Tom Heath
Good morning. It’s a beautiful Sunday in the Old Pueblo. And you’re listening to KTDT Tucson. Thank you for spending a part of your brunch hour with us on your downtown Tucson Community sponsored rock and roll radio station. This week, we speak with Ashley LaRussa of Roux Events and BlaxFriday about the incredible achievement she’s had over the last couple of years. Today is March 28th, my name is Tom Heath and you’re listening to Life Along the Streetcar.
Tom Heath
Each and every Sunday our focus is on social, cultural and economic impacts in Tucson’s Urban core. We shed light on hidden gems everyone should know about. From A Mountain to UArizona and all stops in between you get the inside track right here on 89.1 FM, streaming on Downtown Radio.org. Also available on your iPhone or Android by using our own Downtown Radio Tucson app.
Tom Heath
If you want to get us on the show or email addresses contact@Life along the streetcar.org. That same website has all of our past episodes. We’re also on Spotify, iTunes, I Heart Radio or you can simply ask your smart speaker to play our podcast, Life Along the Streetcar podcast.
Tom Heath
We’re going to start our show today with a little bit of news about some performances at the Rialto Theater. It’s not the music that we want but it’s as close as we can get right now. Starting on Friday April 2nd, the Rialto Theater will open its doors for the gallery project. This is going to take place every Friday and Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. And the Rialto is going to be showcasing photos and posters from past Live Events.
Tom Heath
Images have been curated from the photograhy of Ms. C Elliot, Mark Martinez and event posters designed by Ryan Trate. So not the actual performers, but at least a glimpse of what used to be and what will be at the Rialto. This is a free event, but it is reservations only, they’re trying to be very cautious of social distancing so you can reserve up to four spots in 10 minute intervals. There will be some food available, a little popcorn and some cocktails. Starts Friday night!
Tom Heath
Well, our Feature Presentation has something to do with what’s right across the street at Hotel Congress. But before we get into that, let me tell you about Ashley La Russa. Ashley LaRussa began Roux Events in 2019 as an event management company with a primary focus on supporting the growth of organizations and community leaders that foster equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Tom Heath
In 2020, she expanded her efforts to launch a concept called Blax Friday. That’s BLAX Friday, to provide representation and economic empowerment of black business owners. It’s focused on positive, actionable steps towards inclusivity and Equity. Her efforts of put her in the semi-finals of the idea funding competition hosted by Startup Tucson, which we talked about a few weeks ago, and we had the pleasure of sitting down with Ashley via phone, of course, to talk about her achievements and what’s next for her organizations.
Ashley La Russa
Ashley Larussa
Tom Heath
Ashley, we’re going to talk about several different organizations that you’re involved with at the moment. But what is your official title? What is your main title here?
Ashley La Russa
My main title would be founder of Rue Events.
Tom Heath
So tell us a little about your history because Roux Events we’ll talk about but you have kind of an interesting history you’ve been involved with our community in a lot of different phases for years.
Ashley La Russa
Absolutely. I’ve been here in Tucson for going on 13 years. I started at Arizona Theater Company as a stage manager and after 10 years. I left Arizona Theater Company as a board liaison and management associate, also had the honor of serving and working with downtown Tucson Partnership as their projects manager and I was really happy to be able to start to connect with the community. And then start a true events in 2019.
Tom Heath
So Roux Events, it sounds it’s an event management company, but you started with a very specific Focus…
Ashley La Russa
Absolutely. So Roux events, which is giving homage to my Creole background, roux is used in culinary terms as a foundation for dishes like Gumbo’s and Et-Tu-Fe, and I wanted to apply that same terminology to how we Old community and the type of organizations we work with through Roux events. And so are focused of is diversity equity and inclusion, and through DEI we try to work with Community leaders that also value diversity equity and inclusion throughout the community. So that can be throughout events or that can be policymaking. We just want to be a part of a solution.
Tom Heath
So that has you working with people that have the similarly aligned goals and then you have to bring those folks together and create a larger impact in our community.
Ashley La Russa
Absolutely collaboration first!
Tom Heath
This this started in 2019. And I know you were working with a variety of projects. Can you give us an example of some of the folks that you collaborated with early on?
Ashley La Russa
Definitely some of the first events with Roux we started with spotlighting the Dunbar, really giving a nod to one of the first black institutions and now a pavilion where others can gather for culture and arts, so we did a spotlight with them on our very first event and then our second event was Black Renaissance with Hotel McCoy and local artist Shawn Louis, where we were able to have a month full of spotlighting black artists every Saturday at Hotel McCoy. And now that is just blossom into a awful Community initiative led by Sean Louis.
