- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Participates in Institute on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Campus Centers

John Hill — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 17:20:34 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is one of 75 higher education institutions across the country that has been chosen by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) to participate in the . A team of employees from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and the City of Little Rock attended a virtual training June 21-24 to learn the TRHT framework and create an action plan to create a new TRHT Campus Center at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is the only Arkansas university that participated in this year’s training. In addition to the University of Arkansas, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will be the second Arkansas university to create a TRHT Campus Center. The team consisted of Dr. David Montague, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, Amber Jackson, equity program manager for the City of Little Rock, Rebecca Feldmann, assistant professor of clinical education at William H. Bowen School of Law, Dr. Richard Harper, dean of students, and Michael Johnson, director of development and external relations. The TRHT Campus Center Initiative Training prepares the next generation of leaders and thinkers to break down racial hierarchies and to dismantle the belief in a hierarchy of human value. The program is based on five pillars – narrative change, racial healing and relationship building, separation, law, and economy. Each center implements its own visionary action plan, based on the TRHT framework, to promote racial healing through campus-community engagement. “The growing importance of, and the need for, truth-telling, narrative change, and racial healing is evident by the number of institutions that elected to attend the institute,” said Tia Brown McNair, AAC&U vice president for diversity, equity, and student success and executive director for the TRHT Campus Centers. “We remain humbled that our colleagues continue to partner with us on this effort to build more just and equitable institutions and communities.” In preparation of applying to be accepted for TRHT training by AAC&U, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock team members consulted with TRHT Campus Center employees at the University of Arkansas and Oklahoma State University-Tulsa. Institutions were selected based on their vision for their Campus Center, the demonstrated commitment of leaders on campus and in the community to the goals of the Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation framework, and their ability to provide evidence for the need of a Campus Center in their community. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock has a strong history and commitment to using and leveraging data to assess problems and how they might manifest themselves within the community and on campus,” Montague said. “A more recent 2021 Campus Climate survey of faculty, students, and staff revealed some disheartening, but poignant information about issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) on campus. We have a diverse student body, and we want to have something that reflects Little Rock’s important history in the civil rights movement. Our hope is for the center to serve as a catalyst for various campus and community initiatives.” The Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Campus Center training and network is administered through the American Association of Colleges & Universities in partnership with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Newman’s Own Foundation. In partnership with the City of Little Rock, the campus center at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will use truth, racial healing, and transformation as a means to change both the city and university’s cultural competency. “We are excited to participate in this Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation training and support the work of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock team as they engage their campus community in the critical work of DEI,” Jackson said. The center’s mission is to deepen the community engagement footprint by strategically strengthening our commitment to robust economic development, social justice, and an increased focus on BIPOC student and faculty recruitment and retention. “We want people to come together to share their lived experiences, no matter what that may be,” said Dr. Melvin Beavers, the Chancellor’s DEI fellow. “The center creates a safe place for people to talk about race and racism where people won’t be judged.”

University District receives $30,000 Donation from Cadence Bank to Offset Rising Building Costs for New Homes

