Reviewed by: Pat Byington
Woodlawn selected neighborhood of the year by Neighborhoods USA
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Neighborhoods USA (NUSA) named Birmingham’s own Woodlawn Neighborhood Association neighborhood of the year at its national conference held in El Paso, Texas last month.
Woodlawn was chosen over 500 neighborhoods for the honor. Five Points was awarded second place for the Multi-Neighborhood Partnership category.
The movement’s origins
Woodlawn’s President Jason Avery credits the Litter and Trash Abatement Movement for the community’s success.
“I’ve always been the kind of person that tries to reinvent myself a lot. That quality in myself also makes me want to reinvent spaces. If you don’t show pride in your own neighborhood, you can’t expect other people to give you help as well.” ~ President of the Woodlawn Neighborhood and Community, Jason Avery.
According to Avery, the movement includes four parts:
- The Team Up 2 Clean Up initiative
- Piloting the smart trash receptacle project for the city of Birmingham
- Woodlawn’s Subcommittee for Illegal Dumping
- The Way, an alley, which the community converted into a 360 degree mural gallery for female artists.
Avery said the mural gallery will continue to grow throughout Woodlawn, eventually becoming an art trail.
More about Woodlawn
Woodlawn has a reputation for being a well-rounded community with a variety of flourishing businesses. Woodlawn Theater, a hybrid rock and roll and art deco auditorium, Slutty Vegan, a black-owned vegan hamburger restaurant, and The Wood, a vintage clothing and skate store, are all a part of its distinctive industrial area.
Other upcoming events in Woodlawn
Woodlawn will be hosting a Juneteenth Celebration at Bethel Baptist Church (3200 29th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35207), beginning at 3PM June 19. Here is a list of other summer events happening in Woodlawn.
