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Rethink, Repurpose, Listen
Though incorporated only 134 years ago, Phoenix is now the sixth largest city in the nation, home to nearly 1.6 million people within its boundaries. Compared to her older “top six” siblings – New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia – Phoenix is geographically the second largest, with over 500 square miles of incorporated land, while accommodating the lowest density, with just under 3,000 people per square mile. Comparatively, Phoenix is a moody teenager desperately trying to grow up. The fast pace of recent development and enormous growth, in a relatively short timeframe, likens this city to a gawky teen, complete with a “body” that is awkwardly larger than its current level of control and poise can effectively manage. This teen, though physically large enough, is certainly not yet a “full-grown” metropolis. There have been several rapid-fire population booms in the short history of Phoenix, bringing large numbers of transplants to...
Though incorporated only 134 years ago, Phoenix is now the sixth largest city in the nation, home to nearly 1.6 million people within its boundaries. Compared to her older “top six” siblings – New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia – Phoenix is geographically the second largest, with over...
Though incorporated only 134 years ago, Phoenix is now the sixth largest city in the nation, home to nearly 1.6 million people within its boundaries. Compared to her older “top six” siblings – New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and...
Though incorporated only 134 years ago, Phoenix is now the sixth largest city in the nation, home to nearly 1.6 million people within its boundaries....
Though incorporated only 134 years ago, Phoenix is now the sixth largest city in the nation, home to nearly 1.6 million people within its boundaries. Compared to her older “top six” siblings – New York,...
Though incorporated only 134 years ago, Phoenix is now the sixth largest city in the nation, home to nearly 1.6 million people within its boundaries. Compared to her older “top six” siblings – New York,...
Though incorporated only 134 years ago, Phoenix is now the sixth largest city in the nation, home to nearly 1.6 million people within its boundaries. Compared to her older “top six” siblings – New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia – Phoenix is geographically the second largest, with over 500 square miles of incorporated land, while accommodating the lowest density, with just under 3,000 people per square mile. Comparatively, Phoenix is a moody teenager desperately trying to grow up. The fast pace of recent development and enormous growth, in a relatively short timeframe, likens this city to a gawky teen,...
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Going Analog
Nearly everyone has a digital camera or at least a phone with a camera these days, but that doesn’t mean that film photography is completely a thing of the past. Independent photo labs like Phoenix Photo Lab and Tempe Camera, as well as a few large companies, such as Walgreens and Costco, still offer film processing in the Phoenix area, and some local photographers prefer film photography over digital. “[My friend] let me use her camera one day and I just fell in love with it over digital – I don’t know why,” local photographer Sheldon Chambers said. “It brought back that little kid memory of looking at film and at the rolls, and I hadn’t done that since.” Though major imaging company Kodak has seen a decline in its assets in the last decade – from $9.18 million in 2008 to $2.56 million in 2014 – film photography still has a measurable...
Nearly everyone has a digital camera or at least a phone with a camera these days, but that doesn’t mean that film photography is completely a thing of the past. Independent photo labs like Phoenix Photo Lab and Tempe Camera, as well as a few large companies, such as Walgreens and...
Nearly everyone has a digital camera or at least a phone with a camera these days, but that doesn’t mean that film photography is completely a thing of the past. Independent photo labs like Phoenix Photo Lab and Tempe Camera, as...
Nearly everyone has a digital camera or at least a phone with a camera these days, but that doesn’t mean that film photography is completely...
Nearly everyone has a digital camera or at least a phone with a camera these days, but that doesn’t mean that film photography is completely a thing of the past. Independent photo labs like Phoenix Photo...
Nearly everyone has a digital camera or at least a phone with a camera these days, but that doesn’t mean that film photography is completely a thing of the past. Independent photo labs like Phoenix Photo...
Nearly everyone has a digital camera or at least a phone with a camera these days, but that doesn’t mean that film photography is completely a thing of the past. Independent photo labs like Phoenix Photo Lab and Tempe Camera, as well as a few large companies, such as Walgreens and Costco, still offer film processing in the Phoenix area, and some local photographers prefer film photography over digital. “[My friend] let me use her camera one day and I just fell in love with it over digital – I don’t know why,” local photographer Sheldon Chambers said. “It brought back that...
