Artward Initiative 501 (c) (3) non-profit: Love My Neighbor at Carson Sheriff's Station Community Night

Our work on Love My Neighbor Project in The City of Carson, California have truly made us an indispensable part of the community. Nowhere was it on greater or more exciting display than at the recent Carson Sheriff's Station Community Night Out.

Carson Sheriff's Station and its nationally celebrated Gang Diversion Team (GDT) have been a long term collaborator and partner in our Love My Neighbor Project. As a mater of fact the very decision to make the most difficult Carson neighborhood of "Scottsdale" the focus of program's outreach was made after close consultations, meetings and input by Carson Sheriff's GDT. We treasure our collaboration and when the station invited us to bring our "Love My Neighbor Day "Scottsdale" Art Tent as part of the celebration we were thrilled.

The night became a great celebration of the Carson community spirit! Thank you, Captain Jones for an inspiring work by the station!

Carson Sheriff's Station Chief Captain Jones

Project Lead Artist Alexey Steele and Jawane Hilton, Mayor Pro Tem, District 1

Member of Artward Initiative Board Sadie Dix and Captain Jones

a very meaningful moment, considering the history of the neighborhood

Thank you to great volunteers of Phillips 66 for all the hard work of making

the kids art tent operation run smooth

Project Lead Artist Alexey Steele and Arleen Bocatija Rojas,

Council Member District 4

Long time "Scottsdale" community activist and Member of

Artward Initiative Board Sadie Dix

Summary of Core Organizational Programs and Services

Artward Initiative, a 501 c(3) non profit organization, organizes and conducts cultural and educational projects, public art and social action programs in underserved communities of color that promote cultural diversity and encourage greater understanding among different cultures. Programs are centered around enhancement of community’s quality of life through art, cultural and educational projects. We are focused on public arts education initiatives that contribute to the positive development of underserved young people and young people at risk.

We received grants from Library of Congress Open World Project. Received a grant from the Levitt Foundation to promote classical music through public spaces for everyone to experience the performing arts. Organized and promoted free classical music concerts that reached out to people of all ages and backgrounds, to ensure classical music is accessible to all through high quality, free concerts to strengthen the community and social interaction, the culturally engaged projects that changed the perception of the community through art such as Carson based "Classical Underground". In the last five years we conduct "Love My Neighbor" public art projects in the disadvantaged community of color - "Scottsdale" neighborhood of Carson where we established a non-profit Artward! Gallery "Scottsdale." Provided free art consultations to youth at risk as part of Gang Diversion program. Provided local community with free art education programs. Our focus is art as tool of community turn-around.

In 2017 and 2018 we have received grants from the Wells Fargo Foundation. In 2018 we have received prestigious Cultural Pathways Grant from the California Arts Council to increase the reach of our community outreach projects in the City of Carson. In 2019 we have received grant from the Bank of America Foundation and organized a number of events together with their Better Money Habits team.

For its community building impact, our program, Love My Neighbor Public Art Project in the Scottsdale Neighborhood of Carson, has been authoritatively recognized as a prestigious 2019 California Park & Recreation Society (CPRS) Award of Excellence recipient in the important Creating Community Award of Excellence category.

Over the last years we worked with well recognized community leaders / organizations: City of Carson City Hall, Bank of America Better Money Habits, Mission EbenEzer Community Art Center, the Bridges International Learning Center & International Institute of Tolerance. We presented our programs at the large public events including the LA's iconic Taste of Soul, the City of Carson public events Earth Day, Black History Month, Backpack Giveaway, Hispanic Heritage Day, Community Friendship Day.

Love My Neighbor at Carson Sheriff's Station Community Night - A True Celebration of Community Spirit

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