John Hill — Mon, 02 May 2022 13:07:58 +0000

The , based at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, has received a $30,000 donation from the (formerly BancorpSouth Bank Foundation) to help offset rising building costs for seven new houses being built within University District. The donation will assist the University District with completing the homes on schedule. The homebuyers are participants in University District’s income-based First-Time Homebuyer Program. “This grant will help support seven new construction units by offsetting the increase in lumber materials costs since the pandemic started,” said Barrett Allen, executive director of University District. “With this grant, we can ensure that our new University District homes remain affordable for our residents waiting to complete their dream of owning their first homes. We are deeply grateful to Cadence for stepping in to support our affordable housing efforts.” The program addresses the affordable housing crisis by providing first-time homebuyers up to $20,000 for the down payment and closing costs to purchase a home constructed or renovated by University District. University District can also help to reduce a homebuyer’s monthly housing costs by subsidizing the sale price of the house. The First Time Homebuyer Program is financed through the City of Little Rock with funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development HUD HOME Program. “We’re pleased to partner with the University District Development Corporation to advance its efforts to reach our community’s most vulnerable,” said Ty Warren, president – Northwest region for BancorpSouth, a division of Cadence Bank. “We are proud to support the valuable work it’s doing in our community to address affordable housing needs.” The seven news homes are in the Fair Park and Midtown neighborhoods in Little Rock, Arkansas. In the upper right photo, Cadence Bank officials present University District with a $30,000 donation to help affordable housing efforts. Pictured, from left to right, are Ty Warren, president – Northwest region for BancorpSouth, a division of Cadence Bank, Erika Torres, bank officer and CRA liaison, Barrett Allen, executive director of University District Development Corporation, Central Arkansas Market President Tammie Davis, and North Central Arkansas Division President Chris Locke.��

��Vlog��ý Little Rock to Host Virtual Lectures to Celebrate National Day of Racial Healing

John Hill — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 16:00:26 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is celebrating the 2022 National Day of Racial Healing with two special virtual lectures. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation started the National Day of Racial Healing (NDORH) in 2013 as part of its new Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation initiative aimed at revolutionizing the way that foundations fund nonprofits working on social issues. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will join communities and campuses across the state in celebrating a weeklong schedule of events in observance of the National Day of Racial Healing. The first event, “Dave Tell Talks: Remembering Emmett Till,” will take place from 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 18, via Zoom. The event is free and open to the public. Participants may register for the event . ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown, Racial Barriers Committee, Student Government Association, and Center for Arkansas History and Culture as well as CALS Roberts Library will present an evening of conversation and learning with Dr. Dave Tell, co-director of the Institute for Digital Research in the Humanities at Kansas University, facilitated by Dr. Guy Lancaster, Arkansas historian and author. Since 2014, Tell has been the lead investigator on the Emmett Till Memory Project, a collaborative, public, and digital humanities project. His 2019 book “Remembering Emmett Till,” tells the complete story of Emmett Till’s commemoration in the Mississippi Delta. Till was a 14-year-old African American teenager who was lynched in Mississippi in 1955 after he was accused of offending a white woman in her family’s grocery store. Till’s killers were found not guilty by an all-white jury in 1955. They publicly admitted to the crime in a 1956 magazine article. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will also host a virtual panel, “The State of Diversity and Equity in Arkansas,” from 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20, via Zoom. The event is free and open to the public. Participants may register for the panel . Donald Wood, executive director of Just Communities of Arkansas, will facilitate an engaged conversation about diversity, equity, and inclusion in sectors across the state with perspectives from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock scholars and community professionals in education, city management, law, religious studies and cultural affairs. The panelists include:

Dr. Melvin Beavers, assistant professor of rhetoric and writing and inaugural chancellor’s fellow for diversity, equity, and inclusion at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Beavers has been engaged in national conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion with specific attention on antiracist pedagogies and writing assessment.
Tamika Edwards, special advisor to the CEO on diversity, equity, inclusion, and engagement at Central Arkansas Water. She has 20 years of experience in public policy and community development. Prior to Central Arkansas Water, she served as the executive director of the Social Justice Institute at Philander Smith College, director of governmental affairs at Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, director of public policy at Southern Bancorp Community Partners, and community affairs specialist for former U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln.
Dr. Rebecca Glazier, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Her research is focused on religion, framing, and U.S. foreign policy. Since 2012, Glazier has directed the community-based research project, Little Rock Congregations Study, which seeks to understand how congregations’ community engagement impacts the community, places of worship, and their members.
Dr. Dionne Jackson, chief equity officer for the City of Little Rock. Jackson has previously served as Hendrix College’s first chief diversity officer and executive director of AR Kids Read.

