ARTIST STORIES
August ~ 2021
Creators of Social Justice
by Tom Coston
Elise Logan and Mia Glionna, founders of Pasadena Black Equity Project

A few weeks ago, I was hailed down by Elise Logan, a former participant of our Room 13 program at Eliot Arts. Elise had actually created the illustration for Room 13s Pix by Tweens, a micro-business they formed to do photography at events and raise money for their art studio! But that was many years ago. Elise had now recently graduated from Barnard College. She stood before me with her friend Mia Glionna, a recent graduate of UCLA. They had something important to share. I was so inspired by them and the work they were doing that I wanted to share it with you. What follows is my interview of these activist young women and I think you’ll be as impressed as I am.

TC: How do you both know each other?

Mia: We met in 2015. It was at a UCLA program where we took social justice centered classes while preparing to apply to college.

Elise: Yes, we became friends when we were both fifteen. The program we took focused on local service work. It turns out it’s the same mission we’re working on now!

TC: You came up with a powerful idea you call the Pasadena Black Equity Project. What inspired you to do this?
 
Elise: A year ago we were both living at home doing classes online. The local and national climate was very unsettling. It still is. We talked a lot about the effects of racism which comes in many forms, including economic, medical, housing, educational, and other inequities. And we knew there were black families right around us that were lacking aid and support.

Mia: Our community was, and is, contracting COVID and dying at higher rates. Unemployment rates and the housing crisis are also a huge concern. We watched these things unfold knowing that our residents were not getting the proper assistance they needed.

Elise: Then we brainstormed to find ways to offer immediate help to improve daily material conditions for local black residents, even in the smallest way.
TC: How would you describe the core mission of your project?
 
Mia: Growing up here and coming back during the pandemic, the wealth disparities were very noticeable. We had to do something. We started the project to call attention to that gap and help our community residents by providing for their direct needs.

Elise: The idea that emerged was to create a mutual aid fund network. The mission is basic and simple. We field applicant requests and send stipends to help our families with their immediate living, educational and health-related issues. The request process is simple, too, and as accessible as possible. It gets to the heart of the problem without the formalities of typical grant applications or subsidy requests.

TC: You’ve raised thousands! I notice you post your bank statements online and CashApp receipts. Why do you think that’s important?
 
Mia: We want to create trust on all sides. Trust from donors and trust from applicants. This way donors are updated on how their contribution is being spent. We want people to know how serious we are about meeting people’s needs in the clearest, most efficient way possible. So we hold ourselves accountable.

Elise: Yes, building an organization on a foundation of honesty and accountability is the most important thing. Financial transparency gives people assurance that 100% of their donations are going to local black residents. The community deserves to see and know how we’re managing the organization.

"I will continue doing this community work while I continue writing, researching, dancing and choreographing…”
—Elise Logan
Art by @janamalkia, donated for August 14 fundraiser

TC: What has the project taught you as individuals?
 
Elise: It’s taught me patience and the value of integrity as an organizer. It was a slow climb getting it started. It also taught me the importance of keeping things simple and uncomplicated. We’re getting food on people’s tables. We’re helping people keep their lights on, pay some medical bills, and cover rent. Above all, I learned that tangible and direct aid is more important than symbolic gestures.

Mia: There’s an immense amount of work that goes on in organizing projects like this. I learned the value of working with others. It wouldn’t be possible without the collaboration of community partners, volunteers, and donors. I discovered that true change, meaning the removal of conditions that cause systemic poverty in under-resourced communities, is an ongoing process.

TC: What are your hopes for the future?
 
Elise: We want to expand the Pasadena Black Equity Project beyond the mutual aid fund network model and create a larger network of resources. We also want to fundraise for local organizations that focus on black youth and educational equity. For myself, I will continue doing this community work while I continue writing, researching, dancing and choreographing as I did in college.

Mia: Yes, I also want to grow the project into a larger community network and eventually have it house a community library and archive. I will soon be studying librarianship and archival studies for my masters degree. This will help me focus on my vision to create local archives and educational programs.

Elise: As for right now, we’re hosting a local fundraiser at DayOne in Pasadena on Saturday, August 14th from 3pm to 7pm. They’re located at 175 N. Euclid Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101. At the event we’re auctioning off local BICOP artwork and selling books to raise more money. There will be a community arts and crafts project, poetry readings, a DJ, and more. People who want to help us should come out and support our cause!

MIA: And please follow us @pasadenablackequityproject on Instagram for more details!

TC: We’re so proud of you, Elise and Mia! We can’t wait to see what comes next!!

For more information, visit Instagram.com/PasadenaBlackEquityProject

For art auction, find details at Eventbrite.com