Working in Homewood for the last seven years allowed me the opportunity to hear first-hand what one of the most disenfranchised neighborhoods in the city desires to see in its future. Once you meet a resident who has lived in Homewood for decades, one of the first conversation topics will assuredly be about ‘the way Homewood used to be’ – the liveliness, the bustling businesses, and the sense of community.

Presently, Homewood does not have an outdoor community-friendly space to host various activities. There are countless positive, enriching ideas in the works, art in the making, and conversations in process without a space to engage with and elevate them.

While Homewood is often portrayed negatively by the media, it is actually asset-rich with an expansive cultural history and houses many current newsmakers ranging from makers to musicians to craftsmen. Kenny’s will be a platform for these creatives to showcase their product, whether that be artwork, music, or classes for wellness.

The events schedule will reflect the residents’ vision for the site, including regular outdoor yoga classes, an art market, and a music showcase featuring musicians from the community and regional acts. We will also have annual signature events: a fundraiser, an open spoken word community day, and Cancers and Cookies - a summer birthday celebration. The site will also be available for usage by community members for activities such as family reunions, networking events and mixers, community days and cookouts, etc.

Bringing the residents’ vision to life and giving the neighborhood a positive, open atmosphere to promote health and wellness, arts and culture, and entrepreneurs and existing businesses will be a tremendous win for the community.

For more information, please see the video on this link: https://vimeo.com/198507279