ConsultationScopeforEstablishingArtsCorridorsintheCityofRichmondKerbyLynchAishaCanfieldAngelaIrvine-Baker Overview
In1987,RichmondinitiatedaculturalrenaissancebyestablishingtheRichmondArtsandCultureCommission(RACC),demonstratingthecity'scommitmenttotheartsandculturalpreservation.ThislegacywasfurtheredbythePublicArtAdvisoryCommittee(PAAC),whichhasplayedavitalroleinguidingpublicartintegrationwithinthecity.The2021legislativeupdatesreinforcedRichmond’scommitmenttopublicartthroughfinancialinvestmentindevelopmentprojects.
InresponsetotheRichmondCityCouncil’s2024directivetoshiftthefocusfromcreatinganArtsDistricttoestablishingArtsCorridorsalongMacdonaldAvenueand23rdStreet,CeresPolicyResearchproposesacomprehensiveplanthatreflectsRichmond’sculturaldiversityandfutureaspirations.TheArtsCorridorPlanwillprioritizeequitablecommunitydevelopment,communityengagement,andtheintegrationofpublicarttofosterRichmond’sidentityandpride.Thisinitiativewilldefinecorridorcharacteristics,collaboratewithstakeholderstosetmission-alignedgoalsandengagethecommunitywhileaddressingphysicalimprovementsalongthesecorridors.
Weproposealiberatory,community-drivenprocessinwhichresidentsareengagedinco-creatingthisvision.Thefollowingproposaloutlinesourstrategicapproachtodeliveringaplanwithinthedesignatedbudgetandtimelinewhileensuringsustainabilityandequityforthelongterm.
Qualifications
CeresPolicyResearchbringsover20yearsofexperienceworkingwithdiversecommunityorganizations,leadingequity-drivenprojects,andfacilitatingtransformativeprocesses.Ourteamspecializesinstrategicplanning,communityengagement,research,anddataanalysis.Wehaveatrackrecordofdeliveringlarge-scalecommunityevaluationsandguidingculturaldevelopmentinitiatives.
IntentandCommitmenttoProjectValues
Ceresisdedicatedtocenteringequity,well-being,andtheliberationofmarginalizedcommunities—particularlyBlackandBrownpopulations.Ourapproachalignswiththevaluesof
theCityofRichmond,ensuringthatthewisdomandvisionofvulnerablecommunitiesshapeboththeprocessandtheoutcomesofchange.Wefocusonengagingabroadcross-sectionofthecommunity,recognizingtheintersectionalidentitiesthatdefineRichmond’sresidents.Thisengagementwillbeconductedwithawarenessofdynamicsofprivilegeandoppression,ensuringthattheprocessisinclusiveandresponsivetocommunityneeds.
ExperiencewithCommunity-LedEvaluationProjectsHereareexamplesofsingle-siteevaluationsthatprovideinsightintoourrelevantexperienceforthisproposedproject.
VallejoArtsFundCapacityBuildingSince2023,CeresPolicyResearchhasservedasthecapacity-buildingconsultantfortheVallejoArtsFund,acommunity-ledinitiativeaimedatsupportingBIPOCartistsandculturalbearersinVallejo.Throughaseriesoffacilitated,community-drivenconversations,weaddressedlong-standingsystemicinequitiesinlocalartsfunding,withafocusonamplifyingthevoicesofhistoricallymarginalizedartists.Ourworkinvolvedcollaboratingwithlocalartiststoshapegrantmakingprioritiesandprocesses,conductingstrategicoutreach,andprovidingcapacity-buildingsupportthatempoweredcommunitymemberstoactivelyparticipateindecision-making.ThisapproachresultedinarobustfundingmodelthatenablesVallejo’sartscommunitytoshapeitsownculturalandfinancialfuture,withtargetedgrantsforindividualartists,youthprograms,andinfrastructuredevelopment.