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Being Good Neighbors
It’s 7:00 a.m. and the volunteers are ready to work; one has even started pulling weeds in the front yard. But a few unanswered knocks on the door make the crew rethink their timing. This home belongs to an elderly lady who heard about Tempe Neighbors Helping Neighbors (TNHN) through a friend. A few minutes later, that same friend arrives and informs the group leader that the side gate is unlocked. Volunteers grab their rakes, ladders, and bags and make their way to the backyard. Everyone somehow knows their task and immediately starts removing the accrual of pine needles from the yard and rain gutters. Beads of sweat are already running their course down my back and I’m even standing in the shade. The heat is not even a topic discussed among the volunteers. Instead, there is an unmistakable feeling of camaraderie as the group continues raking and removing the pine...
It’s 7:00 a.m. and the volunteers are ready to work; one has even started pulling weeds in the front yard. But a few unanswered knocks on the door make the crew rethink their timing. This home belongs to an elderly lady who heard about Tempe Neighbors Helping Neighbors (TNHN) through...
It’s 7:00 a.m. and the volunteers are ready to work; one has even started pulling weeds in the front yard. But a few unanswered knocks on the door make the crew rethink their timing. This home belongs to an elderly...
It’s 7:00 a.m. and the volunteers are ready to work; one has even started pulling weeds in the front yard. But a few unanswered knocks...
It’s 7:00 a.m. and the volunteers are ready to work; one has even started pulling weeds in the front yard. But a few unanswered knocks on the door make the crew rethink their timing. This...
It’s 7:00 a.m. and the volunteers are ready to work; one has even started pulling weeds in the front yard. But a few unanswered knocks on the door make the crew rethink their timing. This...
It’s 7:00 a.m. and the volunteers are ready to work; one has even started pulling weeds in the front yard. But a few unanswered knocks on the door make the crew rethink their timing. This home belongs to an elderly lady who heard about Tempe Neighbors Helping Neighbors (TNHN) through a friend. A few minutes later, that same friend arrives and informs the group leader that the side gate is unlocked. Volunteers grab their rakes, ladders, and bags and make their way to the backyard. Everyone somehow knows their task and immediately starts removing the accrual of pine needles from...
Read MorePhoenix Festival of the Arts 2015
December 11-13 Hance Park Phoenix Festival of the Arts packs three full days with live arts and entertainment, plus over...
Read MoreTurning Trash into Treasure
Every year in early July, just as the summer heat has taken ahold of the Valley, the winds shift and...
Every year in early July, just as the summer heat has taken ahold of the...
Every year in early July, just as the summer heat has taken ahold...
Every year in early July, just as the summer heat...
Every year in early July, just as the...
Every year in early July, just as the summer heat has taken ahold of the Valley, the winds shift and monsoon season begins. Each afternoon, we look out to the east looking for clouds to come and give us respite from the blazing sun. The first few showers are welcome and the thunder and lightning are exciting, but by mid-July the washes fill fast, storms rage through the night, and the Valley wakes up to trees strewn across front yards and driveways. The storms bring much needed refreshment to the desert, but they also destroy large, proud trees in neighborhoods...
Speaking Up About Domestic Violence
Increasing awareness helps to combat domestic violence, but in light of conflicting views offered by statistics and anecdotal evidence, it’s...
Increasing awareness helps to combat domestic violence, but in light of conflicting views offered by...
Increasing awareness helps to combat domestic violence, but in light of conflicting views...
Increasing awareness helps to combat domestic violence, but in light...
Increasing awareness helps to combat domestic violence, but...
Increasing awareness helps to combat domestic violence, but in light of conflicting views offered by statistics and anecdotal evidence, it’s hard to tell if the issue has grown or gotten smaller. Following Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, Brenda Nichols of Arizona Department of Health Services said awareness is the first priority. Nichols manages the High Risk Perinatal and Newborn Intensive Care programs at AZDHS, but directed the domestic violence prevention program previously. “Before we started domestic violence shelters, people just lived with it and they didn’t talk about it,” Nichols noted. “What stayed at home stayed at home, and obviously that’s...
