According to Transform 1012 N. Main Street Executive Director Carlos Gonzalez-Jaime,
“Transform 1012 N. Main Street (Transform 1012) is a nonprofit coalition of local arts, grassroots, and service organizations as well as pro bono partners and individuals working to transform 1012 N. Main Street, a former Ku Klux Klan auditorium, into The Fred Rouse Center for Arts and Community Healing. The Transform 1012 team models a pluricultural and shared leadership approach to acquiring, programming and managing The Center.
“The Fred Rouse Center will honor the life and memory of Mr. Fred Rouse, a Black butcher who was lynched by a white mob in Fort Worth in 1921, by returning resources to the communities that were targeted for marginalization and violence by the Ku Klux Klan, specifically Black, Catholic, Hispanic, Immigrant, Jewish and LGBTQ+ populations.
“In an act of reparative justice, we envision The Fred Rouse Center as a symbol of healing and reconciliation—a place that fosters understanding, empathy, and unity, and celebrates the arts and acts as a locus for social change. It is important to our mission that we create a beautiful and welcoming space, but beyond that, a cultural hub that serves our communities.
“Adaptive reuse plans include transforming the space into a vibrant cultural hub with state-of-the-art performance and rehearsal spaces; arts training and programming; services for LGBTQ+ and other resilient youth; exhibit spaces dedicated to social justice and civil rights; a maker space and tool library for local DIY classes; meeting spaces for racial equity and leadership workshops and community events; an outdoor urban agriculture and artisan marketplace; and affordable live/work spaces for artists- and entrepreneurs-in-residence.
“At Transform 1012, we believe that lasting change can only be achieved through the unity and support of the community. As we take the first steps toward our future vision and the architecture selection process unfolds, we invite you to actively partake in this project.
“Communities Foundation of Texas’ North Texas Giving Day helps us to come together and celebrate the impressive work being done by our community. For us, it’s an opportunity to strengthen our coalition, crowdsource community knowledge and widen our reach so we can maximize our impact.
“Transform 1012 is in the process of seeking a Design Architect who will be a partner in reimagining the processes for enacting the interrelationship between the built environment, city planning, neighborhoods and people. As we embark on the next phase of our selection process, we want to invite you to be an active voice in each phase of the transformation and community engagement. Please join us in embarking on a journey of truth-telling, healing and collective growth.”
* Photo credit: Allison V. Smith ** Photo credit: Timothy Brestowski *** Photo credit: Daniel Banks **** Graphic provided by Transform 1012 N. Main Street
In 14 years, Communities Foundation of Texas’ North Texas Giving Day has pumped more than $503 million into the North Texas community. In 2022, more than $62.6 million was raised through 94,385 donors benefiting over 3,210 area nonprofits.
On Thursday, September 21, support Transform 1012 by clicking here and spreading the word. #NTxGivingDay2023