#railcdc

Between 2012-2015, I was exposed to a lot of projects and folks in the community development space. As a community organizer, I found comprehensive community development was the next natural progression for getting things done for people in the neighborhood. Political organizing and activist work are good but the most real results I’ve seen that affect real people is community work that has solid outcomes that’s lead by empowering the community one is working in. I figure that it’s time more folks preach the gospel of neighborhood work and mutual aid. Last night RAILCDC hosted CommDev101: Community Development 101 - comprehensive community work that takes into consideration multiple approaches to better people lives. Elevating the idea that People have a right and a responsibility to control what happens to them and their neighborhood. Joel Bookman, a veteran CommDev professional and mentor came in from Chicago for this and I was reinvigorated. I took a few moments to look around the room and everyone was just quiet in thought, just listening and feeling the electricity in the truth of these concepts. Thanks to everyone that came out. Thanks to Joel Bookman for flying out. Thanks to LISC phoenix for your support. Thanks to K’é Community Labs for letting us use space. Thanks to Terry Benelli for bringing me into this work. #doitfortheneighborhood #railcdc #commdev #communitydevelopment #joelbookman #liscphoenix (at K'é Community Lab) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClBYKnAr9os/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Hello Hello to my West Mesa friends, fellow Local Business Owners, Community Organizers, Southside Neighborhood homies and more! You are formally invited to: The 1st annual Distrito Latino: ThanksFest! Saturday November 12th from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. @ Gift & Thrift 551 S Mesa Dr. Mesa, Az 85210 This is a wonderful thing. Community Organizers, RAIL CDC, Gift & Thrift, Az Asian Chamber of Commerce, and Az Fair Housing Center has been presented with a great opportunity. The objective of this opportunity is to bring the Distrito Latino community together and just thank each other for being who we are and for what we all do in the community. ThanksFest 2022 Eva Burch, Lorena Austin & Seth Blattman have graciously put together funding to throw this 1st annual Distrito Latino "ThanksFest" along with the partnership of a number of local organizations and small businesses. Food, beverages, and entertainment will be provided. Flyers are attached in English and Spanish. Please tell your neighbors and friends. Featured musical act: Rosies Pawn Shop (One of my favorite) #DoItForTheNeighborhood #railcdc #communitydevelopment #commUNITY Thank You, Gracias, Obrigado, Ryan David Winkle (602) 741-6465 (at Mesa Drive Az) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck3pYMBpqr0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Excited to see you all this Thursday! You don’t want to miss this! Community members, leaders, neighbors, business owners, and others are invited to learn about the Distrito Latino: Tools to Support Our Community, centered around the people, the places, the history and the research and engagement we have been doing in the Distrito Latino & Southside Neighborhoods on the Broadway Commercial Corridor in West Mesa for quite some time. RAILCDC.org #doitfortheneighborhood #railcdc https://www.instagram.com/p/Cius3hQro4G/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Join the neighbors and friends who care about Southside Mesa and @railcdc tonight! Let’s kick off this community driven project with tons of good energy bring your massive, wild project ideas. Register and join us tonight at 6:30pm and bring a friend to the @betterblock Southside Mesa project kickoff. After doing so much work in the Southside Neighborhoods from heat action planning in Care neighborhood to working with Muralist David Martinez and the murals at Guerrero Park and Thick Vato Tires, not to mention the countless hours of small business assistance in Distrito Latino Mesa on Broadway rd, RAIL CDC: Retail, Arts, Innovation & Livability CDC is super proud that Better Block chose our application for this project. Let’s gooooo! ALWAYS #DoItForTheNeighborhood The link for the website is: https://www.betterblock.org/southsidemesa Please take a moment to fill out this survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8P7NHScVkPnj84NSumJ56g5eXyTZe90i-3n62XwwT7kIKvg/viewform?usp=sf_link #RAILCDC #BetterBlock #distritolatino #southsidemesa #liscphx #santander #peopleoverproperty #commUNITY #doitfortheneighborhood https://www.instagram.com/p/CXgtyTwppL8/?utm_medium=tumblr

Come out this Saturday at 10am to 2:00pm and work on a community mural with local artists David Martínez, Scarlett Flores, Thick Vato Tries and neighbors. RAIL CDC place makers Carolina Aranibar Fernández and Jen Gastélum will be collecting stories and poems. Community Organizer Augie Gastélum will invite you to other community events and actions. This Saturday 12/11 at 10:00am at Thick Vato Tires & Wheels 41 E Broadway Rd, Mesa, AZ 85210 . Come one, come all, bring a friend for food, community art, and fellowship. ALWAYS #DoItForTheNeighborhood! #RAILCDC #SouthSideMesa #commUNITY #barriostories #artlotera #davidmartinez #scarlettflores #carolinaaranibarfernandez #augiegastelum #jengastelum #ryanwinkle #barriosunidos #razaculture #iheartmesa #liscphx #statefarm #rivernetwork #asuker (at Thick Vato Tires & Wheels) https://www.instagram.com/p/CXQHQVpLDMe/?utm_medium=tumblr

