December 01, 2021 |
A report by the Kansas Health Foundation (KHF) determined the Hispanic population in Kansas is expected to grow by 287 percent in the next 40 years. Given this statistic, Empower has teamed up with WF and KHF to deeply engage with our North End residents, who are primarily Hispanic and Latino, to build a collective vision for future growing needs.
¡Vamos Nomar! is a multi-year, community-led visioning process to reimagine the neighborhood and activate underutilized properties, such as the historic Nomar Theater and the Nomar Plaza.
The effort is supported with a $150,000 grant from the Knight Foundation Fund at WF and a $50,000 grant from KHF. Since announcement of the work, other funders have contributed, including United Way of the Plains.
“If we want to see long-term improvement in the community, it starts with listening to the neighborhood,” said WF Chief Strategy Officer Courtney Bengtson. “Working alongside Empower and expanding the table for residents to lead the process will truly design what’s important to the Hispanic and Latino community.”
In October 2021, we gathered at the Nomar Plaza area to kick off the ¡Vamos Nomar! initiative with community activities. From a small set of leaders who rolled up their sleeves to prepare tacos to Pintando el Futuro, where community members helped with a paint-by-the-numbers mural on Nomar Theater’s parking lot, the North End was filled with energy.
“Placemaking is a valuable instrument in the community development toolbox to revitalize underutilized areas into welcoming places representative of local residents,” said Bengtson. “This initiative will not only dive deep to sustainably grow the North End, but it will also generate greater cultural understanding throughout Wichita.”
