PEASLEE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER INC
215 East 14th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 www.peasleecenter.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: Peaslee Neighborhood Center is a peaceful place in Over-the-Rhine where residents create and engage in participatory education to foster creative expression, self-determination, and social change.

Community education programs are anchored in the belief that education is the foundation of activism. This program lifts up those community voices that are too often left out of mainstream media and public decision-making. Neighborhood residents and community members share stories and perspectives that form the backbone of our community curriculum for external groups. Sevice Learning & Community Education: In 2019, Peaslee facilitated Community Journeys, Affordable Housing Simulations, and service learning activities for groups visiting Over-the-Rhine to learn about issues of race and class in the community. Our Community Journey walking tours of Over-the-Rhine invite visitors to engage with neighborhood spaces through a social justice lens, against the backdrop of a lesser-known community history. Our Urban Plunge program offers a day-of-service model for large groups that includes a neighborhood orientation, volunteer work, and group reflection. 790 participants from 13 schools, universities, and other groups participated in these programs. Urban Cohort and Over-the-Rhine Residency Program: Our deep partnership with Miami University offers students the opportunity to build community knowledge and social justice concerns into their academic studies through mentorship, public engagement, and work experience. The Urban Cohort program explores structural injustice and social change with future urban professionals. This year a record of local residents served as Community Mentors co-teaching in Peaslee's Urban Cohort junior seminar. Community Building and Organizing projects include coalition work with other social justice oriented organizations and aims to strengthen partnerships and resources for improving the public policies and practices of our city. Keep Our Courts: Do Development Differently Campaign AS part of the coalition's ongoing work to protect and invest in public space while priortizing community voice and benefits, Peaslee engaged in 215 community stakeholders through surveys and door-to-door canvassing. The resulting community input was analyzed and shared with all survey respondents, 3 community councils, 3 City departments, and all City Council members. We also connected with 320 community members through engagement events including a Gardening Night, Outdoor Movie Night, and Community Campfire. Equitable Development Rubric Toolkit: Peaslee has educated and engaged 500 Cincinnati residents around using the toolkit to evaluate development projects. This includes the leadership of eight community councils. The rubric toolkit was endorsed by 12 organizations;featured in 5 print, radio and podcast media outlets; and presented at 11 public events. The rubric is also one of four equitable development initiatives advanced by the Communities Act Now PLATFORM.

Art & Music Enrich Program: Peaslee's Piano Program provides affordable private piano lessons to students ages 6 and up, with priority for families with low income in Over-the-Rhine and other urban core neighborhoods. Over spring, summer, and fall 2019, our four paid instructors taught 48 students, including 10 first-time piano students. More than 200 people heard students play in recitals and other community programs throughout the year. Students also participated in two Master Classes with professional pianists through a partnership with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. African Drumming classes were offered as an enrichment curriculum for our 44 summer camp participants ages 6-15 to help build music appreciation, cultural awareness, teamwork, and mentoring. Writing Circles served 53 youth and adults altogether. In each circle, participants read inspirational texts, wrote their own creative responses and shared their writing with the group. Girls Writing Circles were offered throughout the school year for students in grades 4-6 at Rothenberg Prepartory Academy. At the end of each semester, the girls shared their writing at community showcases, and several of their poems were published in Streetvibes. 2019 was the first year writing circles were included both in Rothenberg's summer school curriculum and as a curriculum extension for Peaslee Kids participants ages 8-10. The Justice Seekers Woomen's Writing Circle continued to offer women a space to reflect on poetry, follow their muse and affirm the voices of sister writers.

Peaslee Summer Camps: Peaslee Kids Summer Camp provided a safe, supportive space for positive youth development, learning and fun for children ages 6-10 from Over-the-Rhine and other urban core neighborhoods. The camp was led by caring, experienced teachers, familiar with campers living in our community. Following group discussions of different aspects of social justice, campers presented their ideas for how to solve issues like bullying, poverty, and animal cruelty. Peaslee Kids also participated weekly in Brazilian drumming, swimming, and gardening lessons, along with local field trips. In addition, campers ages 8-10 met for weekly writing circles. Campers showcased their writing and other learnings at a public showcase for their families and community members.

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