# Quite a Year! | Urban Juncture

- Canonical URL: https://wefunder.com/feed/160685
- Entity ID: wefunder:feed_item:160685
- Published at: 2023-01-20 07:21:33 UTC
- Updated at: 2025-07-09 03:22:50 UTC

## Author
Bernard Loyd

## Subject
Urban Juncture

## Content
Dear Friends:Last year was busy and productive, with the year bookended by two key contributions.In March, the Mellon Foundation made a $1 million commitment to rehabilitation of The Forum's West Annex. Their support coupled with several smaller investments we've been able to secure over the past 2-3 years should allow us to bring retail and culture back into the 318-322 East 43rd Street slots in the second half of this year. It will be a great start to reestablishing The Forum as a central hub of Black culture in Chicago.In mid-December, We Rise Together For a Just and Equitable Recovery informed us that we would receive a $1.5 million grant towards completing our culinary facility at 51st Street and Prairie Avenue. We started this work more than 15 years ago, but the challenges of working with the City of Chicago in a neighborhood starved of capital had stymied completion. With the We Rise Together support and a final push to unlock resources committed by the City a decade ago we expect to be able to build out the remaining slots of our building and complete this stage of our Bronzeville Cookin' initiative.The time between the bookends was full of activity. Our team at the Bronzeville Incubator (now including an 'Illinois Small Business Development Center at Build Bronzeville', the Bronzeville Culinary Connection, and the Creative Incubator) expanded their work supporting local entrepreneurs, particularly in the culinary and creative sectors. Boxville continued its growth as a uniquely accessible enterprise accelerator and place maker. And our Engage Bronzeville initiative is deepening its role with hyperlocal 'Bronzeville Fit' activities and 'B is for Bronzeville', our new newsletter about all things Bronzeville.Throughout this work our biggest challenge - other than securing capital - is finding talent. We currently are seeking senior leaders for our Creative Incubator, Boxville, and Operations (so send references my way!). We also found time to celebrate. We celebrated the 5th anniversary of Boxville in June with cake, a bustling market, and much more! A key Fall highlight was our 'Sneaker Ball' celebration of the 125th anniversary of The Forum's 9.28.1897 opening. We enjoyed a magical Forum Hall evening (and the first such event in a half century!) capped off by the premiere of our short documentary, 'The Forum: Reclaiming Bronzeville'. Check it out! Thank you for your support and Happy New Year!BernardP.S. Your 2022 interest payment should have been credited to your Wefunder account on December 30.