In addition to the lectures, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will also hold a virtual open mic night from 6-8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21, with the theme of racial healing. This evening of music, poetry, comedy, and inspiration will be centered around equity, diversity, and healing. Anyone who would like to perform or attend should register . Sponsored by the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Racial Barriers Committee and the Graduate Student Association, the evening will be emceed by Ron McAdoo, aka Ron Mc the Hiphoptimist, a nationally recognized spoken word poet, sought out personality, exhibiting professional artist, motivational speaker, actor, author, and seasoned educator. The special featured guest will be Osyrus Bolly, artist and activist, who combines his passion for the arts and social justice to create his own platform for liberation arts. He is also a member of the nationally-ranked poetry slam troupe Foreign Tongues. Visit this website for more information about the 2022 National Day of Racial Healing events.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Partners with City of Little Rock on New OpportUNITY Equity Initiative

John Hill — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 14:00:18 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock joined the City of Little Rock during its launch of OpportUNITY Little Rock: A Citywide Movement for Equity. Mayor Frank Scott Jr., Dr. Sarah Beth Estes, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and John Burgess, 2021 chairman of the Little Rock Regional Chamber Board of Directors Oct. 6 at Entegrity Energy Partners, the largest energy services company in the region and a unique provider of optimized building performance. “True diversity, equity, and inclusion is not a token or counting a number. It’s ensuring you that you’re creating true opportunity,” said Mayor Scott Jr., a ��Vlog��ý Little Rock alumnus. “As we embark on this journey, it’s crucial to the future of our economy that businesses get involved with this movement so that we can collectively make a sizable impact on our city.” The program is a public-private partnership that bridges access and opportunity by training business leaders to bolster their internal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts and support minority and women business enterprises (MWBEs) to competitively engage as suppliers. It is also designed to help grow recruitment networks and enhance retention and development of a diverse workforce. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock is extremely proud to be partnering on this initiative to provide training on diversity, equity, and inclusion at work to support commerce and equitable economic development in Central Arkansas,” Estes said. “This course will provide leaders with a strong foundation for DEI work, tools for ongoing efforts through a growing collaborative resources library, and ongoing support for those pursuing related goals at their own institutions.” The program is part of a larger vision for a more equitable business environment that reflects the diversity of Little Rock’s population, growing economic development through diversity in perspective, services, outlook, and business objectives. “I cannot emphasize enough the significance of our businesses leading the way by participating in this movement,” said Dionne Jackson, Ed.D., Little Rock’s chief equity officer. “We must realize, with the growth of our city and moving towards a global majority, we must have businesses that are better equipped to serve as a bridge to access and opportunities. Yet as the city asks businesses to join OpportUNITY Little Rock as a movement, we recognize our own responsibility for modeling effective practices in diversity, equity, and inclusion, too.” Four supporting programs were announced today, including a supplier drive to counsel and register new City vendors, drop-in office hours to assist MWBEs in certification and navigation of the process for becoming certified, a multi-agency seminar on doing business with government entities, and a multi-week course for business leaders on strengthening diversity within their organizations led by ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Extended Education and the Chamber. “The Little Rock Regional Chamber is thrilled to partner with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock on this targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion training for business leaders,” said Burgess, of the Little Rock Regional Chamber, of the seminar. “We also look forward to working closely with Mayor Scott and the OpportUNITY Little Rock team as we all work to build stronger and more meaningful opportunities for minority-owned businesses to thrive within Little Rock’s growing economy.” By joining OpportUNITY Little Rock, businesses will receive regular updates on DEI best practices, as well as information on resources and support programs to assist them in becoming competitive suppliers for public sector purchasing contracts. For more information, .

