WECOLLAB IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE
An unincorporated association with designated residents and organizational leaders authorized by the residents who led the weCollab Steering Committee, to provide oversight to the implementation of the West End/Visitation Park weCollab Resident-Led Reinvestment Plan (“the Plan”), legally adopted by the City of St. Louis on June 14, 2023.
Meet the weCollab
Implementation Committee
Monica Blanton
Ryan Smith
2024 - 2026
Lisa Potts, Delmar Main Street
Valerie Smith
Edward Jones
Mya White, Interim Lead Ambassador
Denise Thompson
Not Pictured:
Vynetta A. Morrow
Alexander Isaiah Scott
Della Elamin
David Wingo
Kendra Gage
WECOLLAB PLANNING STEERING COMMITTEE, EMERITUS
2021 - 2023
The Steering Committee worked with the planning team to carry out and deliver the weCollab Resident-led Reinvestment Plan. Specifically, the roles and responsibilities of the SC included, but were not limited to, the following:
Provided relevant information about the neighborhood to the planning team
Assisted the planning team in connecting the process to residents/stakeholders and vice versa
Inspiring, enabling and in some cases co-leading engagement efforts
Reviewed and provided input, insights and recommendations
Championed the planning process
Annetta Vickers-Bentil
“I have both a residence and a business in the West End. I want to know more about how to be an asset in the community. I want to help keep our neighborhood safe and growing.”
Khatib Waheed
“I participate in the WE.Collab effort because it represents a realistic neighborhood based community building planning opportunity to pursue the achievement of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion with highly dedicated, like-minded resident, business, faith, city-wide, and elected leaders.”
Rasheedah Furquan
“I live in the West End and see what a jewel it is. I want to change the perceptions of the neighborhood. I have an Airbnb business here. I want to build up the neighborhood from the inside out.”
Celeste Metcalf
“While I was born here, I’ve lived all over the country. I want to change the direction of the neighborhood.”
Myrina Otey
“I grew up in the West End area for the first 16 years of my life. I worked with Harambee as a teenager and have some really deep rooted relationships with the people and businesses in the area. I’m grateful for the revitalization because this neighborhood deserves it. Our homeschool co-op Sovereign University in the West End appreciates WECollab for the work put in to having a beautiful place that will inspire the children to continue the work that we’re doing today.”
S. Hero Harrell
Doneisha Bohannon
"I have lived in Visitation Park for 11 years. I am passionate about the WeCollab planning process because I get the opportunity to work with my neighbors to support positive change in our community.”
Nancy Mastin
“I have lived in the West End for 3.5 years and bought one of its vacant homes. I am a school counselor. I involve young people in neighborhood betterment activities and am excited to join this team.”
Shiron Hagens
“I love my neighborhood and want to make it an ideal place. I want to ensure that low income people are not displaced and that we do not lose their voices in the planning process.”
Gordon Carlson
“I have lived in the West End for more than 42 years. I moved in to try to help stabilize and improve the neighborhood. I am involved in the planning process because I am tired of outside developers coming in and doing development without the input from the neighbors. I am hoping the plan will develop guidelines, standards, and priorities for the future of the neighborhood set by the people who live here.”
Nathan Plumb
“I’m from rural northeast Missouri, but I’ve lived in this community for 19 years. I want to leave my neighborhood better than I found it.”
Valerie Smith
“I have lived in the West End Visitation Park Community since 2006. I am anticipating on our neighborhoods wanting a better environment by putting in the work to build a safe and flourishing community for all.
May, 2022-November, 2023 Community Ambassadors
Resident Community Ambassadors were hired by weCollab to lead Community engagement. Engagement was completed in several different ways such as:
Door to Door Engagement of neighbors with surveys and flyers
Setting up tables at Gas stations, grocery stores, apartment buildings and even on block corners
Social media engagement, emails, texts
Creating, Planning, and executing informative community events
Joining with our partners at established pre-planned events in neighboring communities to educate and inform about our plan