Ashley La Russa
And then one of the the third and I remember these first three because I feel like they’re truly impactful to the mission of Roux Events was Night Out with the Now Series The Now series focused on Barrio Viejo and specifically architecture within the neighborhood, telling the history of what was there before and what is being built towards the future.
Tom Heath
Yeah. I went to One of your Night Out events down at the in Barrio Viejo and I think was Sandy Chan. Very impressed with the information about our Chinese Heritage here in Tucson. And that was a that was a Now event and we had Sean Louie on the on the show talking about Black Renaissance a year ago. Well in 2018 and 2019 and I didn’t realize that you guys were all connected there. I’m Missed that component.
Ashley La Russa
Absolutely and and Sean Louis is also a team member on Blax Friday. We all collaborate here locally.
Tom Heath
That’s I mean, I just that’s what we love about Tucson, right? There’s it’s I guess it’s good and bad. Yeah, everyone knows everyone. So we all sort of know each other’s dirty laundry, but we also know each other’s strengths and weaknesses to figure out who to tap in to tap in with.
Tom Heath
Well, let’s let’s shift a little gears a little bit because you brought up Blax Friday. The you know, 2020 Was a year of transition for many many reasons, you know the pandemic I think that’s the headline but there’s a lot of things going on with social justice and equality issues and not to not to step out of my neutral Observer role and to heep too much praise. But sometimes there’s a Confluence of events and there’s someone at that that intersection of events that really has a vision and steps up and that That seems to be what you and Roux Events were in 2020. Tell us a little about what happened with with your thought process as we were moving through the pandemic because you are helping with the Tucson Helping Tucson effort, but kind of talk us through that and what happened in the summer of 2020?
Ashley La Russa
Definitely. So with Roux Events, our Focus was community and in-person events. And so with March a lot of the contracts were postponed. Later canceled as we were learning more about, you know, being social distant and and taking more safety precautions when it came to in-person events. And so thankfully with projects like Tucson Helping Tucson, Roux Events was still actively able to do something impactful within the community. Also during that time. I was doing personally a lot of research on economics when it came to Black Businesses specifically, seeing the decline of black businesses during April of 2020 and that was just due to COVID, you know due to the pandemic and then with the murder of Mr. George Floyd later in the summer, we found ourselves compounded as a community not only facing COVID but also racial disparity when it comes to Justice and awareness and recognition.
Ashley La Russa
And so looking both at those two things that are happening on a national level as well as locally and myself being inside here. I’m going on I’m going to hit 365 days this week. I’m going to hit the year mark. I wanted to make sure that I was still following my mission of this new business as well as still contributing towards social justice locally, and thankfully during that time and building during the summer, I was able Able to find a number of Community Partners that also felt that same way. Firstly with the business owners with Blax Friday who are all black business owners that also found a need of starting a directory to find each other and celebrate all of the wonderful things we were still able to build even during these times. As well as the opportunity of connecting more with all of our Community Partners and leaders here locally and We did a number of initiatives with Partners like Community Investment Corporation, Nova Home Loans. Again Tucson Helping Tucson huge shout-out on just helping the community be aware of local business and needs.
Tom Heath
So Black’s Friday. It’s spelled be LAX Friday kind of a takeoff of the Black Friday. I assume shopping spree that happens right around Thanksgiving.
Ashley La Russa
Yes indeed.
Tom Heath
So when you when you started this effort, Bert clearly you were trying to support and highlight black-owned businesses. But what was your initial Vision did it’s become something quite large and we’ll talk about that. But what was your initial Vision? Did you see something large coming out of this or was it or was it an informational campaign?
Ashley La Russa
Yes, the the initial and the Big Why was how many, how many black owned businesses are in Arizona? We know statistically with data that our population. As African-Americans black Americans black is just over 5% and then looking at the data knowing that within that five percent two percent to 2.5% our business owners. It felt like the utmost importance to find out who that 2% is here in Arizona and be able to pull it into an accessible directory. So that was the main vision and goal was finding out how many and then once locating them being able to amplify them so that all community members can locate and be able to shop, support, share and just build a greater Community.
Tom Heath
Well, so it starts off as a as a source of information to connect, highligh,t amplify. But over the last not quite year, I guess it’s been about nine months, Blax Friday has really become more of a movement and and it’s creating opportunities. It’s been able to create empowerment opportunities for these business owners. So kind of had it more of what’s been changing?