Galloway Graduates from City of Little Rock’s R.O.C.K. Academy

John Hill — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 13:45:06 +0000

Geneva Galloway, administrative specialist for the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program, is one of the first graduates of the City of Little Rock’s new R.O.C.K. (Residents Obtaining Community Knowledge) Academy. “I have been on this journey of civic engagement since about 2016,” said Galloway, who participated in the second academy cohort. “I saw this as an opportunity to get more involved with the city. Through serving as a board member on my neighborhood association in Broadmoor and through my work at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, I have found that I can make the biggest difference right here in my own backyard.” The City of Little Rock launched its new R.O.C.K. Academy community education course on civic engagement in fall 2020 to cultivate understanding and enhance the relationship between city government and its residents.�� “R.O.C.K. is an acronym for Residents Obtaining Community Knowledge,” Mayor Frank Scott Jr. said in a press release. “We wanted a way to cultivate understanding and enhance the relationship between City government and its residents. R.O.C.K. Academy will give residents an up-close look at how their City government works and we hope it will act as a catalyst that prompts civic engagement through service on our boards and commissions.” As a member of the Broadmoor Property Owners Association, Galloway said she was inspired to participate in the academy to learn how to become more engaged with the city and to be a better advocate for its citizens. “I want to be someone that can be a resource and an advocate for the city and for the services that I don’t think residents know are at their disposal,” she said. “For example, my mom raises my 8-year-old niece, and she’s a full-time nurse. The summer is coming up, and childcare is very expensive and difficult to figure out. The city offers a summer youth playground program. They create a safe environment where families can bring their kids during the work day. The kids get the opportunity to participate in different recreational activities, including field trips around the city to places like MacArthur Museum of Military History and the Clinton Presidential Library. This is one example of a program that I had no idea the city offered and that more people should know about.” During the seven-week program, residents gain knowledge and insight through discussions, virtual demonstrations and virtual site visits, both in-person and via virtual instruction that includes virtual field trips capped with a “graduation” held at a City Board of Directors meeting on May 18.

Geneva Galloway graduates from R.O.C.K. Academy.

The sessions include:

Government 101 – An overview of city government.
Dollars and Sense – A look at the budgeting process and economic development.
Safety in the City – Meet those working to keep the city safe.
Little Rock Building Blocks – Hear from Planning and Development, Public Works and Housing and Neighborhood Programs departments.
Livin’ in Little Rock – Focuses on quality of life topics such as Parks and Recreation, the Little Rock Zoo and sustainability measures.
Community Care – Learn about city-supported social service programs and other resources.

One of the lessons that Galloway learned through the academy is that there are many ways to practice civic engagement. “One of the coolest things is that they asked us to go spend a small amount of money in a different ward than the one we live in,” she said. “I went and had a delicious lunch at La Vaquera Taqueria located in Ward 7 on Chicot Road. That positive experience taught me that civic engagement can be as simple as spending money in a part of the city that you don’t visit frequently.” Having grown up in Little Rock, there are so many parts of the city that I hadn’t visited up until my 20s. It reinforced that there is a disconnect that people might have in different areas of the city. If you join the academy, you learn about the different wards, and it gives you a reason to go and check them out.” Once Galloway has finished her term on Broadmoor’s neighborhood association, she is planning to put her new knowledge to work by serving on one of Little Rock’s city commissions. “I’ve learned there are many ways to serve that can have a lasting impact,” she said. “There are so many more things that we can do other than voting to be civically engaged. After I finish my term on the neighborhood association, a city commission is the next way that I’d like to be able to participate.”

Arkansas Arts Council honors Warrick as 2020 Arkansas Living Treasure��

John Hill — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 21:07:49 +0000

The Arkansas Arts Council has selected Michael Warrick, a professor of art at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, as the 2020 Arkansas Living Treasure for his work and dedication to the craft of metalworking. Warrick will be honored during a virtual event on and at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8. The virtual event will include videos of Warrick’s work and a discussion about his methods. Speakers will include Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Stacy Hurst, secretary of the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, among others. “We are excited to be able to offer a virtual event to honor a master of metalworking,” said Patrick Ralston, director of the Arkansas Arts Center. “It is important, especially during these troubling times, to recognize the leaders, educators, and master craftsmen and women who keep Arkansas’s rich cultural and arts heritage alive.” The annually recognizes an Arkansas artist who excels in the creation of a traditional craft and who actively preserves and advances his or her craft through community outreach and educating others. “I’m pretty excited about being named the 2020 Arkansas Living Treasure,” Warrick said. “I’m turning 70 this year. I’ve been working at my craft and trade for more than 50 years. It’s nice to be recognized for that.”

