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Main Spotlight: Revitalization Possible con Comunidad
The mural is called "Selfie Wall" and it was designed and painted by Ghazal Ghazi as part of the Kendall Whittier Wall program in May 2019. She designed it to celebrate women, diversity and nature. The sunset picture was taken in fall of 2020. Credit: Kendall Whittier Main Street
Revitalization in Kendall Whittier happened fast.
In its first six years, Kendall Whittier Main Street saw $118 million reinvested as 15 façade projects and 61 other building rehabilitation projects were completed. A total of 32 new businesses opened, and 190 jobs were created.
But still, something was missing. Kendall Whittier Main Street had yet to engage a large section of the district’s population - its roughly 30 percent Hispanic and Latinx residents.
Kendall Whittier is a commercial district and neighborhood located about three miles east of downtown in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As an Urban Main Street in a city with a population just upwards of 400,000, Kendall Whittier’s full potential remained untapped.
Kendall Whittier is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in an ever-diversifying Tulsa. In fact, the newest Census data shows that Tulsa has become a majority-minority city, with more than half its residents identifying as a person of color.
Invitando a la fiesta
The KWMS Board of Directors knew it was time to not just invite neighbors to the party, but to involve them and work with them on authentic Mexican and Hispanic programming.
In 2017, in partnership with two Latina residents, KWMS launched the Mercado, a biweekly multi-cultural market focused mainly on Latinx vendors but open to anyone. Mercado created entrepreneurial opportunities to Tulsa’s Hispanic community and helps bridge the gap between cultures, vitally important in a time of country-wide divisiveness
The following year, Kendall Whittier After Five – a summer outdoor concert series – began Salsa Night in September. Salsa Night features free salsa dance lessons for any novice to prepare for a night of salsa dancing fun. Later in the evening, an Oklahoma-based salsa band, who sings in both Spanish as well as English, takes the stage for una noche de baile. Kendall Whittier Main Street even works with a Latinx-run rental business in the district to provide a dance floor.
All posters and other promotions for Mercado and After Five’s Salsa Night are in Spanish as well as English.
Additionally, Main Street created a Spanish webpage on its website to share its story and services with all of Kendall Whittier. Event flyers and postcards are often double sided with Spanish and English. The KWMS staff are working to translate all documents and practicing their own Spanish-language skills.
In late Spring of 2021, Kendall Whittier Main Street hosted a bilingual COVID-19 vaccine clinic. Thanks to a partnership with Growing Together, bi-cultural Spanish-speaking volunteers were on site to walk attendees through every step of the vaccination process and answer any questions they had. In two clinics, about 240 people were vaccinated against COVID-19; 95 percent of them were Spanish-speaking. Having volunteers there who understood their culture, as well as language, gave attendees the confidence to get the shot.
These efforts have increased the number of Hispanic residents at all Kendall Whittier Main Street events throughout the year.
Los Festivales y Mercados
When Mercado began in 2017, the goal was to create an inclusive multicultural event that reflects the neighborhood’s demographics and its creative flair, while providing entrepreneurial opportunities for the greater Tulsa Hispanic community. Vendors sold handmade clothing, shoes, blankets, crafts, and jewelry. Mercado mornings started with a rousing Zumba class -- free and open to the public -- followed by a four-hour open-air market.
The highlight of the Mercado season is the annual celebration of Mexican Independence Day each September. In addition to vendor booths, co-manager and Kendall Whittier resident Monica Poblete created vibrant celebrations of Mexican culture, including traditional folk dancers, Azteca dancers, live music, and lotería games for prizes at district businesses. The event attracts hundreds of people to celebrate Mexican culture loudly and proudly at the major intersection of the neighborhood.
Kendall Whittier Main Street took a hiatus on Mercado in 2020 due to COVID-19 and the move of the Tulsa Farmers’ Market, Oklahoma’s largest farmers’ market, to Kendall Whittier. In the future, the event will shift to a quarterly cultural celebration, tapping into the success of the annual Mexican Independence Day celebration. Each festival will feature a different theme, including the Mexican Independence Day in September and Las Posadas in December, while still maintaining the entrepreneurship aspect of the Mercado.
As Kendall Whittier Main Street looks at future programming, further connecting with the Latinx population in Kendall Whittier and throughout Tulsa will be key to taking the organization to the next level. While the Hispanic population in Tulsa has increased by 5 percent since 2010, the Hispanic-owned businesses in Kendall Whittier have not.
