Blog

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Contact: Lashawn Farmer, RDA Director of Design and Expansion

434-791-0210

True North Speaker Series event empowers Black women with a celebration of strength, resilience, and sisterhood.

DANVILLE, VA — June 6th, 2024

In recognition of the invaluable contributions and indomitable spirit of Black women, The River District Association is thrilled to announce the upcoming event, "True North Speaker Series Celebration.” 

Together, let us celebrate the strength, resilience, and tenacity that define the essence of Black women entrepreneurship, economics, health and community development. Join us for an unforgettable event dedicated to honoring our past, embracing our present, and shaping a future where every Black woman can shine.

The River District Association, a nationally accredited Main Street Organization is committed to bringing its business district revitalization support to the North Main Business District. 

Lashawn Farmer, RDA Director of Expansion and Design says, "This is a historic moment, an opportunity for our region to witness the profound contributions of black and brown girls and women, shaping every aspect of our lives: from how we live and work, to how we play and pray.”

Event Details:

Date: June 19, 2024

Time: 4:00pm-8:30pm 

Location: Thee Arc Family Life Center

This landmark occasion aims to honor the multifaceted brilliance of Black women, offering a platform for dialogue, inspiration, and empowerment. With an unwavering commitment to fostering the North Main community, solidarity, and growth, this event promises to be a pivotal moment for all attendees.

Highlights of the Event Include:

Vendor Marketplace: Explore a vibrant marketplace featuring products and services from Black-owned businesses, health, education, job readiness and showcasing the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of the community.

Panel Discussions: Engage in thought-provoking discussions led by esteemed panelists, exploring topics ranging from leadership and entrepreneurship to wellness and social justice. Renowned speakers from diverse fields will deliver powerful insights, experiences, and wisdom garnered from their journeys.

Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow attendees, build meaningful relationships, and forge alliances that transcend boundaries.

Artistic Showcases: Experience the rich tapestry of Black culture through captivating performances, including music, and visual arts.

Oral History Recording: A space for older black women to sit down and discuss their life. All stories will be recorded and made into a video. 

Network Socialization: A created space for neighbors from diverse backgrounds to come together, network, and engage in meaningful discussions to enhance our community.

This event promises to inspiring, empowering and transformational for the whole community. Mark your calendars and reserve your spot today!

About the Organizers:

This event is organized by River District Association as an opportunity to advance the redevelopment of the Downtown and North Main Business District. The mission of RDA is to continue moving forward in the transformation of Danville's River District and North Main Business Corridor as a welcoming and lively place for all, while inspiring and influencing social and economic development for the great Dan River Region. 

This project was designed by a passionate team committed to uplifting and amplifying the voices of Black women. With a shared vision of creating inclusive spaces that celebrate diversity and empower individuals to thrive, we invite you to join us in this transformative journey.  This event celebrates Black women’s contributions to our community, but it is an event for everyone, ALL are welcome!

Registration Information:

Register online at https://bit.ly/RDATrueNorthRegistration. Registration is highly encouraged.

For media inquiries, or general information, please contact Lashawn Farmer at lashawn@riverdistrictassociation.com or 434-791-0210.

North Main Business District: Follow the North Main Business District Facebook page, or join the newsletter for updates and to join the conversation!

Facebook:  @NorthMainDistrict

Newsletter:
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/mFUpH18/NorthMainBusinessDistrict

#TrueNorthSpeakerSeries #RiverDistrictAssociation #NorthMainBusinessDistrict

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The River District Association was organized in 1999 as the Downtown Danville Association. In May 2015, the organization was renamed the River District Association to complement the City’s River District brand and is an accredited Virginia and National Main Street Community. The office is located at 208 N Union St, Danville VA.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: River District Association

Diana Schwartz, CEO

434-791-0210

RIVER DISTRICT ASSOCIATION DESIGNATED AS A 2024 ACCREDITED PROGRAM BY MAIN STREET AMERICA

DANVILLE, VA MAY 13, 2024– The River District Association (RDA) has been designated as an Accredited Main Street America program for meeting rigorous performance standards. Each year, Main Street America and its partners announce the list of designated programs to recognize their exceptional commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach™.

In 2023, the Main Street America programs generated $5.68 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 6,630 net new businesses, facilitated the creation of 35,162 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 10,556 historic buildings, and leveraged 1,664,763 volunteer hours. On average, for every dollar that a Main Street program spent to support their operations, it generated $18.03 of new investment back into their downtown and commercial corridor communities.

“We are incredibly excited to celebrate this year’s 800 Accredited Main Street America programs, and their remarkable efforts to reenergize their local economies and public spaces,” said Main Street America President and CEO Erin Barnes. “Main Street leaders are visionaries that see things that no one else can see and create the future world we all want to live in. The size and impact of our network demonstrates that great things happen when visions are realized through strategic, grassroots collaboration.”

RDA’s performance was evaluated through assessments conducted by the organization’s personnel and board of directors, and Virginia Main Street which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify local programs that meet rigorous national community evaluation standards.

These standards provide the Main Street America network with a strong foundational framework to review progress, recognize strengths, understand trends, and identify strategies that move Main Street programs forward. To quality for Accredited status—Main Street America’s top designation tier—communities must demonstrate a proven track record of achieving outcomes in alignment with the Main Street Approach and exceptional performance in six areas: broad-based community commitment to revitalization; inclusive leadership and organizational capacity; diversified funding and sustainable program operations; strategy-driven programming; preservation-based economic development; and demonstrated impact and results.

"The River District Association is proud to be part of Main Street America and Virginia Main Street. These designations are not easy to acquire or retain, and we are thrilled that RDA has earned the title of "Accredited Main Street" for the 10th year in a row," said Diana Schwartz, CEO of the River District Association. "Hundreds of communities across the country have used the Main Street Approach to successfully organize their work in historic downtown and commercial business district revitalization for more than 40 years, and we are proud to be part of that legacy.”

For a deeper look at the program’s accomplishments, and stories about River District businessowners and stakeholders, browse the RDA Annual Report at: https://www.riverdistrictassociation.com/about/annual-report

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ABOUT RIVER DISTRICT ASSOCIATION

The River District Association (RDA), formerly Downtown Danville Association, was formed in 1999 to coordinate efforts to revitalize the downtown Danville, Virginia community, now called the River District. Since 2016, RDA and the City of Danville have enjoyed accredited status under the National and Virginia Main Street Programs; the program and accreditation are recognized nationally as one of the most successful formulas for downtown revitalization. For more information visit www.riverdistrictassociation.com.

ABOUT MAIN STREET AMERICA

Main Street America leads a movement committed to strengthening communities through preservation-based economic development in older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. For more than 40 years, Main Street America has provided a practical, adaptable, and impactful framework for community-driven, comprehensive revitalization through the Main Street Approach™. Our network of more than 1,600 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Since 1980, communities participating in the program have generated more than $107.62 billion in new public and private investment, generated 175,323 net new businesses and 782,059 net new jobs, rehabilitated more than 335,675 buildings, and levered over 35.3 million volunteer hours. Main Street America is a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For more information, visit mainstreet.org.

Read the May 2024 RDA Newsletter HERE.

Read the April 2024 RDA Newsletter HERE.

Read the March 2024 RDA Newsletter HERE.