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February 17, 2005
WHAT'S UP EVERYBODY!!!?!!! I picked up the keys to the youth center last week!! 1599 Central Parkway, at the corner of Central Parkway and Liberty, is the new home for the Hip Hop Youth Arts Center!! We signed a lease, are putting in a funding request for the $17,300 we've matched so far from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation grant, and are really moving now! We signed a contract with an architect, started taking measurements of the space, and now need your input to decide how we move forward. I'd love to show the place to as many people as possible, so give me a call if you want to come take a look, and keep your eye out for upcoming brainstorming sessions this month that will help us pick the layout of the space. Here's a quick update on where we're at today... We'll be putting out a survey this week with the top 5 names chosen by youth all over Cincinnati. After 500 surveys with youth choosing their favorite name, we'll tally the votes and pick a name for the HHYAC!! MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD BY VOTING ONLINE NOW! We're in the process of setting up a contest to design a logo for the center once we’ve got a new name. The contest will be for high school students in Cincinnati, with cash and product prizes for the top three designs! Then, the winner will work with a local design firm to get the logo ready for all our imprints from business cards to an outside awning! If you anyone that might be interested in sponsoring this contest, let me know. Look for details coming soon... The architects, Brashear Bolton, will be working on completing permit drawings for the space because we need to get a change of use for assembly to make everything legit. We should know on Wednesday a final, REAL, opening date (should be in February!) We're getting trainings set up with Lighthouse Youth Services for our main unpaid staff and volunteers, purchasing the main studio and office computers this week, working on scheduling hip hop based workshops and classes, and getting a volunteer intake process going. Look for all the details soon. The Smith Family Foundation committed $7,000 of matching funds to the Hip Hop Youth Arts Center!! Thanks so much for your support!! And of course, we're still looking for support to make the center bigger and better for all the 14-24 year olds in Cincinnati! Please consider making a holiday gift to CONTROL. We have $12,000 yet to raise in matching funds for the Greater Cincinnati Foundation. Which means every single dollar you give will be mean 2 dollars for the center! You can send checks to the address below, or contribute online by going to the newly updated www.natiyouthcenter.org! We are also now ready to begin accepting in-kind donations, so if you've got chairs, desks, couches, spray paint, records, cds, books, computer equipment, ANYTHING you think we could use, please let me know. See our WISHLIST for more ideas. I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving holiday, and that people can share in my excitement! Thanks to everyone for their support so far, it's amazing that we've come this far. Peace, Gavin Leonard Director @ Elementz: The Hip Hop Youth Arts Center 513.721.5800 work 513.266.1508 cell gavin.youthcenter@fuse.net
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