She glows Rena Bradley

Réna Bradley is a designer and activist who boldly pursues her passions and seeks opportunities to make a positive difference in the community. She uses her degree in architecture as a tool to share the love of Christ working across public, private and non-profit arenas.

Bradley spent her childhood in Southfield, Michigan, and has spent time in Washington, DC; Las Vegas; Detroit; and Indianapolis before moving to northeast Indiana in 2015.

Why did you move to Fort Wayne?

I moved to Fort Wayne to accept a position as Community Development Director at Bridge of Grace. In my previous jobs, I had to choose between doing work that was design-oriented or doing work that was community-development focused. Working in Fort Wayne has provided me with the opportunity to do both in a faith-based environment.

What does your community activity look like?

I work with community members to develop and launch initiatives that revitalize our neighborhood and equip neighbors with the tools and confidence to become agents of change. Over the past four years I’ve launched the following initiatives: • Wonderfully Made – An afterschool program that promotes faith, creativity and career-exposure for young girls. • Tired-a-Lot – A design camp where middle and high-school students design and build installations to activate vacant lots. • Park to Park – An effort to engage university students and community members in the process of designing and building a neighborhood-playground using upcycled materials. • Holiday Giveback – An effort where MVP residents give back by making hats, blankets and scarves for homeless men and women in Fort Wayne.

What are you most passionate about?

I’m passionate about the intersection of equity, justice, the built environment and beauty. I’m also passionate about amplifying the voices of youth, women and people of color in Fort Wayne, while promoting the use of design as a tool to enhance not only beauty, but also well-being and justice in neighborhoods and cities.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I believe every person on this planet has the potential to effect tremendous positive change for themselves and for others. For the past 3.5 years, I have been privileged to call Fort Wayne home and work alongside some amazing people, especially the residents of the Mount Vernon Park Neighborhood and SE Fort Wayne. I’ve seen our community members – adults and youth alike – take on small tasks that have made huge differences in our neighborhood. Together, and with the help of other participants and volunteers, we’ve prayed, picked up trash, pulled weeds, tutored kids, testified at hearings and designed and built an entire park out of materials that some would consider trash! And our efforts have paid off. Overgrown lots are maintained, once blighted and vacant homes not only restored but occupied, and according to FBI’s uniform crime stats, since 2013, the number of incidents of crime in our community have fallen by more than 55 percent. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together as a united community. a

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