Ashley La Russa
So with the recognition and awareness came collaboration and partnership and so now businesses with in similar Industries are able to partner and start to have their own either events or promoting each other and sharing platforms space. And so that also transposed into other local Merchants are Partners downtown Tucson and in our partners on 4th Avenue and around main gate to also be invested in learning and meeting other entrepreneurs and Merchants. And so when you say it’s been become a movement that’s such a huge compliment because it truly is a testament to our community being able to connect during these times and understand the mission is important and help us amplify that.
Tom Heath
We’ll back to finish up our interview with Ashley larussa and just a few minutes, but I want to remind you that you are listening to Life along the streetcar on downtown radio 98.1 FM and available for streaming on Downtown Radio dot org.
Tom Heath
And let’s finish up with Ashley Larussa. You know, when I when I see this, you know, I saw it as a directory originally in a way to support a segment of our population that you know was disproportionately impacted by covid lead seems but now la More recently. You just release something called the black paper.
Ashley La Russa
Yes. Thank you.
Tom Heath
So tell us I mean what what is that component and that that’s an evolution in the in the movement.
Ashley La Russa
Wow. Thank you for bringing up our black paper. Yes, that was just released here on February 26th of 2021 the goal with the black paper was really putting down a positive focus and You on initiatives that are being built towards economic empowerment for specifically black business owners and entrepreneurs again when we were doing the research and what was happening to Black businesses in March and April. I found it important to also start to connect and align ourselves with other institutions who have been doing this work, you know who have already focused in on helping Spotlight and build awareness. It’s towards black business and one of those Partners isTaniqua Broughton. Taniqua over at the State of Black Arizona has been doing wonderful work and Gathering data and the actual tracking of metrics of what is happening. Not only within business but also health and education when it comes to the black community here in Arizona.
Ashley La Russa
And so we’re so excited to a have them as a contributing author on the black. prayer to talk about their report that will be released here in the coming month to discuss the numbers that they found as well as discussing with Partners such as Community Investment corporation growth Partners, Arizona hustle Phoenix local first, Arizona all institutions that are building programs and initiatives seeing an issue and wanting to be a part of a solution and so we’ve come out with the black paper where we’ve had an opportunity of having the authors write about these initiatives and then again being able to make it accessible on our website.
Tom Heath
And it’s if the read of this is very much more in-depth economic look at small business and then the the compounding factors that minority business owners face in this environment. So it’s a very well put together a document on just economic strategies.
Ashley La Russa
Huge compliment. Thank you. I will let the team know
Tom Heath
so close pretty nicely a lot of this is available on your website Blax Friday BLAX Friday and will of course link to that from our Facebook page, but there is an event coming up. We’re airing this on the 28th of March and there’s an event coming up on Wednesday, which is a reoccurring event that I’m excited about because I have not yet been to this, but I’m going on its day. So tell me about what I’m going to experience. It’s on Wednesday at Hotel Congress.
Ashley La Russa
Thank you. Thank you for bringing up our Soul Food Wednesdays at Hotel Congress. So during our partnership here last summer. We were thankful for every Wednesday to be able to Spotlight black-owned businesses be it vendors, musicians, food trucks and thankfully into the new here and 2021 Hotel Congress has partnered on for once. Month, the last Wednesday of every month will be soul food Wednesdays and just to mention some of the vendors we’ve had reoccurring soul food. Wednesday’s is Trey’s barbecue Dre is also a DJ but he brings up his food truck and you’re able to get a number of different dishes hot and ready and delicious and safely prepared. We’ve also had DJ impeccable go and mix some 90s mix and Good Vibes. From the stage and then a number of our small business owners vendors including Light of Mine Candle supply.
Ashley La Russa
So if you’re looking for candles you can find those with her or even Custom Classic cakes, you know, we’ll have her name is Elizabeth and she bakes custom cakes for anyone who may have allergens. So if you have a dairy allergy, which I do or if you have a gluten allergy she’s able to specialize Cakes for you. So that’s just to name a few of the vendors that are there and they rotate depending upon the date again an opportunity while partnering with a local institution and organization and business and amplify another small business owner.
Tom Heath
Yeah, so kudos to Hotel Congress for opening up that space and this is not a you’ve been doing this for a while. I know it stopped touring during COVID, but this has been something that’s been ongoing for a over a year to hasn’t it?
