Since its inception in January,
On the Ground has worked to tell the stories of some of Memphis’ neighborhoods. For the past few months, we’ve gotten to know the people of Binghampton and the hard work it takes to build the community into a great neighborhood.
Join us October 25 when we gather to learn what smart neighborhoods can learn from Binghampton.
Binghampton is a culturally rich and diverse community that sits at the center of Memphis. Yes, geographically its location is central in the Bluff City but the racial diversity of the neighborhood in many ways makes it central to what Memphis is and can become.
Binghampton’s story is shaped by diversity. To better understand the diversity of Memphis drive the streets of Binghampton and listen. You’ll hear conversations in Spanish, Nepali, English, Vietnamese or one of the indigenous languages of Sudan. Binghampton’s rich culture is formed by the melting pot that is the neighborhood.
Of course that variety in languages and cultural backgrounds can form natural walls in the community. But Onie Johns and Caritas Village encourages everyone in the neighborhood to
come together to live in community. The Commons on Merton
houses several nonprofit organizations and is the meeting place for a variety of denominations and faiths.
Centro Cultural focuses on
arts for the growing Latino community in Memphis, but a variety of immigrants from other cultures also attend the weekly classes.
Willie Baldwin’s early life was on a downward spiral, but a few moments of fate corrected his path. Today, his work with Eikon Ministries has the strategy of
building leaders in Binghampton. Baldwin’s Club Nathan is a safe haven for the neighborhood’s youth.
The Binghampton neighborhood serves as an example of how those who live and work in it can bring the community together.
Join us on Oct. 25 at The Commons on Merton (258 N. Merton St.) for
What Smart Neighborhoods Can Learn From Binghampton. The reception begins at 5:30 p.m. and is followed by a panel discussion at 6.
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