April 25 marks the fifth anniversary of Neighborday, a global block party we invented to get people talking (and partying) with the people who live around them. Leading up to the big day, we’re sharing creative ways organizations in our native Los Angeles are connecting with the folks who share their walls and fences.
Stay tuned this week for more ideas about how to celebrate. #LetsNeighbor
Neighborday 2015 Idea #2:
Throw a party for changemakers in your neighborhood.
Neighborday is all about kicking back with the people who share your local shops, streets, and sights. So whether you throw a big permitted block party or gather for an impromptu front porch hang-out, you’ve got the right idea.To maximize your hangtime, we encourage you to take one extra step: Identify, invite and celebrate a few organizations working to drive positive change in your part of town. GOOD did just that this weekend with a pop-up party at “The Big House,” the amazing hub for social entrepreneurship and youth empowerment launched by Nuevo South in South Los Angeles.
Here are a few things that helped us get our party off the ground:
1. A welcoming space and hyperlocal refreshments
We were so thankful to our friends at Nuevo South and “The Big House” for opening their doors and amazing backyard patio to us. And since we were throwing a potluck, it was even more amazing that we had to access to the amazing produce from a community garden on the premises, nurtured by one of the organizations we were there to celebrate: RootDown LA.
Dedicated to convincing high school kids to cook, grow, and eat healthy food with their friends, families, and neighbors, RootDown LA is throwing a fundraiser on May 2. If you’re in the L.A. area, we hope you’ll check it out.
2. Time to share ideas
When you’ve got so many smart, inspiring people in one space, it’s important to set aside a few minutes to talk to each other about how to improve your neighborhood—what’s working, what’s not, and what you’d love to see in the future.
We heard from Andres Chopin from RootDown LA, who threw out a few ideas about getting young people energized.
We also had a chance to connect with Free Lots Angeles, which works with communities to transform vacant lots into health-promoting neighborhood resources, such as community gardens, parks, or playgrounds.
If you’re in L.A. and looking to hook up with an existing event on Neighborday, Free Lots Angeles will be turning a vacant lot into a pop-up park in Southeast L.A. from 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. at Central Avenue and 41 Street.
3. A way to keep track of each other
We posted a sign-up sheet so we could all stay in touch, hung up a bulletin board to promote each other’s causes, and handed out a few Neighborday toolkits—filled with ways to celebrate on April 25.
We also handed out a few nametags to encourage mingling.
Of course, the best part of a neighborhood throwdown is the part where we have fun. No pressure—just a chance to chill, maybe sip a michelada or two, and talk.
Whatever you do to celebrate, we know you’re going to take and share photos. So we hope you’ll share them on our new mobile platform, CTZN (and peek in on everyone else’s good times, too).
Partying and planning for #neighborday
A video posted by Craig Ogg (@cogggram) on
