The mission of HNE is for the purpose of organizing, uniting, and promoting community engagement, activities, and events in the Historic Northeast area of Kansas City. Since 1995, we have organized parades, family picnics, musical events and, most notably, from 1996 to 2007, a family weekend event called ‘Historic Northeast Festival.’ This event brought together our ethnic business products, foods, live entertainment, youth activities and a carnival to a local park. It was an economic boost to the area and a social event to mix the broad range of our ethnic cultures. This event enabled us to mentor the youth of our community and encourage them to participate as volunteers of community building. As a result, approximately 15,000 diverse people came together annually to celebrate one another’s culture; but, after 12 years of planning, collaborating and partnering with stakeholders in the community, we outgrew the capacity of the park.