Michael Warrick’s latest sculpture, “Mockingbird Tree with Oranges.”

Warrick is known as a dedicated instructor who teaches multiple metalworking courses. He has remained committed to maintaining and advancing his craft through mentoring, teaching, lecturing, demonstrating, and building through teamwork. “I love ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” Warrick said. “I love the students and the challenges. It’s always evolving. I’ve got some great colleagues to work with and a great new building to work in. This is my 30th year of teaching at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, but I’ve never stopped learning, and I’m still excited about teaching.” Thomas Clifton, chair of the Department of Art and Design at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, described Warrick as an active and involved faculty member with a great passion for art and teaching. “I am often amazed at his energy and determination,” Clifton said. “This combination of traits has allowed him to amass an unparalleled national exhibition records of 42 solo exhibits and 174 competitive and invitational exhibits over the course of his career. Michael’s prolific career has made it challenging to walk through Little Rock without coming across one of his sculptures. Michael is well represented throughout our city, like no other artist I know. His record of accomplishments is without equal.” Warrick’s work has appeared in exhibitions and public installations locally and worldwide. He regularly does commission work, including a piece he created in 2017 for the Little Rock Sister City Commission to give to the City of Hanam in South Korea to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the sister cities partnership. A video about that project is available via . Through his partnership with artist Aaron Hussey, Warrick created the in 2001. Warrick began learning metalworking in 1967, when he took an industrial arts class in high school that included welding. He became a certified welder in 1972 and worked on large-scale mining equipment trucks, industrial fixtures, and railroad cars. He attended Illinois State University as an art student in 1976. There, he learned metal casting and sculpting, and as a graduate student, he learned to work with cast iron. By 1995, he had picked up the technique of ceramic shell casting, which allowed him to cast finer and thinner bronze works. Warrick is constantly learning, experimenting, and evolving. In 2015, he learned 3D printing with polylactic acid plastic (PLA) and used the new technology in tandem with traditional lost wax casting for his metalwork. The resulting large-scale, 21-by-15-by-15-foot sculpture sits today outside the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. The sculpture is a fascinating mix of stainless steel, bronze, glass, and concrete that celebrates the Louisiana Purchase. “I am a firm believer that there is much value to learning traditional methods for creating in cast metal,” Warrick said. “I am also curious about contemporary techniques in the production of objects and how they might be enhanced by joining old and new techniques.” Since joining ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in the fall of 1990, Warrick has been instrumental in securing grants, including one to build a foundry and kilns for metal casting for the university. Another grant allowed him to bring in renowned lecturers in metalworking. He also sat on a committee that brought public sculptures to the university to “embellish the culturally rich environment.” “Creating and teaching are very important to me,” Warrick said. “I have made it a personal goal to help others learn and create through the craft of metalworking. In my own creative metalwork, it is my hope that I can bring elements of our humanity and history through the craft.”

City of Little Rock, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock announce revitalization plans for Asher Avenue Corridor