Im still on a community development (as I call it CommDev) high as I reminisce on the strong towns night in Mesa as hosted by @railcdc. It is not lost on me that this quick set up and Investment and participation by multiple like minded organizations and people is the product of years and years of trust building abs relationships. During my time as a councilmember and also in my many roles in the community from organizer, economic development, community development, various consultant roles etc one thing was always true. Just do the right thing for people in the way they (people) need it to happen. Find the quickest and simplest solution. Do it now. Repeat that process. Chuck had a slide that said this and while it seems so simple, it is not how it generally happens simply because government and institutions are not set up that way. When we started RAILCDC - Retail, Arts, Innovation & Livability Communtiy Development Corporation we were aiming at being an org that would act as a community guardian. One that would build trust and act with the permission and participation of those who are affected. Build the capacity and community know how for better results for the small businesses and people in the neighborhood. All these years later is feels good to walk around and be recognized by neighbors and business owners and to have them tell me their success stories. It feels good to know that all the actions we took and exorcize and experiments we tried had a positive result for people. 2020 was a ride. 2021 was system building and exponential growth. 2022 will be transformational. Let’s go! #railcdc #doitfortheneighborhood #commdev #commUNITY #economicdevelopment #iheartmesa #distritolatino #asiandistrictmesq #onlyonapache #peopleoverproperty #liscphoenix (at 12 West Brewing - Downtown Mesa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CWrEkSfh0cC/?utm_medium=tumblr

It seems like I’m in the neighborhoods, small business visits, community gatherings, scheming and dreaming better outcomes for families or doing the reporting on it 24/7 these days. RAIL CDC 501c3 (est 2013) is a place-based community development corporation that offers corridor development, small business technical assistance, and neighborhood organizing in LMI census tracts around public transit. Our mission is to Positively impact policies and systems that build wealth, pathways out of poverty, and help our community thrive. Current Programs include the Equitable Business Technical Assistance Program, Asian District Restaurant Entrepreneur Academy, Only On Apache Corridor Development Program, Distrito Latino Junta De Negocios, Southside Neighborhoods Barrio to Barrio & Neighborhood Platicas, CARE neighborhood Heat Action and Resilience planning, consultants of color coalition and our lending and financial preparation program for small businesses. #doitfortheneighborhood #railcdc #ilovemylife #livewithpurpose (at Tacos Mi Ranchito Mexican Grill) https://www.instagram.com/p/CWW9lELpTWe/?utm_medium=tumblr

Hello Friends and Fellow Neighborhood Guardians, You are receiving this message because you have in some way, somewhere, or somehow inspired and/or influenced me in my passion, inclusive community economic development. As one of the founders and Executive Director of RAIL CDC (Retail, Arts, Innovation & Livability Community Development Corporation) I couldn't be more proud of our recent, national recognition by the Brookings Institution regarding our community engagement work in West Mesa. Our little group has been working for many years with hundreds of small businesses and neighborhood residents to mitigate displacement. It has never been more important work than now. Check it out. Share it with people who need the inspiration to protect and change how their neighborhood is treated by current systems and power structures. The Brookings Institute just published a new blog in their Placemaking Postcard series co-authored by Augie Gastelum, founder of Patchwork Community Inclusion, and Ryan Winkle, executive director, RAIL Community Development Corporation. It is titled: Pláticas: How Mesa, Ariz. is combatting displacement with community conversations (We) RAIL Community Development Corporation, a community organization, have been setting up a series of Pláticas—or community conversations—in the Southside Neighborhoods of Mesa, Ariz. as the first goal in its anti-displacement programming, and we are now using the same strategy in Tempe's La Victoria neighborhood. While displacement is a widespread challenge in hot-market cities nationwide, we believe Mesa and Tempe, through inclusive, ground-up action, may be well-prepared to combat it. Our efforts to date have helped us strengthen relationships, build trust, and find the small wins that will encourage residents to engage to meet this difficult and complex challenge. Always, Do It For The Neighborhood! Read here: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2021/09/30/platicas-how-mesa-ariz-is-combatting-displacement-with-community-conversations/ #distritolatino #downtownmesa #railcdc #liscphoenix #displacement #gentrification #commUNITY (at Mesa, Arizona) https://www.instagram.com/p/CUwI2btrmUY/?utm_medium=tumblr