Winning with Disabilities
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton proclaimed December 3 International Day of Persons with Disabilities and congratulated the Phoenix Coyotes Sled Hockey...
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton proclaimed December 3 International Day of Persons with Disabilities and congratulated...
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton proclaimed December 3 International Day of Persons with Disabilities...
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton proclaimed December 3 International Day of...
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton proclaimed December 3 International...
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton proclaimed December 3 International Day of Persons with Disabilities and congratulated the Phoenix Coyotes Sled Hockey team on their championship victory. From now on in Phoenix, December 3 will be recognized as the international day initially created by the United Nations to promote inclusion and empowerment of disabled people. Taking this to heart, Stanton spoke on the importance of accessibility and empowerment for disabled people and congratulated the Coyotes Sled Hockey team on their win at this year’s USA Hockey Sled Classic in Miami. “We continue to fight to make our city better for everyone, but we have...
11 Ways to Love Our Neighbors this Christmas
It’s the holiday season, and during this time of year you may find yourself thinking, “I would really like to...
It’s the holiday season, and during this time of year you may find yourself thinking,...
It’s the holiday season, and during this time of year you may find...
It’s the holiday season, and during this time of year...
It’s the holiday season, and during this time...
It’s the holiday season, and during this time of year you may find yourself thinking, “I would really like to do something for someone in need.” Or, “I want to find an opportunity for my family to serve together.” Often we succumb to the “paralysis of analysis” and end up doing nothing because we don’t know where to begin. Yet Christmas is a challenging time for people in our community who are struggling to make ends meet. Christmas gifts, a home-cooked holiday meal, or simply quality time with others are luxuries when you are in day-in and day-out survival mode. There...
For the Health of the Young
Cover Arizona, a coalition of over 900 community and statewide organizations, is holding a series of informational events to encourage...
Cover Arizona, a coalition of over 900 community and statewide organizations, is holding a series...
Cover Arizona, a coalition of over 900 community and statewide organizations, is holding...
Cover Arizona, a coalition of over 900 community and statewide...
Cover Arizona, a coalition of over 900 community...
Cover Arizona, a coalition of over 900 community and statewide organizations, is holding a series of informational events to encourage all Arizonans to enroll in the health insurance marketplace, which opened November 1. The group’s goal is to get the entire state insured. Cover Arizona and its members have been holding events to educate the public, especially “hard-to-reach” populations, on health care rights and options, said David Aguirre, chair of communications. He said these populations include minorities, the LGBT community, and young adults, especially college students. “[Young adults] feel like they’re young, strong, and they’re not going to get sick, so therefore...
Restoring Our Obligation to Protect the Weak
A 2010 study published by the Treatment Advocacy Center and the National Sheriffs' Association found that in the United States, those with severe...
A 2010 study published by the Treatment Advocacy Center and the National Sheriffs' Association found that in the...
A 2010 study published by the Treatment Advocacy Center and the National Sheriffs' Association found that...
A 2010 study published by the Treatment Advocacy Center and the National Sheriffs'...
A 2010 study published by the Treatment Advocacy Center and the...
A 2010 study published by the Treatment Advocacy Center and the National Sheriffs' Association found that in the United States, those with severe mental illnesses are "three times more likely to be in jail or prison than in a psychiatric hospital" and that "40 percent of individuals with serious mental illnesses have been in jail or prison at some time in their lives." This heightened risk of incarceration is just one of the indicators that those with serious mental illnesses are among the most vulnerable members of our communities. Tremendous isolation is also a routine experience for the mentally ill, who are often more regarded as...
The Scarlet Cord – An Update
Many of you will remember that earlier this year we published an in-depth interview with Pamela Alderman, the award-winning artist...
Many of you will remember that earlier this year we published an in-depth interview with...
Many of you will remember that earlier this year we published an in-depth...
Many of you will remember that earlier this year we...
Many of you will remember that earlier this...
