By Dr. Felicia Shepherd
Texas Metro News
Leaders in the community were on hand for the long-anticipated Historic Forest Theater Reveal led by Forest Forward, the Non-Profit Organization, that owns the Theater.
Forest Forward is working to bring healthy neighborhood revitalization to South Dallas by restoring the Historic Forest Theater and adjacent, abandoned retail spaces to build the Community Classroom.
Forest Forward, a Purpose Built Community Member, utilizes a proven, successful, three-pronged approach to achieve its goals of healthy neighborhood revitalization: Economic Development, Cradle to College Educational Pathway (Partnership with Dallas ISD and the MLK Jr. Arts Academy), and Mixed-Income Housing.
Carol Redmond Naughton, CEO of Purpose Built Communities, was on hand to explain the Purpose Built Model.
“People deserve better than what is left over,” she said, as guests were invited inside to view the Theater, which has been closed to the public for years.
The plans for the historic Forest Theaterwere revealed with a rich overview of the history of the theater and community presented by Elizabeth Wattley, President and CEO of Forest Forward, who also announced the Forest:75215 Comprehensive Capital Campaign.
The campaign has an ambitious goal of raising $75,215,000.00.
To date, more than $25,000,000 has been raised for this project.
To schedule a tour and learn more, visit www.forestforward.org.
