We are a small but ambitious organization; our goal is to preserve the history of our area, with a special emphasis of seeking out untold/undertold stories of Garland's diverse community. After producing (in 2021) a dynamic original musical drama, "The Cactus Chronicles", that focused on Garland's original Latino family—the Valles—who settled in our town almost a century ago and trailblazed for other Latinos to follow, we concurrently published a 232-page cookbook with a full-color cover, containing the history of Garland's Latino community as told through its recipes and the narratives accompanying them. Our goal was to uplift the visibility and respect in the community for Garland's largest people group.
As an outgrowth of all this, we received a Texas Historical Marker commemorating the significance of the Valle family to the community. Thanks to North Texas Giving Day, we raised funds to pay for this aluminum marker, which we installed in a meaningful ceremony in Garland in May 2023.
Now we turn our attentions to Garland's Black community through the production of an original musical drama about The Flats, a historic settlement that existed in Garland from just after the turn of the last century until the early 1960s. Situated on downtown tracts now occupied by Garland's City Hall and Cultural Arts facilities, the Flats once was a free-standing neighborhood with its own school, churches, businesses, and homes, not untypical in the segregated South. It was the cradle of Garland's African-American community during that time period. Portraying through drama and song this lively, vibrant, resolute community that persevered through hardship will enable citizens to learn about this largely unknown segment of our town's history. Through North Texas Giving Day we seek gifts totaling $2,500 to help offset the cost of this production.
As a young organization with a packed agenda, funding is our organization's primary need. We have no paid staff. Office and other expenses are paid by directors so that every penny raised goes for programs and special projects. We would sincerely appreciate any size donation. We would welcome an individual or business to underwrite this project. The Friends of Magic 11th Street organization will give proper recognition for all gifts.
Friends of Garland's Historic Magic 11th Street exists primarily as a Nonprofit Corporation to preserve, promote, revitalize, and increase awareness of the residential and business potential and opportunities on 11th Street (both North and South) in the downtown area of the City of Garland, Texas. (South 11th Street is the original Garland Avenue, platted and named in 1913 and expanded in later years.) A secondary purpose of Friends is to inspire, motivate, assist, and lead by example for the entire Downtown Garland District (Garland Road on the west; West Avenue D on the south; First Street on the east; and Walnut on the north) and other geographical sites within the City of Garland. A special emphasis of the Friends organization is to help underrepresented groups in our city to be recognized with historic markers, programs, and in the performing arts as a means of preserving their history and telling their untold/undertold stories.
Friends of Garland's Historic Magic 11th Street seeks to produce original musical drama about The Flats, a historic Black settlement that existed in downtown Garland from just after the turn of the last century until the early 1960s. The Flats once was a free-standing neighborhood with its own school, churches, businesses, and homes—the cradle of Garland's African-American community during that time period. this largely unknown segment of our town's history. Through North Texas Giving Day we seek gifts totaling $2,500 to help offset the cost of this production that will tell a largely unknown segment of our town's history.
We are fully committed to being proactive in the area of race equity, working toward identifying areas in our community where the history of groups in our community have not been fully told and remedying this situation where possible. We will be sensitive toward race inequity wherever we find it and keep this at the forefront of all aspects of our operations and programs. Our goal is that our organization reach out and benefit the lot of all people.
Organization name
Friends of Garland's Historic Magic 11th Street
Causes
Arts, Culture & Humanities, Community Improvement, Racial Equity
Operating Budget
Less than $100,000
Counties Served
Dallas
BIPOC Serving
Black or African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic or Latinx, Native American
BIPOC Leadership
Board Chair
Equity Statement
Equity Statement
Address
313 S. 11th Street