Many of you will remember that earlier this year we published an in-depth interview with Pamela Alderman, the award-winning artist behind the installation "The Scarlet Cord." The exhibit was in Phoenix during the Super Bowl festivities downtown, and was sponsored by StreetlightUSA. A film crew was on hand during that time, filming the reactions of people as they experienced the exhibit. A short film about the installation opened last week at the Grand Rapids Public Museum in Michigan, as reported by mlive.com. You can learn more about Pamela Alderman and "The Scarlet Cord" here. The trailer for the film is...
Community Transformation in Guadalupe
A year or so ago we published an interview with Jeff Bisgrove of Arizona Neighborhood Transformation, focused on community development...
A year or so ago we published an interview with Jeff Bisgrove of Arizona Neighborhood...
A year or so ago we published an interview with Jeff Bisgrove of...
A year or so ago we published an interview with...
A year or so ago we published an...
A year or so ago we published an interview with Jeff Bisgrove of Arizona Neighborhood Transformation, focused on community development work underway in Guadalupe. We thought it would be a good time to check in again and see what’s happened in the meantime. Our editor Tim Hoiland sat down down with Marina Gonzales, a local leader in Guadalupe who runs the Guadalupe Learning Lab at El Mercado de Guadalupe. The learning lab's fall program begins this week. Flourish Phoenix: How do you see the work of the Guadalupe Learning Lab becoming more and more community owned? Marina Gonzales: When we started, parents would...
Discovering Treasures 4 Teachers
My discovery started with a friend’s Facebook post. She was offering her empty coffee canister to anyone who wanted it....
My discovery started with a friend’s Facebook post. She was offering her empty coffee canister...
My discovery started with a friend’s Facebook post. She was offering her empty...
My discovery started with a friend’s Facebook post. She was...
My discovery started with a friend’s Facebook post....
My discovery started with a friend’s Facebook post. She was offering her empty coffee canister to anyone who wanted it. Laden with my own collection of containers, I read through responses interested to find a solution for my own unable-to-recycle infant formula cans. One response caught my attention: Treasures 4 Teachers. Curious, I sought out more information about the organization. The more I learned, the more I wanted to get involved. I wanted to talk with the founder, see the store, and tell others about it. Treasures 4 Teachers was founded by Barbara Blalock, an energetic and tenacious woman. It had...
A Strange June
Complaints of the cruel summer to come have certainly come. And come hard. We’re now more than ankle deep in those triple...
Complaints of the cruel summer to come have certainly come. And come hard. We’re now more than...
Complaints of the cruel summer to come have certainly come. And come hard. We’re now...
Complaints of the cruel summer to come have certainly come. And...
Complaints of the cruel summer to come have...
Complaints of the cruel summer to come have certainly come. And come hard. We’re now more than ankle deep in those triple digit temperatures we've come to know and love. But I remember an easier time. A time when the mornings and evenings were still bearable. A time when the Earth loved us a little more. A time... like, two weeks ago. Way back when I was considering which movies would keep me cool during the summer months, whether they be new documentaries at FilmBar or old classics to check out from the library. Ohh, those were the days. But it has been a strange June....
Loving Phoenix
When I first arrived in Phoenix a decade ago this summer to interview for a job at the Arizona Republic,...
When I first arrived in Phoenix a decade ago this summer to interview for a...
When I first arrived in Phoenix a decade ago this summer to interview...
When I first arrived in Phoenix a decade ago this...
When I first arrived in Phoenix a decade...
When I first arrived in Phoenix a decade ago this summer to interview for a job at the Arizona Republic, I ate lunch at the Hooters in Arizona Center. It’s one thing to want to eat at Hooters. It’s another thing to have to eat at Hooters because there are so few dining options. While I was slightly annoyed by downtown Phoenix’s then sparse options, I was very excited about the job for which I was being considered – and what I thought it meant for my long-term journalism career. I have long been passionate about higher education and its potential to expose...
Praying for Reconciliation and Peace
It is no secret that for many years there has been, to varying degrees, suspicion and even antagonism between law...
It is no secret that for many years there has been, to varying degrees, suspicion...
It is no secret that for many years there has been, to varying...
