Trade&row Corp

I have been associated with T&R since the inception. I have been impressed with the scope of their projects and quality of the programming. The project that stands out is Postcards when T&R brought young filmmakers from MD and CA together in a screening in Long Beach. the films were amazing and the quality of discussion between the different profound.

I think that the non-profit has done a lot with little but with a bit more assistance I believe that they could do more for local youth.

All in all, my experience with Trade&Row was superb. I was a volunteer instructor for the Zine project in partnership with GAP back in 2009. Trade&Row organized each step of the way with grace and provided us with the tools we needed to conduct the workshops with the students. Pens, pencils, scissors, markers, etc were all provided and allowed the students to effectively explore the processes of creating small, handmade magazines out of found and basic materials.

The goal of the project was to introduce basic visual communication tools to the students that they could hopefully refer back to if it was ever necessary or desirable. The best part, was that by the tail end of the workshop every child was enthusiastically and personally vested in each of their zines. Considering that during the initial classes some of the kids weren't talking much or open to the idea of creating a zine based around their own interests and thoughts, this was a big win for all those involved. Of course, the children who already had a knack for art and the desire to learn more about the field got the most out of the workshops.

A suggestion that could help future projects like zine would be to include more guests of different disciplines from the outset, in order to have a wider appeal to the students in the program. We tried to bring different guests each week to present their work and to help the students with their zines, but sometimes invited guests would flake because of low interests and/or a weak commitment. Perhaps if the guests were included in the opening dialog from the outset, their commitment and the weaving of different disciplines would of been stronger.

With that said, I would absolutely work with them again, and their selfless devotion to the creation of these fantastic civic programs is truly inspiring.

I researched Trade&Row and thought to myself, this organization sounds like the type of organization I need to partner with to execute an idea for a project I had in mind. Turns out I was correct in my early assumption of Trade&Row and proceeded to contact them and present my idea. The idea resulted in the Bridging the Gap project which not only connected my collective, Black Artists Renaissance Society with Trade&Row but also connected us Raise It Up! Youth Hip Hop Awareness. Once we all started the dialogue we moved forward and executed the project. Initially I thought Trade&Row would serve the purpose that we needed to make the project happen and I was correct, due to their history of working with organizations that serve the community and aspire to improve it one project at a time. I admire Trade&Row and the work they do, believe me I took a chance submitting a proposal to Trade&Row and it was a chance I do not regret.

Trade&Row has come a long way since it first started, grower better with each event and program. Every program brings fresh and diverse perspectives to very relevant topics and subject matters, while still being entertaining and stimulating.

Programs like POSTCARD and ZINE demonstrate how Trade&Row are committed to enriching the learning experiences of young people. These programs encourage youth to engage their communities through the arts.

I look forward to seeing Trade&Row grow further and continue to meaningfully impact young people for years to come.

I feel that a lot of effort was put into the program to make it as engaging as possible for students, however, the duration of the program was a bit too short for its filmmaking nature. Nonetheless, I feel that I learned a lot about documentary filmmaking by viewing very personal films created by people who live across the country. It's very interesting to note the distinctly different lives everyone lives.

I am very impressed with the work Trade & Row is doing in the community. Especially, the latest projects (Bridge the Gap).... This type of programming encourages community involvement and gives positive opportunities for the youth.

I helped put together a dance fundraiser...
Karin Pleasant did a great job finding talent and organizing the talent.
The location and organization of the fundraiser (Global Soul) was very well put together.
Constructive Criticism .. Karin definitely could have used more support from board members at that time both physically and financially.

Our organization, RAISE IT UP! Youth Arts & Awareness was contacted by Trade and Row to do a youth project in Flint. We, then, partnered with the Black Artists Renaissance Society in Atlanta and "Bridging the Gap" was born. Bridging the Gap happened in Flint and Atlanta in 2010.

Trade and Row has been a great partner. Their deep commitment to providing youth with opportunities to learn and expand is not only evident through Bridging the Gap but through their other programs as well. We look forward to the continued collaboration.

I found out about this organization when one of the directors of Trade&Row who is a native of Flint, MI sought to give back to youth in this city. Together with local organizations they sponsored the 'Bridging The Gap' arts and social awareness event that took place in Flint, MI and Atl, GA. I was very pleased by their effort.

This is an organization dedicated to reaching, teaching, and uplifting young people throught artistic and creative expression. An example of this would be the "Bridging the Gap" program. They're using Hip-hop, the music most popular among teens, as a tool to teach kids about the importance of education, personal responsibility, respect for their community, and respect for themselves. These types of programs are important. We talk about how difficult it is to reach today's youth. Well, these are the types of programs that reach kids. These are the types of organizations that are instrumental in executing these programs. This is an organization that is grass roots. These are people who are part of the community. They understand the needs of the community; and how to reach the community. These people are dedicated to the community and our youths. We need to support their efforts in helping our youths.

Good org that deserves support! Alot of potential there to be mined with the help of more donors and support team. Interesting art oriented programs aimed toward education and young people.