Urban Roots
32 Episodes
BONUS: Forging a Path for Preservation-Based Economic Development
Lejuano Varnell is the co-founder of the Historic African American Neighborhood and District Summit, HAANDS, and the executive director of Sweet Auburn Works, which does preservation-based economic development along the historic Auburn Avenue corridor in Atlanta.
We met Lejuano when we were in Atlanta for the first, in-person HAANDS, and were lucky enough to receive a tour from him of Auburn Avenue, which is home to many historic African American sites, such as the Atlanta Daily World building and the Prince Hall Masonic Lodge . We were really inspired by the work he and the landowners on the Avenue are doing to make sure it remains a hub of African American culture and entrepreneurship moving forward. In this conversation, Lejuano breaks down their approach — which weaves both tactical programs and narrative storytelling — and gives us some insight into the future of HAANDS.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Sweet Auburn Works
- HAANDS
- HAANDs Summit 2021: America's Black Wall Street w/ Dr. Jelani Cobb and Hannibal Johnson
- Sweet Auburn Bread Company
- Main Street America
Credits:
Thank you to Lejuano Varnell. This episode was edited by Vanessa Quirk and Connor Lynch and mixed by Connor Lynch. Our music is by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Your hosts are Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Quirk.
Social MediaHandles
IG: @_haands / @sweetauburnworks
TW: @_haands / @sweetauburnwork
LN: HAANDS / Sweet Auburn Works
Audiogram - Audio
“The more you uplift the place-based narrative … the harder it is to erase it.”
Lejuano Varnell is the co-founder of @_haands — the Historic African American Neighborhood and District Summit — and the executive director of @sweetauburnworks. Every day, he does whatever it takes to improve his historic Atlanta corridor — and make it a place where small African American businesses can thrive. Listen to our full episode to hear more about Lejuano and how he’s building on the work of his predecessors to strike a path for preservation-based economic development in Atlanta — and beyond.
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