This is the final piece in the Irrigate project “University Avenue Voices.” Our team met all summer to curate the written pieces (originally published in the Saint Paul Almanac), design, and find the locations along the light rail corridor for the posters and this one big banner.
The banner was designed by Shaquan Foster with professional guidance by Michael Waite. The photo of Kofi Bobby Hickman was taken by Tobechi Tobechukwu. The rest of the team: Lisa Steinmann, Diego Vázquez Jr., Patricia Young and Kimberly Nightingale.
Kofi Bobby Hickman was born and raised in Saint Paul and has remained a lifelong resident of the city. He directed the Inner City Youth League for twenty years and has been a community activist for over forty years. The oldest enrolled student at Metro State University, he is soon to graduate with a bachelor of arts degree. Read Kofi Bobby’s story “The Brawl in St. Paul” on this site. Please, walk or drive by the Old Home building at University and Western (map below) to see this grand banner.
Visit Golden’s Deli in Lowertown to see some of the posters (below) created for the same project.
Photos courtesy Diego Vázquez Jr. and Nigel Parry.