The nonprofit’s small staff has spent more than two years knocking on thousands of doors in the neighborhoods south of downtown.
They stand on porches and sit on couches and ask questions, trying to determine what they can do to lift the quality of life on some of the city’s oldest and poorest and most diverse and dynamic streets.
And they often hear: We don’t know enough of our neighbors.
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“They feel isolated,” said Shawn Ryba, executive director of the South of Downtown Community Development Organization. “They don’t know each other.”
So they decided: That’s a good reason to throw a party.
And Thursday afternoon, the South of Downtown group will host its first neighborhood block party, with free food, live music and family-friendly activities at the corner of 14th and E streets.
“We thought it was important to start going where more people are at and where they live,” Ryba said. “We want to get people out and about and breaking bread together, getting to know each other.”
Everyone’s invited, though Ryba hopes to draw residents who live in the surrounding blocks. He’s not sure what to expect.
“If we have five people show up, that’s success to me. But, obviously, we’d like to reach as many people as we can, because there are a lot of people living in that area.”
They’re working with CenterPointe, which is donating the use of its parking lot, and other groups — such as Cedars and Census 2020 — which will have informational booths. Southeast Community College is a sponsor.
The goal is simple. They want their neighbors to have fun and meet each other. They also want to continue the conversations they’ve started, about what people want to see in their neighborhood.
It’s a challenging area. Turnover is high. With so many rental properties — 94% of the area’s residents are renters — people are always moving in and out, making it difficult to forge connections.
But there’s good in that, Ryba said. “The positive thing is we have lots of people from all walks of life living in our neighborhood.”
The nonprofit plans to make the party a regular event, with at least two more this year and a series starting in the spring.
Earlier this month, after Ryba and his staff started organizing the event, a 30-year-old man was shot in the abdomen and arm at 14th and E. But that didn’t deter their plan. Instead, it gave it new meaning — to illustrate the good things happening south of downtown.
“We’re not going to let that affect our attitude about it. We’re going to continue to meet our neighbors and get to know each other.”
South of Downtown Block Party
* 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday
* 14th and E streets
* Free food from LuLu’s on N while it lasts (vegetarian options available)
* Performances by Bibianna (Denver-based, Madagascar-born Island-style musician) and 23rd Vibration (Lincoln-based reggae band).
South of Downtown Block Party
6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday
14th and E streets
Free food from LuLu’s on N while it lasts (vegetarian options available)
Performances by Bibianna (Denver-based, Madagascar-born Island-style musician) and 23rd Vibration (Lincoln-based reggae band).