It is no secret that for many years there has...
It is no secret that for many years...
It is no secret that for many years there has been, to varying degrees, suspicion and even antagonism between law enforcement officials and minority communities in our country. Over the past year we’ve seen these tensions reach tipping points in Ferguson, in New York, and most recently, in Baltimore. In response, members of the clergy here in metro Phoenix have organized prayer rallies calling for racial justice and reconciliation through Faith & Justice PHX. At Flourish Phoenix, we’ve published multiple pieces by thoughtful leaders who are grappling with the implications of racial injustices, and we're committed to publishing additional perspectives on the...
Both/And
All of the excitement surrounding the explosion of development in and around the downtown Phoenix corridor has brought with it...
All of the excitement surrounding the explosion of development in and around the downtown Phoenix...
All of the excitement surrounding the explosion of development in and around the...
All of the excitement surrounding the explosion of development in...
All of the excitement surrounding the explosion of...
All of the excitement surrounding the explosion of development in and around the downtown Phoenix corridor has brought with it what seems to be a never ending battle: entrepreneurial vs. corporate; local vs. chain; “the little guy” vs. “the man.” And the debate rages on. Yet, perhaps the debate is unnecessary. Is it possible to be both corporate and entrepreneurial – or even more of a leap, chain restaurant and local establishment? And, is it conceivable that “the man” has much in common with “the little guy”? In January 2010, along with my wife and three kids I moved to the Willo...
The Pinewood Classic
The Pinewood Classic returns to downtown Phoenix for the second time on Saturday, April 25. Though slots for racers sold out...
The Pinewood Classic returns to downtown Phoenix for the second time on Saturday, April 25. Though...
The Pinewood Classic returns to downtown Phoenix for the second time on Saturday, April...
The Pinewood Classic returns to downtown Phoenix for the second...
The Pinewood Classic returns to downtown Phoenix for...
The Pinewood Classic returns to downtown Phoenix for the second time on Saturday, April 25. Though slots for racers sold out a while ago, spectators are in for a real treat with food, drink, and people-watching galore. We asked Doug Penick to tell us about the event. (Full disclosure: Doug is the mastermind behind the Flourish Phoenix logo. He does great work.) FP: Where in the world did the idea for this event come from? DP: A few years back I took a trip back to my hometown of Virginia Beach. Around the same time, my dad was building a pinewood derby car with my younger brother....
HopeFest Returns for the Fourth Year
HopeFest is returning to Chase Field on April 18. The annual event, which is coordinated by CityServe Arizona, connects our...
HopeFest is returning to Chase Field on April 18. The annual event, which is coordinated...
HopeFest is returning to Chase Field on April 18. The annual event, which...
HopeFest is returning to Chase Field on April 18. The...
HopeFest is returning to Chase Field on April...
HopeFest is returning to Chase Field on April 18. The annual event, which is coordinated by CityServe Arizona, connects our city’s “uninsured, underinsured and underserved” residents with a variety of resources and services they need. I spoke with Terrilyn Miller, the director of CityServe, about the upcoming event. FP: This will be the fourth time CityServe has sponsored HopeFest in Phoenix. Tell us how this annual event got started. TM: Billy Thrall, our founder, tells the story how he heard about HopeFest Tucson and wondered why we didn’t have anything like it in Phoenix. Soon after launching CityServe Arizona in April 2011,...
What Phoenix Needs From You
If you browse through a typical online newspaper or variety website, you will likely encounter a “top ten list” regarding...
If you browse through a typical online newspaper or variety website, you will likely encounter...
If you browse through a typical online newspaper or variety website, you will...
If you browse through a typical online newspaper or variety...
If you browse through a typical online newspaper...
If you browse through a typical online newspaper or variety website, you will likely encounter a “top ten list” regarding the best cities to live in. Depending on the source, that list might have a particular focus – best city for finding a new job, locations with affordable housing, best cities for outdoor fun. On the surface, I can appreciate the content provided in these infotainment articles. For those making decisions about job relocation or retirement – or for those simply dreaming of a better place – this information can provide a quick overview about the highlights of a given city. The...