REPORTED TO THE COMMUNITY AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. OUR YOUNG PEOPLE CREATED SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS TO PRESENT AND DOCUMENT THE PROJECT (INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, FACEBOOK). THESE PLATFORMS GENERATED METRICS ON IMPRESSIONS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE PROJECT. THE SHARP PROJECT SERVED 5,652 PEOPLE USING VIRTUAL PRESENTATIONS DUE TO RESTRICTIONS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. IN OUR MISSION TO BRING HEALTH AND WELLNESS INFORMATION TO OUR COMMUNITY, WE BUILD POWER FOR OUR COMMUNITY BY HOSTING HEALTH EDUCATION WORKSHOPS WITH LEADING MEDICAL EXPERTS FROM OUR HEALTHCARE PARTNERS TO INFORM AND EMPOWER OUR RESIDENTS ON HOW TO IMPROVE AND PROTECT THEIR HEALTH THROUGH MONTHLY SEMINARS ON VARIOUS TOPICS SUCH AS AUTISM, CANCER, DIABETES, HYPERTENSION, COVID-19, HEALTHY EATING, AND MENTAL HEALTH. IN ADDITION, GCRC HOSTS A HEALTHY EATING EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOP ON REDUCING THE RISK OF HYPERTENSION AND CANCER BY INFORMING OUR RESIDENTS HOW TO CHOOSE A HEALTHY DIET OF LEAN MEAT, FISH, FRESH VEGETABLES, AND VEGETABLES AND ENGAGE IN EXERCISE TO LIVE LONG AND HEALTHY LIVES. FOUR HUNDRED (400) PEOPLE HAVE BENEFITED FROM OUR HEALTH WEBINARS, WORKSHOPS, AND PRESENTATIONS THIS YEAR. THEY BENEFITED BY LEARNING HOW TO REPLACE UNHEALTHY FOOD WITH HEALTHY FOODS, DRINK WATER INSTEAD OF SODA, TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE, AND EAT HEALTHY TO PREVENT DISEASES SPECIFIC TO AFRICAN AMERICANS FROM DESTROYING THEIR HEALTH. IN OUR EFFORT TO PRESENT AND INFORM OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WE SPENT $7,771 ON OUR HEALTH EQUITY PROGRAM ACTIVITIES.