John Hill — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 14:40:47 +0000

Chancellor Christina Drale joined Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. at a Sept. 2 press conference at the Robinson Center to announce revitalization plans for the Asher Avenue corridor and the University Plaza shopping center.�� The plans are part of an effort to increase quality of life, bring in businesses and residences, and spur economic growth in an underserved area of Little Rock. “…Over the past 20 months, we have been very intentional,” said. “We have been able to move from platitudes to policy to proactive action. One of those actionable efforts has been the revitalization of Asher Avenue. To help revitalize an area, you must first focus on how do you enhance an area.” Along the Asher Avenue corridor, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock owns the University Plaza shopping center, University Village apartments, and the Coleman Sports and Recreation Complex, which is home to the women’s soccer team and men’s and women’s track teams. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock has long been an anchor in this important crossroads entrance to our city,” Chancellor Drale said. “Our campus, in recent years, has expanded to the south side of Asher Avenue. We envision development that would create a safe and attractive entrance into these facilities off of Asher Avenue.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s most significant revitalization plans revolve around the redevelopment of the University Plaza shopping center, which the university purchased in 2004. The center is home to Big Lots, , Sequoyah National Research Center, Department of Public Safety, and additional campus units. “We have owned the property for a number of years and used it to house various departments that had space needs,” Chancellor Drale said. “However, our plans have always been to rebuild this center with a focus not just on our campus needs, but also how those might intersect with the interests of business and the concerns of the community in which we live.”�� Vlog��ý Little Rock is in the planning phase for redeveloping the center, and is in talks with partners, including the City of Little Rock, about the design of a public-private partnership for the project. “A redeveloped center on the south end of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock campus will provide an important face to the Asher Avenue corridor,” Chancellor Drale said. “It will add to the positive development the mayor sees for this part of Little Rock, and we are proud to be a part of these changes. We will work with neighborhoods and other stakeholders to create a center that serves the campus and the community.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor Christina Drale (right), Mayor Frank Scott Jr. (left), and business owner Tracy Johnson (center) review plans for revitalization efforts along Asher Avenue during a Sept. 2 press conference at Robinson Center. Photo by Ben Krain.

The University District Development Corporation will be a vital part of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s revitalization efforts in the neighborhoods surrounding the university. University District is an initiative with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and its partners to increase home ownership, job growth, public safety, and neighborhood amenities in the areas around the university.�� “The University District area is full of potential for growing new businesses, attracting new residents, and for becoming a new region of exciting opportunity in Little Rock,” Chancellor Drale said. “The University District office, along with the Arkansas Small Business Technology Development Center and the Arkansas Economic Development Institute, both at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, are excited and primed to be collaborators with the City of Little Rock in this significant endeavor.” The City of Little Rock’s revitalization plan will include a multi-pronged approach. One part of that vitalization effort included partnering with the Arkansas Department of Transportation to repave and resurface Asher Avenue and South University Avenue. Little Rock Planning and Development Director Jamie Collins said city officials have been meeting with the owners of buildings that have fallen into disrepair to discuss if the owners plan to renovate, demolish and rebuild, or sell the properties. Three such buildings are located at 5518 W. 33rd St., 4500 Asher Ave. and 3004 Lewis St. Collins said he expects to see significant progress on the properties within three months. The City of Little Rock, Central Arkansas Water, and Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority also announced economic incentives to encourage redevelopment of areas south of I-630 and east of I-30. The City of Little Rock will waive building permit fees, while Central Arkansas Water and Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority will forgo developer payments, including fees for water and sanitation infrastructure. The incentive package is the first of its kind in Little Rock, and city officials hope it will bring more businesses and generate more revenue for Little Rock. “This is an exciting day as we revitalize Asher Avenue,” Mayor Scott said. “It’s an exciting day as we work in partnership with an anchor institution of the likes of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to also revitalize Asher Avenue, focusing on retail development along that corridor area. It’s an exciting day to work with our property owners in that area as well. We are all focused on one thing. How do we develop, how do we redevelop, and how do we increase vibrancy south of I-630 and east of I-30 for this day and forever more?”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock students capture history of Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau

