LISC Welcomes Alondra Cano
Alondra Cano, the new Director of Cultural Innovation and the Creative Economy at LISC
Alondra grew up in both Mexico and Meeker County, Minnesota. She holds over 19 years of experience working in the nonprofit, education, government, and economic development fields. Most recently, she completed eight years of service on the City Council, where she represented 30,000 residents as the first Latina ever elected to Minneapolis municipal government. Alondra has pushed back against gentrification by working with nonprofit partners and artists to designate Cultural Districts throughout the city. Energized by the vision of building a strong cultural infrastructure for Minneapolis, Alondra introduced the ordinance to establish the City’s first Arts and Cultural Affairs Department and founded the bi-national Mexico in Minneapolis Folk Arts residency.
LISC Twin Cities is thrilled to welcome Alondra Cano to the team in the new position of Director of Cultural Innovation and the Creative Economy. In this role, Alondra will serve to catalyze recovery efforts on East Lake Street in Minneapolis with a leadership focus on economic development projects that center the role of arts, culture, and community heritage. This effort is vital in preventing displacement, driving racial equity, and strengthening the corridor’s unique cultural identity.
Through its Community Asset Transition (CAT) Fund and aligned funding, LISC Twin Cities has invested $8.8 million across impacted cultural districts in Minneapolis and St. Paul, with $7.5 million directly into projects on East Lake Street, including the acquisitions of a corner lot on Chicago Avenue and East Lake Street , the historic Coliseum building, and Elite Cleaners, with a number of other projects in the pipeline to accelerate BIPOC business development and property ownership. In addition, LISC Twin Cities is investing in the capacity of community organizations and businesses to participate fully in the transformational recovery that the community aspires to create.
Alondra can be reached at acano@lisc.org.
“LISC Twin Cities is grateful for the support and leadership of the John & Denise Graves Foundation to make this position and forthcoming investments on East Lake Street possible.”
WHO
Alondra Cano
WHERE
WHEN
Beginning April 2022
WHY
Alondra will play a significant role in boosting LISC Twin Cities’ recovery efforts.
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