ContraCostaCountyOfficeofRacialEquityandSocialJusticeAftersuccessfullypressuringtheContraCostaCountyBoardofSupervisorsintoexploringthecreationofanOfficeofRacialEquityandSocialJustice,agroupoftwelvecommunityleadersthenformedaCoreCommitteetaskedwithdevelopingrecommendationsfortheOfficeandconvincingamajorityoftheBoardtoacceptthem.ThisCoreCommitteehiredCerestofacilitatecommitteemeetings,collectcommunitydata,organizeforumstotrackcommunityfeedback,andleadacollectivewritingprocess.Fortheportiondedicatedtocollectingcommunityresearch,CeresreviewedtranscriptsoflisteningsessionscollectedbyCoreCommitteemembers.Wealsoco-developedasurveywiththeCoreCommitteethatwasultimatelydisseminatedto2600peopleacrossthecounty.Notably,only600oftherespondentswerewhiteandover1000wereBlack.ThisprocessallowedtheCoreCommitteetodocumentstateharmandpresentthefindingsinawaythatconvincedtheBoardtoacceptrecommendations.Thereportcanbefoundhere:https://bit.ly/oresj_final_nov2022.
YouthParticipatoryActionResearchOverthepastfewyears,wehavepartneredwithseveralorganizationsthatwereinterestedindevelopingyouthparticipatoryactionresearchprojectsthatwouldhavestrongpolicyimplicationswithinAlamedaandContraCostaCountiesaswellasthe state.Allprojectsaremixed-method,combiningyouth-devisedsurveyswithyouth-ledinterviewsandfocusgroups.Withineachoftheseprojects,Cereshastaughtresearchskillsandcoachedyoungpeoplefromthecollectionofdatathroughthecompletionoffinalreports. ● OurpartnershipwiththeEllaBakerCenterinOaklandwasfocusedonAlamedayouthperspectivesonhowtoreduceincarceration.Theywerepartofthe“FreeOurKids”networkpressuringtheAlamedaBoardofSupervisorstochangeyouthjusticepolicy.Thereportisunderreviewandnotyetpublic.● OurpartnershipwithCaliforniaYouthConnectioninOaklandwasfocusedonhowthechildwelfaresystemcouldimprovesupportforparentingandpregnantfosteryouth.TheywillbeusingtheirfindingstopressurelegislaturestoreviseCalifornialaw.Thereportcanbefoundhere:https://bit.ly/ceres_cyc_june2023● AndacurrentprojectwiththeRYSECenterinRichmondisfocusedondocumentingyouthwell-beingafterthelastfiveyearsoftheracialreckoningandCOVID.TheywillturntheirfindingsintodemandsforimprovedsupportfromContraCostayouth-servingagencies.TheywillstartbypresentingtotheContraCostaBoardofSupervisors.
ApproachtoWorkandResponsibilities/Methodology
Ourapproachintegratesrigorousanalysiswithcommunity-ledplanningtodevelopacomprehensiveArtsCorridorPlanforRichmond.Wefocusoninclusiveengagement,equitabledevelopment,andthesustainabilityoftheartsinalignmentwithRichmond’sculturalgoals.Belowisadetaileddescriptionofourtasks:
ProjectManagement
LedbyDr.KerbyLynch,withsupportfromMs.AishaCanfieldandDr.AngelaIrvine-Baker,ourprojectteamcombinesexpertiseinorganizationalchange,dataanalysis,andartsprogramming.Wewillinvolveresearchassistantsforlogisticalsupportanddatahandling,ensuringbroadrepresentationandaninclusiveperspectiveinourprojectmanagementapproach.
StrategicPlanningandAnalysis
WewillconductworkshopsandstakeholdersessionstodefinethecharacteristicsoftheArtsCorridor,focusingonculturalsignificance,sustainability,andcommunityownership.Ouranalysiswillincludeareviewofcommunityengagementdata,drawingonthemesfromlisteningsessionsandoutreachtoinformastrategicplanthatreflectsRichmond’svaluesofequityandculturalpreservation.
