Case Study: Park Hill/Algonquin Neighborhood Association - The Rising Roots Collective
Client:
The Community of opportunity (park Hill/Algonquin Neighborhood Association)
Industry:
Nonprofit, Community Advocacy
Services Provided: Website Design, Campaign strategy, outreach strategy, Campaign Development, consulting

Background:
The Park Hill / Algonquin Neighborhood Association, operating as the Community of Opportunity, was born during COVID-19 out of a powerful act of collective resistance and vision. Residents of this predominantly Black Louisville neighborhood fought for and were granted ownership of an abandoned chemical plant in their community.
This wasn’t just about land. It was about reclamation.
Neighbors organized, mobilized, and stepped into ownership — literally and figuratively — to determine what redevelopment could look like on their terms.
I was brought into the project by a mentor and immediately knew this was the kind of work Odd Media Solutions exists to do. I sat in on multiple committee meetings as residents wrestled with big questions:
- What should this co-op look like?
- How will it be structured?
- What are the benefits?
- Who does it serve?
- What does ownership actually mean for us?
I had the privilege of helping them clarify their brand strategy, land on naming options, and shape messaging that reflected both power and possibility. One of the name options I proposed — The Rising Roots Collective — would eventually become the official name as the project matured.
Challenge:
The community had done the hard part: organizing, advocating, and winning ownership.
But now they faced a new challenge — awareness.
How do you explain a cooperative ownership model to neighbors who may be skeptical?
How do you inspire participation in a neighborhood that has experienced disinvestment for decades?
How do you turn an abandoned chemical plant into a symbol of hope?
They needed clear messaging.
They needed language that was rooted in dignity, not deficit.
They needed a campaign that felt accessible and empowering
Our Approach:
We worked from the inside out — starting with listening.
By sitting in committee meetings and understanding the emotional and political weight of the project, we ensured the messaging wasn’t performative. It was authentic.
- Brand & Naming Strategy - We guided conversations around identity and direction. Through facilitated strategy discussions and naming exploration, we helped clarify what the co-op stood for and how it would speak to its neighbors.
- Campaign Development – “Plant Seeds for Change” - To build awareness and encourage participation, we developed a grassroots outreach campaign called Plant Seeds for Change.
- Messaging That Empowered, Not Explained
- Rather than overwhelming residents with technical details about cooperative structures, we focused on empowerment. This wasn’t just a development project — it was a vehicle for community ownership.
The campaign included:
- Door-to-door outreach materials
- Printed marketing collateral
- Clear, community-centered messaging
- Calls to action encouraging neighbors to show up and be heard
As the initiative evolved, it transitioned into its official identity as The Rising Roots Collective, reflecting growth, grounding, and long-term transformation.
Results:
- Established Brand Identity: The Community of Opportunity matured into The Rising Roots Collective — a name that reflects resilience and renewal.
- Grassroots Engagement: The Plant Seeds for Change campaign equipped residents with language and tools to build awareness door-to-door.
- Strategic Clarity: The committee gained stronger alignment around structure, purpose, and messaging.
- Expanded Partnership:
The success of this work led to a larger engagement with The Center for Neighborhoods, where Odd Media Solutions is now refreshing their website to further support neighborhood-led change across Louisville.
Key Takeaways:
- Ownership Changes Everything: When communities control the narrative and the land, transformation becomes possible.
- Strategy Must Be Rooted in Listening: You cannot brand what you do not understand. Sitting in rooms, hearing concerns, and watching debate unfold is part of real strategy.
- Black Neighborhoods Deserve Investment in Clarity: Too often, predominantly Black communities are given plans instead of platforms. This project flipped that script.
Why It Matters:
This project was transformational. not just for the neighborhood, but for us. It affirmed our belief that marketing is not about aesthetics first. It’s about power. It’s about giving language to vision. It’s about helping communities see themselves as owners, not observers. The Park Hill / Algonquin Community of Opportunity — now The Rising Roots Collective — is proof that when neighbors organize, when strategy meets heart, and when messaging supports movement, real change happens.
At Odd Media Solutions, we are proud to have planted seeds in this work and even more proud to watch those roots continue to rise.
Let’s make a difference together.