Ashley La Russa
Absolutely. I we definitely kicked off. I want to say off the top of my head and give a huge shout-out to Street Blues family to re because early on Ray with the collaboration of marketing director de lis Shepherd and David sloot’s really started to kick off and do soul food. Wednesday’s early on and I’m in 2020 right after. I believe it was around June or July and then with covid, you know spiking and taking even more precaution. We took a break and then we’ve come back strong here starting just this last month in February and deciding that you know, we’re going to make it once a month and bigger each time as we get more safety precautions in line. And so again, it’s just really exciting to see an event, you know in the core of downtown Tucson and be so supportive. Today and and be you know a way to safely celebrate and help a business here locally.
Tom Heath
Well, here’s the the million dollar question. What’s next? What’s the future, where where are things heading? What’s your vision for 2020?
Ashley La Russa
Wonderful. I’m so happy you asked. Well, definitely our next goal that we’re setting is partnering with Phoenix and an initiative called Pitch Blax. When we first started off in the summer. We did a virtual event called Black’s Friday Night Live and during Black Friday Night Live. We had Pitched Blax and this is an opportunity where business owners had a minute to pitch their business idea and product and then we were able to award one of the businesses during the event. Well now this is totally scaled up and we now have partners and Phoenix including Hustle Phoenix, Archwood Exchange just to name a few to start. Off with and we’re building a national pitch competition. So I applications are actually open now at pitchblackevent.com. We will be announcing the finalists to sub coming April and the event will be June first 2021.
Ashley La Russa
So that’s going to be the next goal and really again spotlighting and opportunity for black entrepreneurs and business owners to be able to pitch their ideas and be able to talk about capital a Us as they’re speaking with potential funders and so we’re really excited about that and as we build that into 2022, hopefully, we’ll have a reoccurring event and really replicate some of the events that we’ve been doing in this year. So watch out for Black Friday, 2021 and November and and watch out for again doing another beautiful seasonal and holiday edition of black businesses and releasing. All of their information in a nice, you know packet of where you can go and Shop during the holidays.
Tom Heath
Actually we could talk for hours. I got to have you back to talk about some of these initiatives in this National effort. But for now, I think we’ve we’ve saturated my brain with enough information to digest this before we started the show as we were talking you had said that it takes a village takes a community solutely hand and I agree with that. It also takes a leader and you stepped into that role and we appreciate that you’ve done that. Ashley La Russa, Roux Events, Blax Friday Community leader. Thanks for everything you’re doing. Thanks for spending some time with us today.
Ashley La Russa
Thank you Tom. Appreciate it.
Tom Heath
Well, since that interview Ashley has been nominated for an Idea Funding Award through Startup Tucson and actually has moved into the semi-finals of that and I know where I’m going to be on a Wednesday over at Hotel Congress for Soul Food Wednesday’s. My name is Tom Heath, you’re listening to Life along the streetcar in downtown radio 98.1 FM and available for streaming on Downtown Radio.org.
Tom Heath
Well that’s going to do it episode number.144 is The books and we’re thankful for Ashley La Russa spending a part of her busy schedule with us to talk about our events and Black’s Friday and coming up next week. We’ve got some of the cool things happening with downtown boutique hotels. You probably familiar with the Downtown Clifton. Well, the the owner is opening up a New Concept just a little bit north of there at the old Daily Citizen building and it’s aptly named the the Citizen Hotel Tucson. We will talk about that as we get into next week’s show and we’re happy to have Monique Elaine the the owner of that project sharing her details with us.
Tom Heath
And please stay tuned for the 11:30 segment of this hour we used to do rebroadcast of old episodes, but now we got something new and exciting for you. Starting last week, you probably heard Ted Skiour local one of our fabulous DJ’s here has started a show every Sunday called Words and Work and his goals here are to to talk to those writers and others from the labor movement. So Ted Ski, welcome to the Sunday morning lineup, and I look forward to hearing all of your episodes.
Tom Heath
And if you want to hear more about life along the streetcar you can head over to our Website page lifealongthestreetcar dot-org all of our episodes are housed there. We also have the podcast pretty much anywhere where you can find podcasts including just being recently added to iHeartRadio and you can ask your smart speaker to play Life along the streetcar podcast. Well, we’re gonna leave today with music from a Sean Louis mentioned by Ashley and her interview
Tom Heath
from his 2020 EP Beauty and the chaos the song we’re going to leave you with today is called. Sure, you and me. Oh, my name is Tom. Hey, Ethan, you’ve been listening to Life along the streetcar on downtown radio. 98.1 FM. Hope you have a great weekend. Enjoyed it enough to tune in next Sunday for another episode until then. Enjoy your fabulous Tucson weather. Here’s Sean Louis future you and me.