John Hill — Wed, 22 Jan 2020 22:09:40 +0000

University of Arkansas at Little Rock public history students are working to preserve the history of Little Rock one organization at a time. Since 1984, students in Deborah Baldwin’s class have annually created a history of a local Little Rock organization, business, or nonprofit. They have completed histories on the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN), Arkansas Times, Little Rock Zoo, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Junior League of Little Rock, Little Rock Central High School, Arkansas Arts Center, and many more. The students recently completed a history of the Little Rock Advertising and Promotion Commission and the , just in time to celebrate their 50th anniversary. The project was headed by public history students Alex Soulard and Nancy Tell-Hall. Additional members of the class include Kathryn Bryles, Jessica Chavez, Kary Goetz, Andrew McClain, Devin Sorrows, and Kathryn Thompson. “It was an interesting experience to be a project manager,” Soulard said. “My biggest takeaway from the project was the real-life, hand-on experience we received by working on a team with a real client. As historians, we largely work individually. We hardly get to work with a group of people. When you are completing a 50-year history project in four months with nine other people, you learn really good project management skills.” The comprehensive history of the two organizations, “Fifty Years of Southern Hospitality,” resulted in a 200-page report that included 17 oral history interviews as well as extensive research into the financial, tourism, and operational impact of the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau. “I want to thank the students and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock for preserving the history of the organization,” said Gretchen Hall, president and CEO of the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau. “I think they did an excellent job documenting our history and compiling it.” The visitor’s bureau plans to use sections of the report to promote its 50th anniversary and to educate employees and visitors about the importance of the organization. “This year is our 50th anniversary. The report communicates the value of our organization for the past 50 years,” Hall said. “We can use it as a springboard for the conversation of where our organization will go in the next 50 years.” The Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau serves as the official marketing organization for the City of Little Rock and is tasked with marketing the city as a meeting, sports, and leisure travel destination. Funding through the city’s hotel, motel, and restaurant tax, the bureau manages the Statehouse Convention Center, Robinson Center, River Market, and multiple parking facilities. The Little Rock Advertising and Promotion Commission serves as the governing body for the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau. The seven-member volunteer consists of two elected officials from the City of Little Rock, four owners within the Little Rock hospitality industry, and one at-large seat. The organizations will continue to strive to improve the city’s economy and residents’ quality of life through the promotion of tourism in Little Rock. Upcoming projects include the renovation of the Arkansas Arts Center and the construction of several youth sports facilities.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock alum becomes homeowner through University District affordable housing program

