On Sunday, March 17th, hundreds of community residents will be joined by Mayor Bob Filner, Councilmember David Alvarez and countless civic leaders and supporters to celebrate the grand opening of a new, multi-cultural neighborhood market in the City of San Diego. The market, Sobreruedas en el Barrio, is an initiative spearheaded by neighborhood residents working with Casa de Vecinos Organizados (CVO), a resident-organizing group, and the Greater Logan Heights Community Partnership (GLHCP), a collaborative of community based organizations advancing grassroots community development in Greater Logan Heights.
In spring 2012, over 150 residents of Greater Logan Heights participated in the First Annual Leadership Institute presented by Casa de Vecinos Organizados. Throughout the course of six months, residents participated in workshops that covered topics, including: immigration, education, employee rights, tenants’ rights, and more. Institute participants also had the opportunity to take part in community forums/ actions, which successfully mobilized the community to push for important policy changes. 60 residents graduated from the Leadership Institute, and soon after, these resident leaders put their new skills into action by envisioning and planning a community project that would help improve the quality of life for all residents and build a more sustainable community.
Through the support of a $60,000 grant received by Local Initiatives Support Corporation-San Diego (LISC), resident leaders now have the opportunity to turn their vision into a reality, with the establishment of the first, resident-driven Sobreruedas in the City of San Diego. Inspired by the concept of the flea markets/tianguis in México, the Sobreruedas en el Barrio is a multi-layered event that combines a pleasant shopping experience with opportunities to participate in educational workshops, healthy food demonstrations, as well as an opportunity to spend time with friends and family. The Sobreruedas en el Barrio is located along 30th Street, between Imperial Avenue and K Street, and will be held every other Sunday, starting March 17th. The market will feature more than 20 vendors with a wide array of items from fresh produce, prepared food, clothing, jewelry, handmade arts/crafts, home décor and more.
“This community project is the brainchild of a group of citizens whose wish is to improve the quality of life for their families while helping to stimulate the local economy,” stated Genoveva Aguilar, Founder of Casa de Vecinos Organizados. “I am proud to see how the hard work from these committed residents has helped turn their vision into a reality.”
The grand opening festivities begin promptly at 10:00am with a ribbon cutting ceremony, followed by a labor rights workshop, a zumba class, and finally a health food demonstration presented by the SNAPED Program of the County of San Diego.