Reconnect Rondo

Organizing of the ecosystem, the rondo roundtable - organizing the ecosystem: the rondo roundtable the rondo roundtable, a coalition of 14 historic rondo organizations, aligns residents and stakeholders around restorative development goals. Reconnect rondo provided facilitation and tools to create an executive team responsible for executing initiatives that preserve rondo's legacy, restore what was lost, and promote generational wealth-building. April 30, 2024 - rondo avenue renaming ceremony reconnect rondo and the city of saint paul hosted a historic renaming back to what it was, ceremony, unveiling the first new rondo avenue sign. The event featured musical performances and speeches from community leaders, celebrating rondo's enduring legacy. The roundtable continues to work on their key strategies: "preserve the legacy of rondo "restore what was lost in rondo - "support generational wealth building for black people "promote the future of rondo as a cultural district "support and amplify rondo roundtable organizations reconnecting communities summit the 2024 reconnecting communities summit and 2nd annual reconnect communities initiative united communities nationwide, garnering national media attention and amplifying efforts to reconnect neighborhoods impacted by transportation policy. The event strengthened momentum, increased community engagement, and expanded participation-solidifying reconnect rondo as a national model for inclusive development. A centerpiece was the premiere of displaced, a documentary capturing lived experiences of families affected by highway construction and systemic disinvestment. The film serves as both a historical record and a call to action, deepening public understanding, inspiring policy change, and amplifying community voices.

Reconnect rondo led robust engagement activities in 2024, connecting with over 6,000 individuals through planning sessions, festivals, and national convenings. Highlights include hosting the reconnecting communities summit, supporting the rondo roundtable, and facilitating screenings of displaced. These efforts strengthened cross-sector relationships and advanced our mission to restore connection, opportunity, and equity in the historic rondo neighborhood. 2024 events january 18, 2024 - neighborhood restorative development area planning session at wilder foundation march 2024 - dinner table series at pilgrim baptist april 2024 - rondo avenue renaming ceremony june 2024 - rondo juneteenth block party (exact date not listed, typically mid-june) july 13 - central village park july 20, 2024 - rondo days july 27, 2024 - v-fest august 3, 2024 - taste of rondo block party august 4, 2024 - little africa festival august 18, 2024 - central honors philando september 11-13, 2024 - 2024 reconnecting communities summit & 2nd annual reconnect communities initiative september 13, 2024 - minnesota african american leaders forum & dinner september 14, 2024 - selby jazz fest various transportation conferences including pacemaking in baltimore, comto november 4 - restorative development neighborhood area plan discussion and dinner at wilder digital reach & engagement 2024: 146% of social media follower growth 300+ new social media followers. 52,238 social media impressions. 51,008 video views across platforms including youth council 166,000 webpage impressions 16,000 new website visitors 294.8 hours of watch time and +86 subscribers for reconnect rondo youth council youtube channel reconnect rondo youth council the youth council plays a pivotal role in advancing reconnect rondo's mission by amplifying youth voices through outreach, leadership development, and multimedia engagement. In 2024, the council launched the "voices of rondo" podcast and a dedicated youtube channel, creating platforms for storytelling and civic dialogue. Empowering youth and community leadership development: preparing youth to advocate for rondo and pursue higher education. Historical research: preserving rondo's heritage and educating the community on urban renewal impacts. Community outreach and media production: producing podcasts, videos, and social media content to share stories and elevate community voices. Civic engagement and advocacy: the youth council advocates for youth involvement in civic matters and decisions, ensuring that the perspectives of young people are considered in shaping the future of the community. Educational & professional opportunities: offering paid internships, entrepreneurship programs, and media assignments to build technical and advocacy skills. 1.amplifying youth voices media assignments: social media and video/podcast creation assignments allow youth to creatively express their views and share important community narratives. This builds their technical skills and empowers them to become influential voices in their community. Reconnect rondo youth council presents a new podcast series, "voices of rondo" - reconnect rondo.