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 14:14:07 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate has achieved her dream of becoming a homeowner with the help of the University District’s First Time Homebuyer Program.�� Cadie Foscue, a May graduate of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Master of Social Work program who now works as a social impact analyst at the in Little Rock, had dreamt of the stability of a permanent home ever since she was a child.�� “As someone whose parents are divorced, I grew up traveling between houses,” Foscue said. “The finality of owning a home and not having to worry about where I am going to live next year is freeing. Having a home offers you stability and freedom.”�� The path to homeownership for many Millennials is often delayed by student loan debt and low starting wages. The homeownership rate among those ages 25 to 34 is 8 percent lower than the baby boomers and 8.4 percent lower than Generation X, according to . The need-based First Time Homebuyer Program addresses the affordable housing crisis by providing first-time homebuyers up to $20,000 for down payment and closing costs to purchase a home constructed or renovated by University District. The First Time Homebuyer Program is financed through the city of Little Rock with funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development HUD HOME Program. “We believe that anyone making a prevailing wage should be able to live in University District at an affordable price, and we work with all the neighborhood associations who make up University District to make this a reality,” said Barrett Allen, executive director of University District.�� Foscue, who closed on her home on Aug. 17, purchased the 1,400-square-foot home with three bedrooms and two baths for $125,000. She received a $15,000 subsidy from University District that covered her down payment and closing costs, costs that might have prevented her from owning a home for many years. Now, Foscue is the proud owner of her home in the University District’s Midtown Neighborhood, northeast of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s campus, where she lives with her miniature Doxin Dachshund, Jessie, and two cats, Ashe and Moira.�� “The program allows for young people like me to live in more affordable houses in the district. I think that’s really beautiful,” she said. “I already feel like part of the neighborhood, and I love it when people say, ‘Hi Cadie,’ as I drive in my car with the windows rolled down.”�� Foscue learned about University District’s housing program last year after Laura Danforth, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock assistant professor of social work, sent Foscue and her class to Allen to find out about local community organizations where they could volunteer.�� “In my macro social work course, student groups are able to engage in transformative, experiential learning by partnering with a local community agency to help facilitate organizational or community change-effort planning,” Danforth said. “Students in the past couple of years have helped develop a database for the trauma-informed child care center at St. Luke’s Methodist Church and have worked with the University District office to increase ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty engagement in non-traditional service learning projects. These students are passionate and hungry for experience, and the community partners within the University District have been great to work with!”�� Foscue’s group volunteered with St. Luke’s United Methodist Church to research adverse childhood experiences.�� “We got connected with St. Luke’s because we wanted to work with people who had experienced adverse childhood experiences,” Foscue said. “They are running a program to help people in the area who experienced childhood trauma. We wrote a paper on how adverse childhood experiences impact people on a multi-generational level.” During this time, Foscue met Allen and learned about the district’s efforts to support affordable housing in the area.�� “Earlier this year, my lease was coming up, and I was fantasizing about buying a home since I was about to graduate,” Foscue said. “I was so impassioned by working with University District during my social work project. I remembered that University District had just finished building some houses, but I had never seen them. I searched Zillow and marked three of my favorite houses in the area. I remember thinking, ‘Wouldn’t it be funny if they are the University District houses?”�� It turns out that one of the Foscue’s favorite houses was a University District house. In fact, Foscue only toured one home with her realtor, Kerrie Joiner, because it was love at first sight.�� “I went and saw the house, and I was in love with it,” Foscue said. “We didn’t even look at the other two I marked on Zillow. Driving around the house, I knew it was the right choice.” Now that Foscue has the home of her dreams, she said her priorities have shifted, and she’s now focused on maintaining her home for the future.�� “I take a lot of pride in owning a home,” she said. “One of my friends said the definition of being an adult is owning a home. It does shift your priorities. Instead of saving money for a vacation, my primary focus is to save money for maintaining my home and making it my own. I know I want to go to Disney World. Instead of going on a vacation that will be fun for a week, I’ll buy a fence that will hopefully last forever. Then I can get another dog. That is just as good as Disney World.”

Grant will support purchase of Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Trail markers to honor Elaine 12

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 13:49:51 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Anderson Institute on Race and Ethnicity received a $4,000 grant from Second Presbyterian Church of Little Rock’s Social Justice Advocacy Committee toward the purchase of markers for the 2019 Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Trail.�� This year’s event will honor the Elaine 12, a group of black sharecroppers who were convicted of murder and sentenced to death by all-white juries in the wave of quick, unjust criminal prosecutions of black people that followed the Elaine Massacre of 1919. The convictions of six of the Elaine 12 were overturned in the landmark Supreme Court ruling, Moore vs. Dempsey, in 1923. Following their release from prison, most members of the Elaine 12 fled the state and changed their names. Many of them lived the rest of their lives in exile, fearing for their safety, with their family members never knowing what happened to them. The markers will be unveiled at a ceremony in the fall as part of a conference at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Elaine Massacre. The Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Trail was created by the Anderson Institute on Race and Ethnicity in 2011 to acknowledge the sacrifices and achievements made by those who fought for racial and ethnic justice in Arkansas. The trail begins in front of the Old State House Convention Center on Markham Street and will eventually extend to the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park. Each honoree’s name is commemorated with a 12-inch bronze marker on the trail and a biography on the trail’s website. New markers are added to the trail each year in a public ceremony that also recognizes civil rights activities of the past and those who work for racial equality today. The ceremonies have honored sit-ins and freedom rides, the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School, the desegregation of downtown Little Rock, the efforts of professionals in the areas of medicine and healthcare, politics and law, and economic advancement, as well as Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller. Last year, the Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Trail was named a part of the.

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