Credit: 106 Group
Stage lights glowed warmly over the 825 Arts theater as longtime residents, former staff, and supporters gathered to mark a milestone few community organizations achieve: 45 years of the Aurora St. Anthony Neighborhood Development Corporation (ASANDC).
The evening was both a reunion and a call to action, a celebration of endurance amid decades of change in the historic Rondo and Frogtown neighborhoods. Laughter and music carried through the venue, but beneath the joy was a clear urgency: the need to strengthen an institution that has long carried the hopes of St. Paul’s Black community.
“I really just want this event to reintroduce Aurora St. Anthony to the community,” said Tatiana Freeman, ASANDC’s new executive director. “We’ve been here 45 years, and that’s a tremendous accomplishment. But who we’re going to be moving forward may look different, and that’s okay. We’re still dedicated to stepping up, stepping in, and serving.”
ASANDC’s roots stretch back to the wreckage of the Rondo neighborhood, the once-thriving African American community torn apart by the construction of Interstate 94 in the 1960s. The displacement of hundreds of families gave rise to a movement for self-determination, and ASANDC was born from that struggle.
Former executive director Naida Pressley, who led the organization for years, said, “Aurora St. Anthony was there when the freeway destroyed Rondo. It served the residents who remained, and it has grown over time to meet the voices and needs of the community.” The event, she said, connects the past with the present and future.
ASANDC remains a pillar of neighborhood advocacy, promoting affordable housing, local ownership, youth programs, and fair development practices. The organization helped secure additional Green Line light-rail stops in Rondo, influenced federal transportation policy to give communities greater input, and co-developed Rondo Square and Western New Plaza.
Freeman, who returned to ASANDC after teaching financial literacy and working as an entrepreneur, described the organization’s current focus as “unfinished work on the table.” She is leading a period of reorganization, branding, and ambitious re-visioning, emphasizing multi-generational impact: wealth-building for renters, workforce pipelines for Black and brown tradespeople, and legacy storytelling that connects youth with elders.
The new initiatives center on three pillars:
- Prosper St. Paul: a renter wealth-building program helping residents save, invest, and build financial security.
- Workforce Forward: a pathway for Black and brown workers to enter skilled trades essential to neighborhood redevelopment.
- Legacy Scholars Institute: a multi-generational space for preserving Black stories, entrepreneurship, and family heritage.
“These are ways we can help our people thrive right now,” Freeman said. “Ownership is one piece of wealth, but so are savings, stability and stories.”
The choice of 825 Arts, a creative hub ASANDC helped make a reality, was symbolic. While the organization’s office remains nearby at 360 West University Ave., the venue reflected ASANDC’s renewed focus on art, culture and accessibility.
“There aren’t a lot of event spaces in the community,” said event coordinator Laila Orsi. “So, we wanted to host it somewhere that reflected who we are: rooted, accessible, creative. Tonight we’re unveiling new branding, new initiatives, and reaffirming that this organization still belongs to the people.”
“The goal is to ground Black legacy organizations so that they can survive.”
For attendees, the space also served as a reunion where former staff, neighborhood elders, and supporters shared memories of Rondo’s lost homes and ongoing resilience.
From the stage, Freeman fought back tears as she addressed the crowd. “There are challenges,” she admitted. “We’re rebuilding. We may not be doing the same development projects we once did, but our dedication hasn’t changed.”
Dawn Johnson, a leadership coach who mentors Freeman, emphasized the need for community support. “She’s a staff of one,” Johnson said. “She’s carrying this on her back, doing it from her heart. What she needs is for the community to rally around her. We’re hoping for that magical donor, yes, but also for neighbors to show up, to clean the office, to give, to care.”
The organization’s board, made up entirely of women, blends deep roots with new energy. Felicia Marie Wilson, a child of Rondo, said, “As an adult, being someone who benefited from Aurora St. Anthony, it’s a blessing to give back.”
Clara Lewis, a former staffer now with NEON in North Minneapolis, returned because she “believes in Tatiana’s vision.” Board member Ashley Oolman, chief equity officer for the State of Minnesota, added, “Tatiana doesn’t play when it comes to people. She’s relentless about getting them what they need.”
The evening highlighted Black women’s leadership as a sustaining force in community institutions often expected to “do more with less.” St. Paul City Councilmember Anika Bowie, representing Frogtown and Aurora St. Anthony neighborhoods, reflected on the organization’s impact.
“I’m here not because of my title, but because I truly believe in the leadership and vision of Tatiana Freeman,” she said. Bowie shared her family’s experience with ASANDC, recalling how the organization helped her mother navigate city processes and keep their home.
Freeman closed with the announcement of ASANDC’s Legacy Stabilization Collaborative, a partnership to help other Black-led institutions, such as Hallie Q. Brown and Pilgrim Baptist, build capacity and withstand changing philanthropic trends.
“The goal is to ground Black legacy organizations so that they can survive,” Freeman said. “Because if we don’t invest in ourselves, many of us won’t be here. But being here tonight, seeing you all, gives me hope that we will.” Her voice cracked slightly as the audience applauded.
The evening wound down with hugs, photographs, and quiet conversations about what comes next. Slides on display screens cycled through ASANDC’s new logo and mission statements, alongside images of old Rondo storefronts and smiling youth from past programs. Donation links scrolled beside them, a reminder that sustaining the legacy requires ongoing action.
“Show up,” Johnson repeated. “Just show up.”
For more information, visit www.aurorastanthony.org.
Scott Selmer is a contributing writer for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder