FDNA Annual Meeting

​I. Governance, Operations & Communications 

 

Form Committees: Garden & Beautification; Murals/Avenue Branding; Youth & Schools; Fundraising; Communications/Volunteers

 

Public Meetings: Work with team to set dates for 3–4 public meetings for 2026 and publish on City Website

 

Communications/Transparency: Publish a 2026 events calendar + volunteer sign-ups link on our website. Establish a quarterly newsletter schedule & ongoing event promotion

 

Finance: Establish monthly bookkeeping, financials report

Lead: Heather Nelson | Timeline: future meetings

 

II. Signature Events & Programming (Spring–Summer)

 

Frederick Douglass Bust Unveiling Event at Liberty Tree: Partner with Mayor’s Office; explore keynote speaker, possible street event

Lead: Cindy Pendergast | Mayor check-in: ASAP

 

Annual July 4th Reading: “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” to be held on July 11 at 10:30am.

Funding: Mass Humanities ($2K) | Partners: African American Association, Messiah Baptist, NAACP and others

 

"Discussing Douglass" ongoing series: Recurring (quarterly?) program perhaps in a "book-club style"; honor Jill Wiley (Liberty Tree quilt)

Funding: Creative Impact Fund ($2.5K) | Partners: Historical Society, Library, BHS

 

Educational Trip: Historical tour of New Bedford 

Timeline: Spring planning

 

III. Liberty Tree, Garden & Avenue Branding

 

Liberty Tree Quilt: Pick up from Jill Wiley's husband and deliver to FDNA (completed)

Lead: Cindy Pendergast

 

Garden & Maintenance: Spring planting (May); monthly volunteer schedule; youth engagement, update fencing, plant trees, install trash receptacle with plan for emptying

Funding:  Rep. DuBois/Mendes earmark ($25K) ± Beautification funds  Plan by: End of March

 

Murals & Branding: Murals (Firestone wall + sites), banners on street lights, signage on fencing and improved branding along street

Funding: Rep. DuBois/Mendes earmark ($25K) ± Beautification funds Plan by: End of April | Implementation: Summer/Fall

 

Creation of Abolitionist Park: Advance planning with Mayor’s Office Timeline: Ongoing

 

IV. Youth, Volunteers & Partnerships (March+)

 

Youth & Schools Outreach: BHS, MassHire, GBYP, Boys & Girls Club, JROTC

 

Volunteer Recruitment: Garden + events (LoveALLiance, Garden Club, Cape Verdean Assoc., GBYP)

 

 

V. Fundraising & Sustainability

 

Fundraising Strategy: Evaluate banquet, street event, vendor booths; estimate costs and speakers Deliverable: Feasibility report | By: May 1