Kendall Whittier Main Street’s new Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibly Committee is discussing ways to be more intentional about inclusive business recruitment and development. The Board of Directors plans to more proactively enlist Latinx Board members and volunteers. It is currently seeking a translation specialist volunteer position to help staff better translate program documentation and news releases.
New sidewalk planters will feature colors commonly found in papel picado to showcase the districts deep Hispanic roots. Bright yellow flowers and greenery will be planted in artistic planters of oranges, greens, blues and pinks make every day in Kendall Whittier feel like a fiesta.
A number of strides have been taken over the last five years to better engage with the Spanish-speaking residents of Kendall Whittier, and it’s worked! But there’s still so much to be done. Fortunately, Kendall Whittier Main Street is up to the task.
El futuro será brillante.
The mural artist is Brady Scott. It means "good vibes" and was created in May 2019 as part of our Kendall Whittier Walls program. It is designed on the wall of San Miguel Middle School, which is an independent school that takes students who are behind, particularly in English literacy, by 6th grade and works with them to ensure they excel. Many graduates end up going to college - often the first in their family to do so! Photo courtesy of Kendall Whittier Main Street
Urban Impact Inc., harnesses strategic investments and collaborative efforts to foster a vibrant and sustainable future, from visionary adaptive reuse ventures to transformative development grants for small businesses and property owners in Birmingham, Alabama's historic 4th Avenue Black Business District.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $20B in federal Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) awards distributed to eight national non-profit consortiums. Main Street America looks forward to partnership and engagement with awardees and local programs to identify projects and expand impact throughout our network.
Tasha Sams, Manager of Education Programs, shares highlights of phase one of the Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (E3) in Rural Main Streets Program and the biggest takeaways from the workshop experiences.
In this video, learn more about the Williams’ family story, how the business is helping to revive downtown Helena, and the impact they’re having on a national level.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Derrick Braziel, owner of Pata Roja Taqueria and co-founder of MORTAR, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Every year, H2BE holds their Juneteenth Mobility Stroll and Roll in Dearborn, MI, which celebrates Black Americans and improves local connections. Learn more about the event and why Juneteenth is important to this community.
Do you want to support the next generation of Main Street leadership! Start a youth board! Learn how Historic Downtown Clinton set theirs up and how your organization can benefit from one.
The Main Street Movement is a proud ally of the LGBTQ+ community. We spoke to Main Street leaders about how they support the LGBTQ+ community during Pride and beyond.
On May 9, the National Trust for Historic Preservation released its list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2023 which included a cultural district located within a designated Main Street America community.
The annual Cinco de Mayo Parade and Fiesta in the Mexicantown Main Street district offers a great example of collaborative partnerships that honor the community’s cultural heritage and support local businesses through events.
Meet Kavi, the first Indian American Girl of the Year doll and a (fictional) resident of 2023 Great American Main Street Award winner Metuchen, New Jersey!
Community Development Block Grants are powerful tools for Main Street programs. Learn more about how CDBG's can be applied to our work and how you can advocate for the program
Main Street America was awarded $5.9 million to support 20 communities in the Main Streets Community of Practice through the Department of Transportation's Thriving Communities Program over the next two years.
We spoke to three women who were awarded Inclusive Backing grants to learn more about their passions, their businesses, and their advice for other women.
Anette Landeros, President and CEO of Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, shares the importance of supporting Hispanic business owners and communities.
#EquityRising, Old Algiers Main Street Corporation's new job training program, seeks to combat rising cost of living by helping residents train for careers that will allow them to stay in their neighborhood.
We spoke to three Black business owners who were awarded Backing Small Businesses grants from Main Street America and American Express to better understand their challenges, successes, and the kinds of support that have helped them the most.
Stockbridge Main Street has made significant strides in exploring and sharing the story of Martin Luther King, father of civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr.
Juneteenth is the anniversary of the final emancipation of enslaved people in the US. Here are five examples of examples of community celebrations from Main Streets across the network.
Oklahoma is home to the headquarters of nearly 40 federally recognized Native American tribes, and many of their offices, cultural sites, and museums are located close to or within Main Street districts.
We spoke with two Black entrepreneurs in UrbanMain commercial districts: L. May Creations in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago and The Four Way in south Memphis, Tennessee.
Main Street America is committed to helping build inclusive communities. Homelessness is an increasingly important issue facing Main Street communities big and small, urban and rural.
To understand the role that immigrant business owners play in Boston’s small business ecosystem, you need only to walk through any Boston Main Streets district.