Developing Community Spaces: Storytelling, Stewardship, and the Soul of Place

In “Developing Community Spaces,” Kevin Brown explores how physical spaces—especially neglected lots, abandoned properties, and overlooked landmarks—can be transformed into powerful sites of memory, cultural identity, and civic healing. By honoring and acknowledging a community’s past, these forgotten sites can become reflections of historical pain and new hope. 

Drawing from Kevin’s work creating Gertrude’s Garden in the historic Burglund District of McComb, Mississippi, this presentation offers insight into revitalizing historical spaces, engaging the community through oral histories, art, and public programs, and connecting with state-wide resources. “Developing Community Spaces” shares a living model of how the humanities can come alive through the land itself.

Speakers Expertise:

Kevin Enos Brown, an author, artist, and community advocate from McComb, MS, provides a compelling view of the civil rights movement. As founder of Gertrude's Garden, a Burglund communal green space, and Director of the Black History Gallery, Kevin champions arts-based community initiatives and cultural preservation. His book, Creative Catalysts: Art and Advocacy-A Powerful Connection for Social Change, highlights how creativity drives social progress. He is also the author of Outside the Walls: Reclaiming History With Community Spaces, which further examines how community-driven spaces preserve history and foster collective healing. Kevin’s work continues to educate and inspire others about the significant role of community activism and creative expression in the fight for equality.