| Laundromat Movie House |
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Organization: MACLA
Issue Addressed: Neighborhood Revitalization
Location: San Jose, CA
San Jose is one of the most diverse cities in the nation, with no majority population group - a prediction made for most urban areas in the US by the year 2050. In a city as large as San Jose, residents often times do not know one another. Thus, MACLA has made it one of their missions is to communicate and reach out to the neighborhoods of San Jose to enable diverse constituents of the city to come together. One of their initiatives is to work with small businesses, and Singh's Laundromat, located nearby MACLA, is one of them. The Laundromat was in poor shape; litter, drug dealers, prostitutes and similar personas were often found loitering outside, creating an unsafe and uncomfortable environment for those seeking to use neighborhood facilities. MACLA worked with the laundromat's owner to improve the small business and turn it into a community gathering place by enlisting a film screening during daytime hours. Nuts and Bolts:- MACLA established a relationship with the small business owner Singh, as he owns the only nearby convenient store. Their relationship gained each other’s mutual trust. - Staff worked with a Las Familias, a woman’s organization, to clean up the Laundromat, paint a mural design inside, and also design and install a vinyl lettering sign. - Staff asked residents what movie they’d like to see to reserve the proper video. - Fliers for the movie day were handed out and posted around the neighborhood. Local residents were invited to wash their clothes and eat popcorn, watch a movie in the middle of the day. Successes: - Enables interaction between local residents; approximately 15 residents showed up, and several requested MACLA to continue screening films weekly. - Increased use of the public space. As the Laundromat was cleaned and painted there has been an increase in business. - Enables an institution to serve as a connector between different neighborhoods and public spaces.
Keys to Success
- good relations with business owners and residents - An established public gathering place - Resources to clean, paint and provide signage How you can do this: - Find a public place in your community open to all residents. Hold a meeting with the neighborhood residents and business owners to determine how such spaces can be revitalized and used by all peoples. - Partner with an arts organization or another nearby neighborhood group to clean and restore the area. - Post notice of the event around the neighborhood; pass out flyers to local institutions. |