CommunityEngagementandResearch
Buildingonexistingdata,wewillfacilitateadditionallisteningsessions(5-8)andconducttargetedoutreachinneighborhoodsalongMacdonaldAvenueand23rdStreettoensure diverserepresentation.Thiswillincludereviewingpolicies,existingculturalassets,andphysicalinfrastructuretoensurealignmentwithRichmond’sculturalandequitygoals,addressingsystemicinequitiesandamplifyingthevoicesofmarginalizedcommunities.
FacilitationandCapacityBuilding
Ourteamwillleadbi-monthlymeetingswithstakeholders,fosteringcollaborationandcreativity.Wewillprovidecapacity-buildingworkshops,trainingcommunitymembersindataanalysis,artsadvocacy,andstrategicplanning.ThisensuresthatlocalstakeholdersareempoweredtocontinuethedevelopmentandgrowthoftheArtsCorridorbeyondthedurationofourengagement,reinforcingsustainability.
OutreachandRelationshipBuilding
Wewillconductone-on-oneoutreachtoengagewithadiverserangeofcommunitystakeholders,fromkeyculturalleaderstothosehistoricallyunderrepresentedinthearts.ThiswillbuildacomprehensivenetworkofsupportfortheArtsCorridorandensurethatallvoicesareincludedinshapingRichmond’sartsfuture.
ReportingandRecommendations
Adetailedreport,includingfindingsfromcommunityengagement,strategicanalysis,andphysicalassetassessments,willbepresentedtokeystakeholders.Thiswillbeaccompaniedbyrecommendationsforfuturedevelopment,anevaluationplantotrackprogress,andmetricstomeasuresuccessovertime.
CommunityCafesandCommunication
Wewillhostcommunitycafesandutilizemultiplecommunicationchannelstosharefindingsandgatherfeedbackabouttheproposal.Thisensurestheprojectremainstransparent,responsivetocommunityinput,andcontinuouslygroundedintheneedsandaspirationsoftheRichmondartscommunity.Thesecafeswillbeconductedinthepriorityneighborhoodsandwithcommunity-basedorganizations.
InterpretationServices
Toensureaccessibilityandinclusivity,wewillprovideinterpretationservicesthroughouttheengagementprocess,makingallmaterialsanddiscussionsavailableinmultiplelanguages,particularlyforSpanish-speakingcommunitymembers.
Budget
Theprojectwilladheretothe$50,000budgetcapspecifiedbytheRichmondCityCouncil,brokendownasfollows:
Deliverables Cost
ProjectManagement $9,000
StrategicPlanningandAnalysis $7,500
CommunityEngagementandResearch $8,000
FacilitationandCapacityBuilding $6,000
OutreachandRelationshipBuilding $4,500
ReportingandRecommendations $5,500
CommunityCafesandCommunication $3,000
Interpretation $1,500
Total $45,000
KeyStaffandResponsibilities
Theprojectteamwillconsistof:
● Dr.KerbyLynch:ProjectManager(HourlyRate:$142)● Ms.AishaCanfield:StrategicPlanningandAnalysisLead(HourlyRate:$183)● Dr.AngelaIrvine:FacilitationandCapacityBuildingLead(HourlyRate:$259)● ResearchAssistants:Logisticsanddatacollection(HourlyRate:$88) Value-AddedServices
1. Post-ProjectSupport:Threemonthsofpost-implementationsupportfordatainterpretationandprojectfollow-up.2. CapacityBuildingWorkshops:Twoworkshopstotraincommunitymembersindataanalysisandadvocacy.3. SustainabilityPlanning:Astrategicplantoensurethelong-termsustainabilityoftheArtsCorridor.
StatementofImpartialityandDisclosure
CeresPolicyResearchiscommittedtodeliveringanunbiasedandimpartialproject.Weaffirmthatourworkwillbefreeofconflictsofinterestandupholdthevaluesofequityandtransparencythroughouttheproject’sduration.