GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A project in Grand Rapids hopes to change the stigma when it comes to black and brown communities with one repair at a time.
“Well they say it takes a community to raise a village, so with that being said, I feel like we have enough people in the community to do all the things we bicker about,” Brandy Kimbrel, founder of Neighborhood Activation Project, explained.
“Most, you know, in an inner-city community, they [have to] enjoy the environment when they walk out of it, like what they see, right?” added Ricardo O’Neil II with Neighborhood Activation Project. “And if they see no hope, you know, saying it’s hard for them to have hope, you know, saying they see no value. It’s hard for them to have value, right?”
The group aims to give hope and value with projects that help business owners and community members in black and brown neighborhoods through cleanups and repairs.
“I assist them with grass being cut, brush being removed, trees, whatever it is. Trash, whatever it is. We make sure it’s gathered up and cleaned up and looks real nice,” Larry Jones with Neighborhood Activation Project told FOX 17.
One of the businesses the project helped is Backdoor BBQ.
The owner, Lloyd Nelson, bought the building in 2021. Although they’ve had great support, the building is up for sale already.
“I still get people to say, ‘wow, I didn’t really want to stop right by all the time,’ but it’s the area, you know? It’s a lot of work to be done,” Nelson explained.
Nelson says he appreciates what the Neighborhood Activation Project is doing by investing in the community.
“I kind of feel the same way they do, you know, we don’t want to have that stigma. We’re on the southeast side that, you know, we don’t want anyone to come over here. It’s not, you know, crime ridden or stuff like that, so you know I like what they’re doing,” Nelson added.
“We don’t want to be on this side of town and it looks bad. And then over on this side, it looks great. We want it to be equal with everybody. We need the opportunity to have equal use that everyone has,” Jones explained.
The Neighborhood Activation Project will host an event Saturday to sign up more service workers and volunteers.
There will also be food and fun for the whole family.
The event runs from 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. at 1439 Eastern in Grand Rapids.
