After five wonderful and eventful years at Campus District Inc. I am saying goodbye. I’ve accepted a position at the Mt. Sinai Health Foundation as a program officer and will complete my time at CDI on April 1st. While entering this new chapter is exciting, it’s also given me the opportunity to reflect on all our tremendous accomplishments since 2017.
Programs like ArtStop, Payne Avenue Project, and Bridge that Bridges brought permanent works of art to the street. Each one designed and created by our community members—Campus International School students, Superior Arts District artists, guests of Norma Herr, Cleveland State University Students, Tri-C staff and faculty, and more.
400 new faces came to the District for Avenue of the Arts, an artist-created event that celebrated the neighborhood’s transformation from historic garment district to artist district. Live music, history tours, open studios, and a fashion show gave Cleveland a window into our rich and unique community. An identity I hope is retained as Superior Avenue continues to develop.
The business of everyday at CDI is rewarding—the neighborhood mixers, Superior Gatherings, East 22nd Street Clean-Ups. Even during a pandemic, we worked to support one another, whether it was partnering with the May Dugan Center to provide meals to residents or developing a permanent public restroom plan for the district that supports public health. Through it all the common denominator was interacting with countless numbers of people motivated to build a more vibrant and equitable community.
I am unbelievably grateful to Mark Lammon for trusting me and giving me freedom to work alongside the community to bring programming to the neighborhood. Even as I exit, I feel heartened by the programs that are right around the corner—Community Trauma Response Trainings, traffic calming and equitable roadways with People’s Streets, and the right to public health infrastructure with the Portland Loos.
My greatest asset in this work has been the community members who have volunteered their time to create and participate in programming. The Campus District office is small and mighty, but nothing would get done without the gifts and talents of our neighbors.
Thank you to the Campus District and Superior Arts Improvement District boards for unending encouragement and support and to all the talented Campus District staff (past and present) that I’ve had the privilege of working with along the way including Mark Lammon, Bobbi Reichtell, Jazmyn Blockson, Michael Collier, Diana Hasrouni, Connor O’Brien, Morgan Clark, and Haley McGinty. We made a lot happen and I’m very proud.
Please stay in touch! Connect with me at rachenoscar@gmail.com .