San Diego Black Arts & Culture District

Unifying San Diego’s Black Experience

The San Diego Black Arts and Culture District is an exciting addition to the 4th Council District. It will complement the existing Black culturally significant institutions located throughout the city and will serve to unify the various elements that make up the Black experience.

The district encompasses nine blocks within the San Diego community of Encanto. It is located along Imperial Avenue between 61st and 69th Streets and extends southward approximately 150 feet. The corridor is comprised of a mix of a commercial, residential and arts & culture uses.

Geographically the District is in a valley formed by a tributary of Chollas Creek. Single family homes with striking views of the city are the predominate land use to the north and south of the Imperial Avenue corridor.

Marie Widman Park, located within the district, is a hidden gem which in recent years has been activated organically by area creatives. The park is named after Marie Widman, who was born on July 8, 1931 and raised in the City of San Diego. She first became active in the San Diego during the civil rights movement, serving as Secretary of the San Diego Branch of the NAACP from 1959 to 1966. Marie went on to several decision-making roles – including the Board of Library Commissioners for the City of San Diego, the San Diego Park and Recreation Board, Metropolitan Transit Development Board Citizen’s Advisory Committee, and San Diego City Planning Commission. She advocated for public land being turned into parks in Southeast San Diego in the 1960’s & 1970’s. The late Councilmen George Stevens worked with the community to have the park changed from Encanto Neighborhood Park to Marie Widman Neighborhood Park in 1994.

*Location of The San Diego Black Arts + Culture District. Click map to enlarge.*

Upcoming Activities

Featured

Dec 17

Advisory Committee Meeting CANCELLED

Dec 25

Christmas

Dec 26

Black Candle Neo Soul Kwanzaa Night

Jan 21

Advisory Committee Meeting

The San Diego Black Arts + Culture District is pleased to highlight the extraordinary talents of individuals throughout San Diego.

We are pleased to highlight Advisory Council members Denise Webb and La Raza Webb on the completion of Phase 1 of the renovation of their business building at 6407 Imperial Avenue in the SD Arts + Culture District.

Raimo Residence is family founded and operated since 2018. Our mission is to support veterans, low-income families and marginalized communities by providing safe and affordable housing solutions. We are dedicated to addressing the pressing issue of homelessness in Southern California and ensuring that those who have bravely served our country have a place to call home.

Our mixed-use property is located in the heart of San Diego’s Black Arts + Culture District. We are currently renovating the commercial space to open a community facility called The Block Club San Diego. The space will be used as a gathering place for residents and visitors to experience the vibrancy of Black Arts and Culture. Our patrons will enjoy an assortment of educational programs, wellness resources, community events and other amenities. You can also speak with us about hosting your next event here! In addition, our conference room will be available to rent for private meetings.

Please pardon our dust until construction is complete. In the meantime, use this link to take our short survey and let us know what you’d like to see at The Block Club!

For more information, please contact us via email - info@raimoresidence.org OR info@theblockclub.org

Past Activity Highlights